Land Transport Authority (LTA) has made it compulsory that;
1) all e-scooters sold in Singapore must fulfil UL2272 fire safety standards from 1 July 2019;
2) non UL2272 certified e-scooters cannot be used on public paths after 31 Dec 2020.

#Doyouknow: As of 16 Jan 2019, almost all the e-scooters are not certified to UL2272 fire safety standard? The industry needs time and money to send the e-scooters for certification. Having said that, not all the models will be able to obtain the certification as the UL2272 has very strict testing criteria. If the e-scooter passes the UL2272 certification, only those manufactured after the certification will be considered as UL2272 certified.

If you are looking for a UL2272 certified e-scooter, there are four UL2272 certified models available as at 8th Feb 2019.

In this article, we review and compare 2 of the UL2272 certified e-scooters available in Singapore. The MOBOT L1-1 and Ninebot by Segway ES2 are mid-range e-scooters. Mid-range e-scooters are usually designed for both commuting and recreational use. It weighs between 10 to 15kg and covers about 15 to 25km on a full charge.

On the left is MOBOT L1-1 and on the right is Ninebot by Segway ES2.

What do you feel when you first see this photo?
Yes, compared to Ninebot ES2, MOBOT L1-1 at the left looks like a big brother.
L1-1 is taller and longer, also with bigger wheels.
You may ask then why Ninebot ES2 got thicker stem. This is because it contains a cylinder battery inside the stem, while MOBOT L1-1 battery is beneath the deck board.
Due to very limited space inside the scooter stem, Ninebot ES2 battery capacity is only 5.2Ah, 36V.However, you can buy an additional battery pack attach to the stem to double up the capacity.
As for MOBOT L1-1, the battery pack capacity is 7.5Ah, 36V

Handlebar width

While riding an e-scooter, the ideal handlebar length is shoulder width, preferably slightly wider. This is to allow a more natural riding posture.

ES2 handlebar width is 420mm while L1-1 is 560mm. For riders with a larger body frame, they will find it more comfortable scooting on the L1-1. But if you are looking for a smaller e-scooter, then ES2 is a better option.

Tyre type & size

The L1-1 and ES2 adopt different approach for tyres selection. MOBOT L1-1 uses front 8.5″ pneumatic and rear 8.5″ pneumatic tubless tyres. On the other hand, Ninebot ES2 uses 8″ solid and 7.5″ solid rear tyres. Solid tyres do not have the suspension effect unlike pneumatic tyres. As such, the ES has incoporated front and rear suspensions to cushion the ride.
On the other hand, solid tyres have its advantages: they do not puncture. But it costs much more to replace and may not easily available at your neighbourhood scooter shop.

#Doyouknow: You may wonder why MOBOT L1-1’s tyre looks much larger than ES2 when the difference is only 0.5″. This is because tyres rating uses nominal diameter. In other words, the measurement is taken from the tyre middle line to opposite middle line.

Brakes

For the rear brakes, the L1-1 uses mechanical disc brakes with the ES2 uses fender (or step over) brakes which are similar to manual scooters. Disc brakes are usually preferred as it a more responsive, especially during emergency braking. Individuals who ride bicycles will be more familiar with disc brakes as it is commonly used in bicycles.

For front brakes, both the L1-1 and ES2 use electronic anti-braking system (E-ABS). The only difference is ES2 E-ABS is triggered by the thumb brake located on the left of the handlebar. For the first timer, it will need some time and practice to get used to front drive + front brakes: press too much and you will fall forward. Press too little and the e-scooter takes too long to slow down.

#Doyouknow: E-scooters usually do not just come with electronic brakes as these type of brakes may malfunction when there is some electrical issue like damaged battery or circuit.

Deck board

Here comes the comparison of deck board.
Both models have almost the same width for deck board. However, MOBOT L1-1’s seems longer than Ninebot ES2.
By testing, you can’t put one foot in front and the other at rear on Ninebot ES2, but have to slanting your feet slightly to accommodate your standing. This is due to the curving up design in front portion of ES2 deck board.
MOBOT L1-1 has a design similar to Xiaomi. The deck is flat throughout.

Display panel

Now comes to a comparison of LCD display meters.
MOBOT L1-1 fan-shaped speedometer design looks quite fancy and cool; while Ninebot ES2 round display looks not bad either.
MOBOT L1-1 comes with a bell built in with its disc brake handle; while for Ninebot ES2 you have to install a separate one.

Lights

Both the L1-1 and ES2 have front, rear and app-controlled deck lights. Such a configuration allows for visibility from all directions, improving rider’s safety during the night. The only difference lies in the front light design. The MOBOT L1-1 features a non-conventional front light design, making it stand out from the crowd especially during the night while Ninebot by Segway ES2 front light looks somewhat ordinary.

Seat option

MOBOT L1-1 has optional seat available. You can also choose to attach a baby seat to the main adult seat.

Price

Finally, it comes to dollar sense.
Ninebot ES2 sells at $799* (battery 5.2Ah), with the option of expanding battery capacity to 10.4Ah at the cost of $289 for the external battery pack.
MOBOT L1-1 costs $899 (battery 7.5Ah).
Have you made up your mind yet? Or you need to test out both models? After all, it would be your own decision, and for your own ride.
The above is a review on UL2272 safety standard e-scooters.

Further reading
4 reasons why you can still buy a non UL2272 certified e-scooter
Where to get e-scooter Identification Mark sticker printed