Cold Weather Cuts E-Scooter Range by 12%, Not 50%, Data Shows
MONTREAL – October 30, 2026 -- An electric scooter that covers 25 miles (40 km) on a mild day will go about 22 miles (35 km) at 32°F (0°C), according to Apollo Scooters. The company analyzed 512,359 rides on 8,449 scooters, and the roughly 12% loss it found is well below the 20 to 50% figure often cited online.
Range loss builds gradually as temperatures fall
Apollo tagged each ride with the local air temperature and compared it with the same scooter at 68°F (20°C). The loss grows in steps rather than dropping off a cliff:
- About 5% at 50°F (10°C)
- About 10% at 41°F (5°C)
- About 12% at 32°F (0°C)
- About 13% at 20°F (-7°C)
Bigger batteries did not change the picture. Every Apollo model, from 540 Wh to 1,800 Wh, lost 10 to 15% near freezing.