Electric Scooters in Melbourne

Melbourne is Australia’s cultural heartland. With scenery ranging from skyscrapers, narrow laneways & urban sprawl to vast, open areas of cycle paths, walking tracks, and parks, Melbourne offers something for everyone. 

As a culturally diverse city, Melbourne excels in progressive movements on social matters, and has a vibrant arts & culture scene. Often quick to adopt new social norms such as green-living initiatives, Victoria has taken a huge step forward in recent times by allowing privately-owned electric scooters to be used across the state. 

As of April 5th, 2023, the Victorian government announced it was expanding its ongoing electric scooter trial to allow privately-owned electric scooters to be used across the state. Previously, they had been strictly regulated to the point where owning one could be considered infeasible, with only scooters that were part of a hire scheme being considered legal. 

As part of Victoria’s e-scooter trial expansion, privately-owned e-scooters were legalised for use across the entire state, even in areas where the existing rental scooter trials weren’t operating. This was great news for small, scattered communities in rural areas who had been dependent on owning a vehicle to get around their local areas.

As part of the expanded trial, privately-owned e-scooters must meet a certain set of parameters to be considered legal for use. 

E-Scooters will be legal to use on roads as long as the speed limit is 60 kph and under, bicycle lanes, and shared footpaths (where bikes & pedestrians are allowed). 

E-Scooters can’t be ridden in pedestrian-only areas, which includes pavements & footpaths. Pay attention to your local signage as pedestrian-only areas are often noted by No Bikes signage. If bikes aren’t allowed, neither are e-scooters. They also can’t be ridden on any road that has a speed limit greater than 60 kph. 

Yes, as with any form of personal travel whether that be bikes, skateboards, or rollerblades, you need to wear a helmet. It’s a legal requirement, but apart from that, it is generally good advice. The vast majority of serious e-scooter injuries & fatalities across Victoria come from riders who decided against wearing a helmet. Ultimately, no hairstyle is worth risking your life - wear a helmet. 

While an exact BAC limit hasn’t been explicitly specified, riders are being told that riding under the influence is considered illegal. That’s a bit of a legal grey-area and it simply isn’t worth the risk. When you’re riding under the influence of either drugs or alcohol, your balance and reaction time decreases. On top of that, your decision-making abilities are impaired so you are more likely to take risks. Overall, this greatly increases your chance of being involved in an accident. Don’t drink and ride. 

E-Scooters can only be used by one rider at a time, meaning you aren’t allowed to carry passengers. Doing so will push your e-scooter past its safe operating limits, which vastly increases the chance of burning out your motor. This, in turn, instantly voids your warranty, so if you love riding with your friends, it’s best to let them get their own e-scooter. 

Can I Use A Phone When I’m Riding an E-Scooter?

Just like cars and bikes, phones are a distraction and can lead to accidents. For this reason, it is illegal to use a phone when riding an electric scooter. Using it for navigation when it is safely stored in a mounted phone cradle is fine, however, so long as you don’t interact with it while you’re on the move. 

What Is the E-Scooter Speed Limit in Victoria?

E-scooter riders must respect a 20 kph state-wide speed limit on all roads, although rider judgement is advised when riding through shared areas with lots of foot traffic. 

While the previous 250W motor power limit has been removed, the electric scooter itself must not be capable of going faster than 25 kph. This means that most commuter e-scooters are fine to use in Victoria. 

While private e-scooters are just being incorporated into the wider trial, the rental scooter scheme has been active in Melbourne for the past couple of years. Rental scooters will continue to be available until at least September/ October 2023 in the same areas council of City of Yarra, Port Phillip, and Ballarat. While rental scooters are geo-fenced to only operate in specific areas in these locations, privately-owned scooters are free to go anywhere in the state. 

Victoria has some beautiful scenery, and now we can legally experience it on an electric scooter. Here are some great places to visit on two wheels:

Albert Park

Albert Park is famous for being Melbourne’s Grand Prix circuit, but aside from that it is a stunning area of the city. Featuring slow, winding roads, a large lake, and numerous picnic areas, it is an ideal place to zip around with friends. It’s also close to St Kilda & Port Melbourne beaches as well as the city centre itself. 

St Kilda Beach, Port Melbourne & Beaconsfield Parade

During warmer months, these areas are crawling with sunbathers, families, groups of friends and tourists enjoying the hustle & bustle of seaside living. This does mean, unfortunately, that it is near impossible to find a parking space that doesn’t have a time limit on it. Worry not, however, as its long seaside bike paths that stretch half-way down the Mornington Peninsula and into the city itself make for superb riding areas. As they are relatively flat as well, you can enjoy them with a lower-powered e-scooter. Enjoy sunsets, smooth trails, and beautiful scenery at your leisure - just keep your e-scooter off the sand. 

Yarra Bend Park

Located next to Collingwood in the city’s inner north-east, Yarra Bend Park is a large area of open parkland criss-crossed with talking tracks. Its proximity to the city means you can ride an e-scooter there with ease, and spend your day there. It’s a heavy pedestrian area in warmer months, so remember to watch out for foot traffic and keep your speed down. 

EastLink Trail / Dandenong Creek Trail

Located about 25km east of Melbourne’s CBD, the Dandenong Creek Trail is a cycle track that stretches from Seaford, through Dandenong, and all the way up to Ringwood. While it requires some riding on the road at the beginning and the end of the trail, the heart of it consists of shared footpaths that wind through Melbourne’s suburbs. 

As you progress further north, you can also join the Eastlink Trail which takes you through Ringwood and back westwards towards the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

Gardiners Creek Trail

While the trail itself starts in Richmond in Melbourne’s inner eastern suburbs, it can be accessed from the CBD itself. It then stretches out towards Chadstone in Melbourne’s south-east. It is largely separate from roads and takes you from the inner city skyscrapers, past footy grounds & golf courses, and out to Melbourne’s biggest shopping centre. It’s a notable trail as it runs parallel to the Yarra river initially, giving some great views & scenery, plus you have the option to ride down a suspended walkway that hangs from the underside of the Monash Freeway. 

Williamstown

Williamstown is a seaside suburb located over the Westgate bridge. While a little tricky to access on an e-scooter, it can be done, and once you’re there you’ll see some delightfully pleasant sights. From the yachts and fishing boats of the harbour, to the HMAS Castlemaine, and a stunning view of Melbourne’s skyline, Williamstown is a beautiful spot to visit on an e-scooter. Enjoy the sunset with some fish & chips. 

If you’re planning on using the road on privately-owned land or on countryside trails (not public roads), you can buy anything you like provided it can handle the terrain. However, if you’re planning on using the e-scooter around Melbourne and public areas, you will be able to choose any of the models from the list below:

Pure Advance & Advance Flex

Australia’s newest electric scooters meet all the legal requirements for use in Victoria being locked to 25 kph. They also feature an industry-leading water resistance rating of IP65, meaning they can handle a lot of rain (perfect for Melbourne).

The Pure Advance range also has a unique forward-facing riding position which is both more comfortable and safer than the traditional side-facing position on current e-scooters. 

Factor in a collapsible design and a low weight, the Advance is a commuter’s dream. The Advance comes in three versions: The Pure Advance, Advance+, and the folding Advance Flex.

Pure Air³ Series

Comprising three models (the Air³, the Air³ Pro, and the Air³ Pro+), the air is similar in performance to the Pure Advance range but with the side-facing rider position. For some, this may feel more like what you’re used to. If you want the very low weight, powerful hill-climbing motors, steering-stabilisation, high water resistance rating, and indicators of the Advance but prefer to be side-facing, the Pure Air³ series is for you. 

Segway G-Series

Featuring the now-retired Ninebot Max G30, the Ninebot G65 Max II, and the Ninebot G2, Segway’s G-Series are the pinnacle of electric scooter technology. With features such as suspension, indicators, powerful motors, app integration, and lights, it’s no wonder Segway’s are Australia’s most popular manufacturer of e-scooters.

Segway produces some exceptionally reliable rides, and while they aren’t the most thrilling rides, they do get you where you’re going in comfort and ease. Plus, they aren’t particularly expensive either, particularly when you consider what you’ll save in Myki & fuel costs over the life of the scooter.

Segway F-Series

The Segway F-Series features a range of models from the much loved F30, F40, and F65 to newer models such as the F2 & F2 Pro. They are renowned for being excellent value for money, and while their speed won’t blow your socks off, you’ll be getting a teched-up ride that is cheaper than most other e-scooters. Reasonably basic but incredibly functional, the F series is a no-fuss e-scooter designed to be last-mile commuter rides that add a little fun into your day. Great value for money and reliable, if you just need something cheap to shave down your commute, you can do a lot worse than something from the F-Series range. 

The Apollo Air 2022

It’s worth noting that the top speed of the Air 2022 is actually above the legal speed limit of 25 kph, but its speed can be restricted via the Apollo app. The Air 2022 is one of the best value-for-money scooters on the market currently, with front suspension, dedicated regenerative electric braking that you can activate with a thumb lever, a low weight, powerful motor, and a decent battery. It’s proven to be a reliable unit as well, and in our opinion, it is one of the best looking e-scooters available at the moment. 

As Electric Kicks calls Melbourne home, we’re passionate about changing the way Melburnians commute & play. We can often be found riding around our HQ in Vermont, and into the surrounding coffees, and we routinely take rides out and about into Victoria’s wider countryside. If you’re looking for the best advice on what to choose, or are looking to upgrade your existing ride, get in touch with Electric Kicks on 1300 054 257 for down-to-earth, no fuss advice.