Levy Review

The Levy scooter sports a unique marquee feature -- a removable battery pack, which is not only convenient but also well-designed and solidly built.

The battery gives you an 8.9 mi real-world range in the surprisingly punchy Sport mode (and further in Eco mode). If you purchase a back-up battery, you can easily swap batteries on the go for double the range. With other models like the Segway Ninebot ES4, you have to unseat mounting screws to be able to swap or charge the battery separately from the scooter.

Not only does the lightweight battery pack extend your range, you can swap in under 10 s by flipping open the hinged display console and sliding in the 3.3 pound, 19 inch battery. Keyed slots in the battery compartment ensure that battery installation is easy and foolproof.

Having a scooter with a removable battery will be a game-changer for some people by offering:

• Extended range in your pocket
• Scooter longevity not dependent on battery
• Your scooter doesn't have to be in the same place where you charge it

Acceleration testing is one of our favorite aspects of reviewing the Levy electric scooter. The Levy has a super-responsive throttle with no noticeable accelerator lag. Push down on the accelerator, and the scooter immediately comes to life, offering punchy acceleration in zero-start mode.

During our acceleration testing, we hit 15 mph in Error: Invalid unit "seconds". -- just a hair quicker than the crowd favorite Xiaomi M365 (Error: Invalid unit "seconds".).

This better-than-expected acceleration is due to the more powerful 350-watt electric motor and how they've tuned the controller.

Despite the very good acceleration, the motor is surprisingly quiet --- even at full throttle and under high stress, such as during hill climb.

The Levy climbs hills about as well as any scooter in its price/weight class. The Levy completed our hill test (200 feet, 15% grade) in Error: Invalid unit "seconds". at an average speed of 6.2 mph.

For comparison, the M365 was just a bit quicker (Error: Invalid unit "seconds". at 6.6 mph).

The Levy scooter has a top speed of 19.0 mph, according to our tests. This is plenty fast for typical urban commuting. Typical scooters in this price range have top speeds of between 15 mph and 19 mph.

The Levy scooter has a manufacturer-claimed range of 15 miles in Eco mode and up to 10 miles in Sport mode with stop-and-go city riding.

We tested the scooter in Sport mode on our urban test track -- with a 165 lb rider -- and got just a hair under 8.9 mi -- very close to the claimed range.

The scooter is powered by a 230 wh battery pack -- made from Panasonic cells -- that can be easily removed and swapped for another battery.

Until recently, the Levy was the only electric scooter with a swappable battery. To get more range, simply drop in a fresh battery, and you’ve got at least 9 miles in the performance mode.

The Levy has three separate brakes:

• Front electronic brake
• Rear disc brake
• Rear foot brake

Out of the box, the brakes were dialed in, and we didn't need to make adjustments. The Levy has a 15 mph to 0 mph braking distance of 21.5 feet. This is as good as any scooter in its price class, which typically ranges from 17 feet to 22 feet. 

A single brake lever controls both the regenerative and disc brake.

Squeezing down on the brake lever just slightly activates the regenerative brake. Pulling further will also engage the disc brake.

In case of an emergency -- or if you really just like riding with only one foot firmly planted on the scooter -- there is a third brake available.

While we don’t expect to have to use the foot brake during regular use, we commend Levy for throwing this backup system on. If something goes wrong with the primary brakes on the scooter, you won't be in trouble.

This triple-redundant braking system allows for very fast, reliable stopping. 

Learn more: technical guide to electric scooter brakes.

Though the Levy has no suspension, its pneumatic tires provide a good, stable ride. Even on rough patches of road -- the scooter doesn’t jackhammer your joints or brain.

The scooter is fun to run and feels pretty nimble. The deck is big enough to find proper foot placement. The tires are large enough and narrow enough to make carving and quick turns easy.  

Comparable scooters such as the Segway Ninebot ES2, which have dual suspension, but solid tires don’t provide as good of damping as the Levy.

If you are regularly riding on really rough roads, consider a scooter with both large pneumatic tires AND a built-in suspension. These scooters will end up being heavier. Some options: Fluid FreeRide Horizon and Zero 9.

The battery pack can be swapped out of the scooter in under 10 seconds by flipping open the hinged display console and sliding in the 3.3 lb, 19 inch long battery.

Keyed slots in the battery compartment ensure that battery installation is easy and fool-proof.

At -, the Levy is about as portable as scooters in its price class get. The Levy has a folding stem but nothing else.

The folded size is a modest 41 inches by 17 inches by 17 inches -- about the same size as a Xiaomi M365.

Because the battery is stored in the stem, the balance of the scooter doesn't feel as good as scooters that have a deck battery.

The Levy has a robust stem folding mechanism. When unfolded, the scooter handlebars and stem feel solid and don't wobble or flex excessively while riding. Its larger diameter makes it stiffer than other scooters that have a skinny stem.

The folding mechanism consists of a black safety collar and a metal lever. To fold, you simply pull the black safety collar to the side then pull down the metal lever.

The stem of the scooter has a hook that engages with the rear fender, locking it in a folded position for easy carrying.

Handlebar grips are textured rubber and average quality.

The brake lever feels solid.  Braking action is smooth, controlled, and linear.  We didn't detect any excessive drag on the brake cable due to friction in housing.

The Levy we tested had a rubberized thumb throttle.  The throttle housing also has power and mode toggle buttons integrated into it.

The throttle feels smooth and very linear.  The throttle controller also integrate a cruise control feature -- enabled by default -- that is great for long straightaways.

Though there is an audible beeping when the cruise control is activated, we were a little caught off guard by this feature. We would prefer a more deliberate activation mechanism.

The Levy has a single LED headlight and a rear LED taillight.

We measured the headlight to emit 348 Lux at a distance of 3.3 feet. This is sufficient to provide some visibility, but we prefer a much brighter light for riding regularly at night.

For extra safety, we always recommend using additional lights.

The Levy has dual 8.5 inches pneumatic tubeless tires. Though this type of tire is increasingly becoming common, we've typically only seen it on high-performance scooters. 

Tubeless tires are more flat resistant than ones with tubes. In the event of a flat, they should be more readily repairable with slime compared to pneumatic tube tires.

This feature is a big bonus -- barring severe tire damage -- you shouldn't have to remove the tires except to replace them when they wear down.

Learn more: technical guide to electric scooter tires.

The deck has 18 inches by 5.8 inches of standing space. This is about the same as scooter in this size/price class. It has a rubberized coating that provides good traction for standing on.

The deck gives 4 inches of ground clearance. The deck-to-handlebar distance is just under 39.6 inches.

Overall, build quality is excellent.  In particular, the folding mechanism is robust due to the large diameter stem. The scooter is bolted together tightly, all pivots and moving parts are tight. The scooter is generally a smooth, quiet ride.

We did encounter some issues during test. First, the side of front fender cracked during intentional, repeated side drop tests. Second, we had a sticky throttle that was quickly resolved with help from Levy. Finally, we had a flat tire that we fixed in a few minutes with tire slime.

The Levy scooter has an IP rating (water resistance) of IP54, meaning that it can tolerate splash, but not submersion. This means that you'll be fine if you get caught in the rain, but fully submerging the scooter is not okay.

The Levy electric scooter is a quality scooter with a swappable battery for extended range.

With a single battery, its 8.9 mi range falls short of our favorite inexpensive scooter (the M365, which has 14.6 mi of tested range).  However, with an extra battery on hand, the Levy's range extends to 18 miles, further than the Xiaomi.

The removable battery, a $140 accessory, at 3.3 lbs can be kept in a backpack or left charging at an office or home while you’re out riding the scooter. Due to the removable battery, the Levy is easily shipped (sans battery) or brought along for air travel (scooter is checked, and battery brought as carry-on item; check with your airline beforehand for their specific procedure).

If you have an electric scooter use case that requires a removable battery, then the Levy scooter is the absolute best one to buy.

If the Levy isn't appealing and you don't have a need for a removable battery, see our suggested alternatives. You can also check out our Editor’s pick of best electric scooters.