Filling up your gas tank stings right now. I go to Costco specifically to save money on gas, and even there, I’m spending at least $15 more than usual to fill up my Volkswagen Jetta. If you drive a truck or an SUV, you already know a trip to the pump can run you well over $100.
Summer is right around the corner, which usually means lake days, beach runs, road trips, and generally getting out more often. That also means using gas to get there. With gas averaging over $4.50 per gallon nationally, every little trip adds up faster than it used to.
That got me thinking about the trips that probably don’t need a car at all, like quick grocery runs, going to a coffee shop down the road or going to the gym for a daily workout. For those kinds of trips, an electric scooter starts to make a lot of sense.
While an electric scooter won’t take you on a multi-hour summer road trip, it’s a solid alternative to those short drives we make without thinking about them. So I tested out the Gyroor C1 Pro and dug into the data to find out how much money it can actually save you on those short, everyday trips.
We do the math: E-scooter vs. gas car
Before buying an electric scooter, it helps to know if it will actually save you money or if it just feels like it does. So, let’s run the numbers.
AAA puts the national average for regular unleaded gas at $4.52 per gallon. If your car gets 25 miles per gallon, which is typical for a sedan, you’re paying about 18 cents per mile.
The Gyroor C1 Pro gets you up to 25 miles on a single charge. You plug it into an outlet, like you would a laptop, and you can get back to a full battery in about 5 hours. The scooter runs on a 36-volt 10.4Ah battery with a total capacity of 374 watt-hours. Watt-hours measure how much energy a battery can store. The higher the number of watts, the farther you can go on one charge.
The national average electricity rate is 17.65 cents per kilowatt-hour, according to the Energy Information Administration. At this rate, a full charge costs about 66 cents. That works out to $0.003 per mile, which is 60 times cheaper per mile than driving a gas car.
Here’s the formula we used to get there:
Cost Per Mile = (Battery Capacity in Wh ➗1,000) X Electricity Rate per kWh / Range in miles
$0.003 per mile = (374 ➗ 1,000) X $0.1765 ➗25
Comparing the cost of a gas car vs. an e-scooter
If you swap out one short car trip per day at about 3 miles each way, that’s 168 miles a month that you no longer need gas for. In a realistic sense, this looks like your coffee run, a trip to the gym or another errand you’ve been driving to out of habit. Here’s how the cost compares for using the Gyroor C1 Pro electric scooter versus a gas car.
Costs of a gas car vs. an e-scooter
Comparing the costs of a gas car versus an e-scooter.
| Vehicle type | Cost per mile | Cost to travel 10 miles | Average monthly cost (168 miles) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas car (25 MPG @ $4.52/gal) | $0.18 | $1.81 | $30.24 |
| Gyroor C1 Pro | $0.00 | $0.03 | $0.50 |
| Savings/Difference | $0.18 | $1.78 | $29.74 |
*AAA
**US Energy Information Administration
For the same 18 cents it costs to drive one mile in a gas car, you could ride the Gyroor C1 Pro about 60 miles. Replacing just one daily short trip with an electric scooter saves you nearly $30 per month. Make it a habit and swap a second trip, and you’re looking at closer to $60.
If you drive a truck or large SUV that gets lower gas mileage than a typical sedan, your savings will be even higher. Either way, charging an electric scooter costs significantly less than filling up at the gas pump.
Hidden savings add to that total. Car ownership comes with several costs that add up over the year, such as registration fees, oil changes and insurance. As someone who hates paying for parking, being able to lock up to a bike rack for free makes my day every time.
At $30 in monthly savings, the Gyroor C1 Pro pays for itself in about 15 months at its current sale price of $460 (regularly $600) before you add in savings from parking and other car-related fees. A well-maintained electric scooter can last three to five years, meaning years of savings after the scooter has paid for itself. If you’re filling up weekly, you’ll burn through that same $459 in less than two months at current gas prices.
Gyroor C1 Pro
The Gyroor C1 Pro’s sibling scooter, the C1S, made CNET’s best electric scooter list as the top pick for backpack-free errands. The C1 Pro takes everything CNET loves about the C1S and adds more range, power and a higher weight capacity (at a slightly higher price).
I had never ridden a seated scooter before, so the motion took a ride or two to click. But the whole experience of riding a scooter is so much fun, it makes my inner child come out in full force. The seat is comfortable, so you can actually enjoy the ride instead of wanting to get it over with. It comes in pink or green, so you can show a bit of personality with your ride.
The basket storage is a major part of what makes it great for everyday use. On a standing scooter, you’re stuck with a backpack and whatever fits inside it. The C1 Pro’s storage is spacious enough to carry groceries and a work bag without putting any of the stress on your shoulders and back.
The LED display shows your speed and battery level, so it’s easy to stay aware of your pace. There is also a headlight built in for nighttime rides, which is super helpful if you’re in an area with fewer street lights. The dual suspension keeps the ride smooth and easy to stay steady on two wheels. When I pushed the scooter to its highest speed (18.6 mph), it felt quick but not scary.
The 25-mile range comfortably covers most of my daily use cases. Plug it in overnight and you can start the morning with a full charge.
The reality check: Minor negatives
Where you live plays a big role in how much you get out of this scooter. If you’re in a city with mild weather, bike lanes and greenways, the C1 Pro fits into daily life pretty seamlessly. In areas with frequent heavy rains or harsh winters, the riding season will be shorter and slow the payback period. However, the battery compartment is sealed, and the IPX4 rating handles a light drizzle, but I wouldn’t recommend riding it through a storm.
Bike lanes and existing scooter culture make a big difference. In cities where sharing the road with scooters and bicycles is already normal, the transition is smoother. Areas without that infrastructure take more adjustment as you’re learning to ride as an exposed person next to traffic. I recommend finding the routes that fit you, including backroads, greenways and less hectic areas if possible. It’s not always the fastest route, but it can be a lot more enjoyable.
At 48 pounds, it’s not the lightest scooter on the market, but that’s due to the trade-off of having a seat, dual suspension and basket storage. It folds down easily enough to load into a trunk or to store away when you’re not riding. I wish it could fold small enough to fit in a suitcase and travel with me everywhere.
One other thing worth noting is that this scooter is best for a single rider. You could fit a small or medium-size dog in the basket, but it’s not the best scooter for shuttling kids around or running family errands together.
Car vs. electric scooter: The verdict
If your daily routine involves a handful of short trips you could easily make without a car, the Gyroor C1 Pro electric scooter will quickly pay for itself and then some. It’s a great fit for your office commute, or for a quick ride to a coffee shop, gym, grocery store or getting around a college campus. It allows you to skip the traffic, eliminates parking fees and costs a fraction of what a gas car does per mile.
It’s not the right fit for families moving more than one person or for those in a climate that would limit you to riding for only a few months of the year.
Replacing just one car trip a day with the Gyroor C1 Pro can save you around $30 a month, and you’ll have fun while doing it. If you go with the pink one, you’ll be twinning with me. At its current sale price of $460, it’s a fraction of what you could spend on gas this summer alone.
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