WHERE TO BUY E-SCOOTERS IN DERBY
Written by Ed Wiles, Scootered Founder
Key Points
What is an e-scooter?
E-scooters, such as those in the new Xiaomi range, are powered transporters suitable for adults and teens. They came to prominence in the USA and then Europe when scooter hire companies Bird and Lime put thousands of them on the streets of cities across those two continents. They remain controversial in the UK (as of July 2020) due to not being legal to ride on public roads (unless hired). However, as with the vast majority of police forces, Derbyshire police do not appear to have taken any action against e-scooter riders so it is safe to assume you can ride an electric scooter around Derby without problems. Derby, alongside Nottingham, is also within one of the proposed Future Mobility Zones, where the government is trialling new forms of transport, including e-scooters; though vandals forced an e-bike scheme to close in the city in 2019, which cannot help its application to the scheme.
Where to buy e-scooters in Derby?
At the time of writing, there are very few brick-and-mortar stores selling electric scooters in Derby (or anywhere else in the county) and none are open during the Covid-19 pandemic. The only real-world stores that would apparently be selling e-scooters are Halfords and Argos. Halfords has a variety of good electric scooters, while Argos focuses on cheaper models. However, as all their branches are closed during April 2020, it is not known if Halfords has any on display (and Argos does not display its items). The other option for Derby residents wanting to buy an electric scooter is to buy from a specialist online retailer like Scootered (though Argos and Halfords do sell through their websites too). Of course, you may really want to see or try out an e-scooter before buying one and, as this is not currently possible in Derby, you may wish to consider visiting London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park or even one of the many European cities with a Bird or Lime e-scooter hire scheme. Bird is hiring them in London, using the Xiaomi M365, and charging £1 to unlock them.
Why Buy From Scootered?
Scootered was founded in 2019 with the aim of offering the best e-scooters at the best prices with a reassuring two-year, UK-based warranty. The southeast has been our biggest market but there is no reason why residents (and students) in Derby should not benefit from our discounted scooters too. Of course, if you are buying online you might argue that it does not matter where the company is based and this is essentially true: the most important things to bear in mind are where the stock is held (best if the stock is housed in the UK), the warranty offered with the e-scooter, and that the company is UK registered (in case something goes wrong).
The Xiaomi 1S
Conclusion
Although more brick-and-mortar stores selling electric scooters may pop up in Derby, it is worth noting that High Streets are changing across the country, including in Derby, as consumers increasingly purchase goods online. The cost of renting a shop means that retailers are forced to sell at a higher price to cover their costs, which is why so many High Street retailers have struggled against e-tailers. This is why we believe you will struggle to find a better deal in Derby for well-regarded electric scooters, such as the Xiaomi 1S or Pro 2. Added to this, you have the peace of mind of dealing with a UK company offering full warranties.