The M3 is an electric scooter that is manufactured by California based transportation technology company EcoReco. Their mission was to create a product that would allow us to preserve the environment in a way that was cool and fun. The M3 is that product and I was lucky enough to get one to play with. After 30 days I have ridden M3 a little over 80 miles according to it’s odometer and I whole hearted believe this is a stride into the future of mobility.
Remember the Razor scooter from back in 1999? Good, now let’s fast forward 15 years into the future.
When I opened the M3 I had received from EcoReco, my first thought was:
“Woah, this is heavy…” and…
Now, at $999 a scooter, I didn’t expect it to be a kid’s toy… but then again… it is a scooter…
I opened the box in my apartment and gave the directions a read over. Inside the box, the M3 comes with a powered charger that is rated 110/220v (a plus for all you world travelers) and that’s it. Simple as that. The design is rather adult, especially in Premium Black. I received the red model which looks good as well.
Once you have emptied the box, you will then notice that all of the weight in the box is mainly the M3. It weighs in at a hefty 34lbs, That’s nearly 4x as heavy as non-motorized scooters but also 10lbs lighter than Razor’s E300 and a lot smaller. I was jared by the weight of the M3 at first until I did some research and noticed the competition weighted a lot more. The M3 is made of air force grade aluminum and it feels incredibly sturdy, which explains the weight. As described on their website, the M3 is light enough to carry up a few stairs or for a short distance which I completely agree with.
Upon receiving it, note the battery has to be charged for 12 hours before you use it. So. I plugged it in and left for the night. The next morning… I went out for a ride.
This is where the fun started…
The first thing you will notice about the M3 eScooter when you’re riding it is that it… is… FAST. This little scooter has some hefty pick up and that will throw you off at first. The M3 is capable of reaching up to 20mph for average adults but the 0-10 is abrupt and exciting. The M3 was designed with a “safe start” which means the scooter’s accelerator won’t start until it’s moving. So to get it going, you have to give it an old-fashion push. This prevents unintentional movements if you accidentally press the accelerator while standing around or if you are adjusting to movement the M3.
Now, riding the M3 is exactly like any other scooter. If you have ridden one, it will not take more than 5 minutes to get the hang of riding the M3. The ride is rather smooth depending on where you are riding it. Most roads will be fine as well as side walks. Off road could be a little rough but I rarely found myself in need of going off road and if I did I just walked it. In general, scooters don’t have large wheels so watch out for potholes and uneven sidewalk pavement. If you hit something too tall for the M3 to easily clear, that obstacle can abruptly stop you in your tracks. The only surfaces that I found unbearable were boardwalks and long tiled walkways as those tend to cause so much vibration that my vision became blurry.
Once you have gotten the feel for riding the M3, you will quickly notice how much closer some destinations will become. The post office is closer, the pizza place, whatever you use to frequent often because of its walking proximity will seem a lot closer. I found myself driving to a lot less to close locations and yearning to ride to others. The M3 honestly made my day more fun and got me to go outside more often. The lack of gas depletion thoughts felt good on my mind.
We thought the M3 would be a perfect item to test with the daily commute to New York city and here is what I found:
It’s a Time Saver:
The M3 is pretty close to hassle free. Adding the M3 into my commute was nearly painless and I am going to find it difficult to go back to walking. I simply charged the M3 over night and then road it a mile over to train in the morning.
It’s No Feather:
Getting into the station did seem to be a become a pain with the M3. It easily folded down with 4 clicks, but again, it’s a 34lb object to trek up and down series of stairs. I quickly adjusted to rolling the unit around anywhere I could to avoid picking it up over and over. On a crowded train, the M3 can be cumbersome and this is where found the one and only flaw on the EcoReco and that’s a missing pull handle. The M3 lacks a way of managing it vertically. Because both wheels become the ends of the M3 when it’s folded, you can’t hold it upright very well. You have the option of placing your hands within the main clasp but it feels like you are resting your hand in giant aluminum scissors. On the upside, I was arriving at the train station a lot earlier than before so I did have time to wait around for the next less crowded train to arrive.
It’s a Looker:
I was stopped and questioned about the M3 over and over. It’s flattering at first but then it gets tiring to be a spokesman. This thing will make you really popular in a city area because it makes short trips into shorter adventures. My favorite nuance of the M3 was wheeling it around because issues a slight hum from the turning of the inoperative electric motor. As passing ears pick up on it, they quickly notice that you don’t have a regular scooter.
The Battery Holds Up:
I can’t say I ever got 22 miles off one charge of the M3 but I would guess my 160 lb frame and excessive speeding would drop the number down a bit. Overall I averaged about 16 miles a charge which was excellent for my daily use. Each day I traveled approximately 4 miles so I charged it once a week. I never found myself with a flashing battery light before I decided to plug the scooter into the power adaptor. I also never had to take the charger from my home and felt confident the current charge would last my trip.
Overall, to me the M3 is a success. My only gripes with it are still accomplishments over the competitors and for $999 I really think you are getting your money’s worth.
If the name M3 seemed a bit BMW to you, or if you are interested in getting one, start looking forward to the M5 which is in beta testing right now and available to a limited audience. The M5 will add shocks to the rear wheel of the M3 for an even smoother ride. The M5 holds the same specs as the M3, but costs $300 more than the M3 (early beta adopters save $100). It is unsure whether the M3 will remain after the launch of the M5 but rear shocks are a welcomed addition and I look forward to checking that out when it is available. Hopefully the final version will add a handle as well?! We will see.
Overall Score:
10/10
Check out our other reviews on NJTechReviews.com
