7 Portable Mobility Scooter Facts (Essential for Travelers)
Are you looking for a portable mobility scooter you can take in your car or on a plane, train, ship, or bus? Are you wondering which type of mobility scooter comes in a portable size?
Are you renting mobility scooters for $400 a week, spending enough in rental fees to purchase a scooter three times over?
Traveling with your mobility scooter saves hundreds on rental fees, making portable models financially attractive.
But don’t buy the wrong scooter — even portable scooters can be heavy and bulky.
This guide covers the following to get you started with portable mobility scooters:
- What a portability mobility scooter is.
- How to understand your portable scooter choices.
- The best portable mobility scooters for easy travel.
- Steps to choosing the right portable model for your needs.
Let’s get started.
Takeaways:
- A portable mobility scooter is designed for travel.
- The types of portable mobility scooters are lightweight, folding and take-apart.
- Lightweight portable scooters come in the compact (small) size.
- Folding and take-apart come in compact (small) and full-size (medium).
- Ensure the portable you buy has enough cushioning in the seat.
- A lightweight or take-apart is best for traveling in the car.
- Airlines will check your portable scooter through baggage.
What Are Important Portable Mobility Scooter Facts?
I apologize for the oversight. You’re correct, there are indeed 7 key facts. Let me revise the section to include all 7:
What Are Important Portable Mobility Scooter Facts?
1. Size Options
Fact: Portable mobility scooters come in compact (small) and full-size (medium) versions. This variety allows users to choose a scooter that best fits their needs and lifestyle. Compact models are ideal for tight spaces and easier transport, while full-size options offer more comfort for longer trips.
2. Folding and Disassembly
Fact: Portable scooters often feature folding or take-apart (disassembling) designs. These features make it easier to transport the scooter in a vehicle or store it in small spaces. Folding models typically collapse into a single unit, while take-apart models separate into several lighter pieces.
3. Comfort Considerations
Fact: When shopping for a portable scooter, it’s crucial to ensure it has enough cushioning in the seat. Adequate cushioning can make a significant difference in comfort, especially for longer periods of use. Some portable models may sacrifice comfort for compactness, so it’s important to find a balance that works for you.
4. Car Transport
Fact: Lightweight or take-apart models are best for traveling in the car. These designs allow for easier lifting and storage in car trunks or back seats. When considering a portable scooter for car travel, pay attention to the weight of the heaviest piece and ensure you or your caregiver can manage it comfortably.
5. Air Travel
Fact: Airlines will typically check your portable scooter through baggage. This makes air travel more accessible for mobility scooter users. However, it’s essential to check with your specific airline for their policies regarding mobility devices, as requirements can vary. Some airlines may have restrictions on battery types or sizes.
6. Portability Types
Fact: There are three main types of portable mobility scooters: lightweight, folding, and take-apart (disassembling). Each type has its own advantages and considerations. Lightweight models are easy to move but may have fewer features. Folding scooters are convenient for storage but may be heavier as a single unit. Take-apart models offer flexibility in transport but require assembly and disassembly.
7. Usage Locations
Fact: Portable mobility scooters are designed for use in various locations, both indoors and outdoors. They’re suitable for use at home, in stores, at medical facilities, and during travel. However, it’s important to consider the terrain and environment where you’ll be using the scooter most frequently to ensure you choose a model that can handle those conditions effectively.
What Is a Portable Mobility Scooter?
A portable mobility scooter has features that make it easier to take with you when traveling.
In a simple world, a portable mobility scooter would be lightweight and small. You’d put it in your pocket and go.
But these scooters are vehicles that carry people. For safety and comfort, even the small ones are sometimes too big and heavy to lift.
Should a Disabled Person Use a Portable Mobility Scooter?
A portable mobility scooter can be lightweight (compact) or medium weight (full-size).
First I’m going to show you why you need to be careful with this question. Then I’ll show you how to solve the problems that will come up.
The downside of a compact is that it sacrifices comfort to reduce the weight. Most (but definitely not all) have hard seats. They usually have no-air tires that translate every gap in the road into the scooter’s frame and seat and then into you.
The downside of a full-size is that it sacrifices being lightweight to add the comfort. the bigger motor and seat are usually heavy.
No matter what the advertisement says, “lightweight” is relative to what you can pick up, and some full-size “portable” mobility scooters are too heavy for many to lift. For example, lifting a portable full-size into the car trunk means being able to lift 30-50 lbs.
I made this table to give you an idea of what disabilities will and won’t work with this size scooter. Here’s what I would do, based on the area of disability.
| If the issue is… | Then… |
|---|---|
| Arm or hand weakness | Portable mobility scooters have one- or two-handed controls. If your weakness is on the left side, you should be fine with all scooters, since the one-handed controls are aways on the right side. Look for ambidextrous controls for using either hand, or right- or left-hand controls to decide if the scooter will work with your arm or hand weakness. If the weakness is severe, you might consider a power chair with a joystick control rather than a mobility scooter. |
| Leg weakness | Consider only a 4-wheel (not 3-wheel) portable mobility scooter for someone with leg issues, for its extra stability. |
| Pain | Most compact and full-size portable mobility scooters use no-air tires. They are hard plastic that transfer road vibrations to the user. Look for pneumatic (air tires) for someone with pain issues. For indoor use, a portable with good cushioning is a good match for someone in pain. For outdoors, look for a suspension system, seat cushioning and pneumatic tires to soften obstacle vibrations. You typically will only find suspension systems in the bigger full-size portables (and non-portable heavy-duty mobility scooters). |
Who Should Use a Portable Mobility Scooter?
Portable mobility scooters are compact (small) and full-size (medium), which mean they have the advantages and disadvantages of those size scooters.
Compact mobility scooters offer little in the way of cushioning or suspension systems to soften the bumps in the ride.
Therefore, portable mobility scooters are not a good match for someone experiencing significant pain who would be bothered by the vibrations coming through the frame.
For anyone else, though, a portable model is a good choice for:
- People with walking issues
- Vactioners on cruises and in cities
- People on business trips
- Commuters
- Shoppers
- Restaurant goers
You probably won’t use a folding mobility scooter:
- You are experienciing pain that the stiff ride will make worse
- You don’t need the portability of a folding design
- You want to ride on grass, gravel or trails
Types of Portable Mobility Scooters
The portability methods are:
- Lightweight and small for easy lifting
- Take-apart (disassembling) for easier lifting of the pieces
- Folding for easier lifting and carrying of the smaller configuration.
- A hybrid of lightweight/take-apart/folding.
Portable mobility scooters come in two sizes:
- Compact (small) mobility scooters come in lightweight, take-apart and folding variations.
- Full-size (medium) mobility scooters come in take-apart and folding.
Portable scooters come in 3-wheel and 4-wheel configurations.
While a 3-wheel mobility scooter has a significant advantage in tight spaces, 3 wheels are inherently unstable and I don’t recommend or like them.
If you get a 3-wheeler, please avoid uneven surfaces and obstacles.
A 4-wheel model offers stability. Manufacturers are getting better and better at giving 4-wheel mobility scooters the tight turning you expect from a 3-wheel. When they perfect the process, there will be no advantage to buying a 3-wheel over a 4-wheel.
1. Lightweight Portable
A Lightweight portable is a compact model that is small and lightweight enough to lift, carry and store.
Many models blur the lines, consisting of two or three of these options.
The eFoldi Lite is 46 inches long, but only 22 inches when folded. It weighs 37.5 lb., but if you carry the battery separately, the heaviest weight you need to lift is 33 lb.
It is initially light (37.5 lb.); it folds to get smaller; and you can remove the battery to lessen the weight of the heaviest piece.
Whether this is lightweight enough for you is something you might test before committing to your purchase.
Lightweight Pros and Cons
A lightweight mobility scooter is compact (small), so it has the same pros and cons as that scooter size. That is, it’s small and portable, but lacks convenience and comfort features.
Lightweight Pros
- The compact size makes a lightweight easy to carry and store.
- Some have a tight turning radius for easier direction changes.
- Most are airline-approved for travel
Lightweight Cons
- Firmer seats offer less comfort
- Bumpier ride due to no suspension coils
- Smaller tires have less stability on uneven terrain inclines.
- Fewer features and accessories than larger and non-portable models.
- Taller and heavier users might not fit
- Compact lightweight models are not suitable off sidewalks, pavement and interior floors.
Lightweight Advantages
The lightweight portable mobility scooter is the easiest to lift into a car trunk or transportation storage area.
It is often good a making tight turns and taking up very little space.
Lightweight Disadvantages
A lightweight mobility scooter typically has no seat cushioning or luxury features such as a USB port, Bluetooth speaker or cup and phone holders. The taller user will probably find a compact scooter to be cramped.
My Favorite Lightweight Mobility Scooters
None
The closest I’ve come to choosing a lightweight favorite is the Pride iGo, which checks all the boxes except one, and that’s a deal killer.
The iGo folds into a suitcase and then breaks into two 30 lb. pieces.
It’s the best design and the most reasonable weight of any lightweight mobility scooter I’ve found.
The issue for me is that I don’t like or recommend 3-wheel mobility scooters.
I look forward to filling in this box with a better answer!
2. Folding Portable
A folding mobility scooter allows you to reduce the scooter to a smaller, more manageable size.
Because the design allows the frame to collapse, a folding is sometimes called a “collapsible scooter.”
Folding the scooter makes it more compact for easier carrying and storing. This makes it easier to lift them into the car trunk or check them at the airport.
You can take a folding portable mobility scooter on a plane, bus, train, ship or in a car, SUV, van or truck.
Luggage Scooters
A luggage scooter is the most convenient type of folding design.
The nicknames reflects the scooter’s ability to be wheeled like a piece of luggage. When folded, the scooter has wheels and handle .
The luggage-like design allows you to walk throug a busy transportation hub with the mobility scooter neatly rolling with you on wheels.
Automatic and Manual Folding
Folding-type options include automatic and manual unfolding. The remote controls the opening and closing operations for people with physical limitations or for convenience.
While this feature typically comes with a higher price tag, it can be invaluable for those who struggle with manual unfolding or want to conserve energy for other activities.
On the other hand, manual-folding systems are generally more affordable and can be a good option for users with sufficient strength and dexterity.
Foldable Pros and Cons
Foldable Pros
- Compact size folding scooters are easiest to store and transport
- Full-size folding mobility scooters can drive on dry grass and slight obstacles.
- The lightweight design of around 40 lbs enables easier lifting and handling.
- Foldability makes storage and transport convenient for frequent travelers.
- Moving it is as easy as pulling a suitcase on wheels.
- Some have a tight turning radius for easier direction changes.
- Auto-folding models help users with limited physical abilities.
- Upright storage saves valuable floor space in homes and vehicles.
- Most are easy to fold and unfold
- Most are airline-approved for travel
Foldable Cons
- Firmer seats offer less comfort
- Bumpier ride due to no suspension coils
- Limited range due to smaller batteries
- Smaller tires have less stability on uneven terrain inclines.
- Manual folding can be challenging for users with limited strength.
- Fewer features and accessories than larger models.
- Taller and heavier users might not fit
- Compact foldable models are not suitable off sidewalks and pavement (and interior floors).
Folding Advantages
Folding scooters are lightweight by design. Bev’s search for her folding scooter started with that requirement: A lightweight mobility scooter that she could place in her car trunk without assistance.
A folding mobility scooter will give her the added benefit of being suitable for indoor use.
Bev will use her folding scooter at home and out in the world. She will store it in her car trunk without assistance, a lift, or a ramp.
The whole point is to expand her ability to travel and maintain independence.
Compared to a full-size model, a foldable mobility scooter:
- Is easier to carry
- Is easier to store
- Is more likely to work in tight spaces
- is more likely to fit in a car trunk
- is more manageable on crowded sidewalks
Folding Disadvantages
The lighter weight design usually leads to a lower weight capacity. A folding scooter might not be able to handle heavier people.
Portable scooters have smaller batteries. They will be fine for 7-15 miles but need a recharge for longer outings. A workaround for this is to carry a spare battery.
Compared to a typical full-size model, a folding mobility scooter:
- It has a lower weight capacity
- It has a shorter battery life
- It is unlikely to handle rough terrain
- It is likely to have a more rigid seat
My Favorite Foldable Mobility Scooters
Best for Car Travel: Golden Technologies Buzzaround Carry-On
- Mobility Scooter Type: Foldable Full-size Portable Travel
- Car Trunk Transport Without Lift: Yes
- Airline Friendly: Yes
- Best for: Travelling, shopping, indoors, sidewalks, pavement
- Folds: Manual to 19.5 W x 38 L x 12 H
- Disassembles: 2 pieces, heaviest piece is 47.5 lb.
- Wheels: 4
- Weight Capacity: 300 lb.
- Range: 14 miles
- Ground Clearance: 4 in.
- Suspension: No
- Lights: Front and turn signals
The Buzzaround Carry-On is designed for transport on planes, cruise ships, buses, planes, and cars.
It requires manual folding but is pretty straightforward and requires only a small amount of strength. It becomes towable like luggage with wheels and a handle when folded.
The Carry-On weighs 47.5 lb. without batteries and 65.5 lbs. with them. Some users will handle this weight, but some will need help.
It can travel up to 18 miles on a single charge, can support up to 300lb, and has a maximum speed of 3.6 mph.
View the Buzzaround Carry-On at Mobility Scooters Direct.
Best for Car and Air Travel: EV Rider Transport AF+
- Mobility Scooter Type: Foldable Compact Portable Travel
- Car Trunk Transport Without Lift: Yes
- Airline Friendly: Yes
- Best for: Travelling with limited strength or physical ability, shopping, indoors, sidewalks, pavement
- Folds: Automatic to 26 W x 22 L x 16 H in.
- Disassembles: Seat detaches, heaviest piece is 53 lb.
- Wheels: 4-wheel
- Weight Capacity: 250 lb.
- Range: 15 miles
- Ground Clearance: 2.36 in.
- Suspension: No
- Lights: Front
The EV Rider Transport AF+ is an example of a foldable mobility scooter designed for travelers and commuters. It has an insanely small 32.3 in. turning radius, making it ideal for indoor use through doors and around corners.
It can be folded automatically using a handheld remote control, which is helpful for those with limited strength or dexterity. Once folded, it can be easily pulled like wheeled luggage.
Weighing 49 lbs, this scooter is lightweight enough for many users to lift and store in vehicles; storage in overhead compartments might require two people.
The Transport AF+ is approved* for airline travel. It travels up to 10 miles on a single charge, supports up to 250 lb, and maxes out at 3.8 mph.
View the EV Rider Transport AF+ at Mobilty Scooters Direct.
3. Take-Apart (Disassembling) Portable
A “take-apart” mobility scooter separates into lighter, smaller pieces for easier carrying and storage.
Each piece is lighter and smaller than the whole, making the scooter easier to carry and move.
The pieces are easy to put into the car, and the disassembly process is usually simple and requires no tools.
Most mobility scooters that separate break into four pieces, or five if the scooter has a basket. The pieces are:
- The chassis
- The motor
- The battery
- The seat
- The basket
Pay attention to the “heaviest piece” when shopping for your mobility scooter.
This refers to the weight of the scooter piece that weighs the most.
The basket weighs almost nothing, and a battery can weigh from four to 20 lb. The chassis or motor will be the heaviest piece.
When you lift your scooter pieces into the car, that’s the piece that will require the most strength.
Take-Apart Pros and Cons
In addition to these pros and cons, view the advantages and disadvantages of compact or full-size scooters that host the take-apart feature.
Take-Apart Pros
- The take-apart design allows you to store a compact or full-size mobility scooter in your car trunk
- For many people, the take-apart design makes the pieces light enough to lift.
- They are usually airline-friendly as they use approved batteries.
- Many models have quick-release mechanisms for fast disassembly.
Take-Apart Cons
- A take-apart can be less comfortable if it has a smaller, harder seat and no suspension coils to reduce the scooter’s weight.
- Lifting pieces, assembly and disassembly can be challenging for some users with weakness or disability
- Smaller wheels may not handle obstacles as well as larger models
Take-Apart Advantages
A disassembling mobility scooter allows you to create manageable pieces for portability.
I’ve taken mine to the beach, the lake, downtown, and the mall.
I store mine in the car trunk, bringing just the battery inside.
These portable scooters are usually full-size, meaning they have indoor-outdoor features. My Elite Travller has no problem with the sandy path at the lake or the big hill behind my house.
The comfort and stability of a disassembling scooter come from construction, which also adds extra weight.
My scooter’s seat is more comfortable than a plastic folding seat (you can get seat upgrades on folding scooters).
They usually have adjustable tillers and seats, allowing you to comfortably put your legs and arms.
Of course, no product is perfect, and take-apart scooters have their considerations. But in my experience, the advantages far outweigh any drawbacks. These scooters have opened up a world of possibilities for me and countless others.
Take-Apart Disadvantages
The ability to take a scooter apart to transport it is a massive step in the right direction for scooter portability.
Mobility scooters are heavy, and moving them in the car or on a plane is not easy.
A compact mobility scooter’s pieces can still reach 40 lb., and it’s not unusual for a full-size scooter’s pieces to be 50 lb.
Rather than relying on the product’s “lightweight” description, check how heavy the take-apart scooter’s “heaviest piece” is.
You might need to lift a 30 lb. motor or a 20 lb. battery.
As newer, lightweight materials come on the market, we will see lighter portable scooters that suit the needs of weaker and disabled users.
Another issue to watch out for is the quality of the take-apart ride.
Compact and full-size mobility scooters designed for portability often lack cushioning and shock absorption.
Someone with pain issues might strongly dislike the road’s obstacles vibrating through the frame and into the body.
Heavy-duty mobility scooters are the most comfortable, and they are the opposite of portable in design.
This is a trade off you make for portability that might not work for disabled users.
My Favorite Take-Apart Mobility Scooter
Best for Car Travel: Pride Go Go Elite Traveller
The Pride Go Go Elite Traveller is one of the lightest take-apart mobility scooters. It weighs lb. when assembled, but the heaviest piece once you take it apart is lb.
- Mobility Scooter Type: Take-Apart (disassembles) Portable-Travel
- Car Trunk Transport Without Lift: Yes
- Airline Friendly: Yes
- Best for: Travelling, shopping, indoors, sidewalks, pavement, grass
- Folds: No
- Disassembles: 5 pieces, heaviest piece is 29.5 lb.
- Wheels: 3 or 4
- Weight Capacity: 300 lb.
- Range: 10.5 miles
- Ground Clearance: 1.38 in.
- Suspension: No
- Lights: No
The Elite Traveller is a portable mobility scooter that is disassembled into five lightweight pieces. It comes with three wheels for maneuverability or four wheels for stability. I have one of each (a three-wheel and a four-wheel Elite Go Go Traveller).
I can attest that the 3-wheel should not be driven over bumpy driveway entrances or speed bumps at an angle! The 4-wheel is more stable. But when riding them at the beach, I found that the boardwalk was an absolute breeze on the 3-wheel.
Taking it apart is simple with practice, but it does take a few tries to get the hang of it. The heaviest piece is 33 lb. and a bit awkward to stow in the car’s trunk.
The Elite weighs only 83 lb. without batteries and up to 113 lb. with. Depending on the batteries and user weight, it goes 6.6 to 3.8 miles per charge. It can support a user weighing up to 300 lb. and travels at speeds up to 4.23 mph.
Before I owned a mobility scooter, I thought 5 mph was much too slow. Now I know that 4.23 mph is more than enough. I’m not afraid of speed, but I am older and prefer not to fall off my transport device. I only use full throttle at crosswalks and wide open, very smooth surfaces.
The Pride Go Go Elite Traveller is available on Mobility Scooters Direct.
Where to Use a Portable Mobility Scooter
A portable mobility scooter has the least padding and vibration suppression in order to maintain the lowest weight for carrying.
So it’s best to use a portable mobility scooter on flat floors indoors and walkways with no obstacles and bumps. These restrictions make it ideal to use it for:
- Airplane travel
- Car trips
- Cruise vacations
- Bus and train rides
- Short trips on stable surfaces
- Visiting a restaurant
- Grocery and mall shopping
- Traveling a downtown or boardwalk
- Indoor use at homes
- Sidewalk travel
A compact portable might work here, but a full-size probably won’t:
- Crowded shops with narrow aisles
- Narrow hallways in old buildings
A full-size portable might work well here, but a compact probably won’t:
- Dry grass
No portable will work well here:
- Bumpy trails with tree roots
- Mud
- Wet grass
- Sandy surfaces
Conclusion
If you are buying a portable mobility scooter for travel, consider its size and weight in its “portable” state.
Will you need to lift it? Can you pull it on wheels?
These answers are more important than whether you get a cup holder or how fast it goes.
Mobility scooters support people. Portable mobility scooters have to be lightweight and small while not failing at their primary job of carrying you around safely!
Now you know how to buy a portable mobility scooter. Have fun on your travels!
