Swagtron Swagger V1 Pro Review

An incredibly lightweight and affordable electric scooter with a top speed of 15 mph and designed for short urban commutes.

The Swagger V1 Pro is one of the world’s lightest electric scooters made by a United States manufacturer known as Swagtron. Swagtron was formed in 2015 and quickly established itself as a major player in the electric mobility devices industry. However, in 2016, the company’s entry into the market encountered a hurdle after it was forced to recall its Swagway X1 hoverboards, due to a fire hazard caused by overheating battery packs.

The company has since bounced back with numerous top releases on the market. Today we review at one of their popular budget electric scooters, the Swagtron Swagger V1 Pro.

Swagtron Swagger V1 Pro – The Lowdown…

At £170 ($240), the V1 Pro is one of the most affordable electric scooters in the United Kingdom at the moment. But that’s not all; its carbon-fibre frame means that you won’t find many lighter electric scooters today. Despite all that, the Swagtron Swagger V1 Pro comfortably supports up to 250 pounds!

Performance-wise, it maxes out at 15 mph and will give you 15 miles of range on a single charge. Its sturdy build ensures stability and comfort on smooth surfaces. However, its Achilles’ heel is uneven terrain. The small tires mean riders will feel every bump and pothole.

Interested to learn more? Keep reading for detailed insights on this Swagtron Swagger electric scooter.

Swagtron Swagger V1 Pro Specifications

Swagger V1 Pro Cons

  Uncomfortable ride on uneven surfaces

  Average battery

  Lacks Bluetooth connectivity

  Not great on bumpy surfaces

  Not much power at only 150w

Swagtron Swagger V1 Pro Summary

The Swagtron Swagger V1 Pro is exactly what an electric scooter is supposed to be—a mobility device for distances too long to walk but too short to drive. The Swagger ticks nearly all the correct boxes when it comes to the perfect scooter.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Swagger V1 Pro is its price point. Going for only $240, you won’t find better bargains in your lifetime! The V1 Pro shares something in common with some of the world’s most valuable supercars—a carbon-fibre frame. This makes it the lightest electric scooter in the world at a mere 16.5 pounds. Don’t let this fool you, though; the lightweight frame is strong enough to haul up to 250 pounds. Its lightweight frame also allows for easy transportation by hand.

The Swagger runs on a 250W motor powered by a 28V 38aH lithium-ion battery. The motor pushes the scooter to a top speed of 15 mph, while the battery keeps it going for up to 15 miles on a single charge.

Another standout feature of the Swagger is its five-speed gear, compared to the conventional two-speed gear that most scooters come with. The first gear maxes out at 5 mph, the second gear at 7.5mph, the third gear at 10mph, the fourth gear at 12.5 mph and the fifth gear at 15 mph. The gear settings make this the perfect scooter for beginners. Additionally, the ability to downshift or upshift gives riders greater control in traffic.

On smooth surfaces, the ride on the Swagger V1 is more than enjoyable. However, the 8.5’’ tires are a great disservice on uneven terrain. Each impact with the ground is transferred through the small tires to the deck, then up the frame, and eventually into the rider’s body. Additionally, the non-pneumatic rear tires create a lot of vibrations, thereby further compromising the ride’s quality. However, its design is not all gloom and doom; although debatable, the Swagger is one of the best-looking electric scooters on the market. The deck is stylish and spacious for comfort and greater control.

The Swagger comes with standard safety features. It has two braking systems (manual and electric). It also has an LED headlight perched vertically on the handlebar stem for illumination and visibility at night. While not necessarily a safety feature, it is worth noting that the Swagger features a backlit LED display for information, such as speed, battery level, odometer, gear level and travel time.

Performance Overview

When measured against its intended purpose and price point, the Swagtron Swagger V1 Pro hits the mark quite well. However, when compared to other scooters in its category, it falls short largely due to its dismal battery.

Comparisons aside, the Swagger does what it was designed to do perfectly! The 250W motor churns out just enough juice to push the scooter to a top speed of 15 mph. However, to achieve and maintain this speed, the e-scooter needs to be used on flat and smooth surfaces. Its inability to hit top speed with relative ease points out yet another flaw—a weak motor. This lack of power is most evident when riding uphill.

As stated earlier, the Swagger achieves 15 miles of range on a single charge. However, this is also dependent on the terrain and driving speed. If your daily commute covers long distances, then you should purchase something more powerful. The Swagger is designed for shorter distances.

Top Speed & Acceleration

The Swagger’s top speed is 15 mph—and that’s not slow! For starters, it’s important to understand why we need electric scooters in the first place; to cover distances too far to walk but too short to drive. To put it into perspective, 15 mph is five times faster than the average person walks!

As we said, the Swagger comes with five gears to help it reach 15 mph. These gears allow for controlled acceleration thereby giving you greater control. 

Hill Climbing

Sadly, the Swagger’s performance on hills is lacking. The e-scooter exhibits a noticeable loss of power—even on hills with gradients as low as 2%. The strain is even more evident with the addition of weight. If you are a heavy person residing in a hilly place, then this is not the scooter for you.

However, this is the standard performance for scooters in its price range.

Battery Life & Range

The 28V 3.8aH battery is designed to keep the scooter going for up to 15 miles on a single charge in ideal conditions. The V1 Pro has an impressive charge time of 90 minutes. By comparison, the average scooter takes four hours to fully charge.

The lithium-ion battery’s life is determined by the frequency of charging. Smaller batteries—such as the one in the Swagtron Swagger V1 Pro—drain the power quickly, thereby necessitating the need for frequent charging. As such, the battery is expected to last through 500-1000 charge cycles, which translates to about 1-2 years of usage.

However, there have been numerous user complaints about reduced range after a couple of charges.

Motor Configuration

The Swagger’s motor has an output of 150w continuous but will range between 50-250W depending on demand. It uses a hub motor attached to the front wheel and this results in a quiet ride. Under ideal conditions, the motor can power the scooter to a maximum speed of 15 mph. It is also powerful enough to carry riders weighing up to 250 pounds.

Construction & Build Quality

One of the standout features of the Swagger is the carbon-fibre frame. It’s light but strong enough to support considerable weights of up to 250 pounds. It has an easy-fold mechanism for a fluid transition from ride to carry. The detachable handles make for easy storage and transportation.

The acceleration and braking knobs are made of plastic which gives the scooter a cheap feel. The LCD screen similarly looks cheap and lacks the aesthetic appeal you will find on higher-end electric scooters.

Suspension

The V1 Pro has a single front suspension. However, the scooter’s bumpy ride on uneven surfaces due to its the tiny wheels overshadows the suspension. Again – this is a scooter made for a tight budget – it’s great that Swagtron have tried to cram as much value for money in – but when it comes to small low-cost scooters, small wheels & cheap suspension = bumpy ride. 

Don’t expect much cushioning from the suspension, it’s very rigid and only on the front.

Nifty little speedo and battery indicator on the Swagger V1.

Ride Quality

The Swagger is an ace on smooth surfaces. Its lightweight body, perfectly sized, sandpaper-textured, layered deck and five-speed gear setting allows for a smooth and controlled ride over flat surfaces. On the other hand, ride quality is compromised over uneven surfaces, primarily due to its relatively tiny wheels. We found the ride quality to be poor on tarmac surfaces that weren’t smooth, equally we found path riding was a bit uncomfortable in some areas, especially London where paved slabs at uneven levels made for an uncomfortable ride.

Braking

The Swagger features two brakes (manual and electric). Overall, the scooter’s braking power is decent even on short distances. The manual brake actually works pretty well on the Swagger Pro V1 although we didn’t feel much different from the electric braking, probably because the motor is of low wattage. You can expect to stop from 15mph pretty quickly but still, allow for 15-20 meters.

Portability

If there was a Scooter Portability Award, then the Swagger would be the champion of them all, year in and year out. It features a very practical easy-fold mechanism. Additionally, it is lightweight and comes with detachable handlebars for easy transportation by hand and storage by car.

Lights

The Swagger has a single bright LED headlight, perched vertically on the carbon-fibre frame. It’s bright and will light your way at night but it could be better. We recommend adding your own torch / light to the handlebars for evening riding.

We wouldn’t recommend riding at night, if you hit any form of pot hole or elevated surface it’s likely to cause injury if you fall off.

Tyres

The Swagger comes fitted with two 8.5-inch tyres. The front wheel is pneumatic while the on the back is non-pneumatic. This is meant to reduce maintenance costs associated with punctures. The size of the tyres does a great disservice to the Swagger’s overall rating though, as evidenced by the negative reviews on its ride over uneven surfaces.

Deck

The deck has a sandpaper-textured layer to provide maximum grip. It also offers ample foot space for comfort and maximum control even on slightly rough surfaces. The size of the deck is proportionate to the rest of the scooter, enough for comfortable back to back footing. Don’t expect to stand with your feet side by side, the deck isn’t wide enough. 

Controls & Display

The V1 Pro comes with a cheap-looking backlit LCD perched on the right side of the handlebar. The control panel unit has 3 buttons (a power button and two arrow buttons for gear shifts). Some of the general information displayed on the LED display includes speed, odometer, battery-level status and gear position.

However, riders are advised against exposing the display unit to direct sunlight or heat for extended periods, as this may damage it. Additionally, you are warned against storing or keeping the scooter under high heat (e.g. inside your car) for extended periods to avoid damaging the display.

Water Resistance

The Swagtron Swagger electric scooter has no official water-resistance rating. This can only mean one thing: Its water resistance is not anything worth reporting. Judging by the build quality, it is safe to assume that the scooter will still be operable in moderately wet conditions, such as light showers. However, since the product warranty does not cover defects from water damage, it’s best to stick to dry weather.

Reliability, Warranty & Customer Support

The Swagger is expected to provide up to two years of service (or around 1000 charge cycles). It comes with a one-year limited hardware warranty. This means your product is covered against damages to material and workmanship suffered during normal use. Swagtron runs service centres for all its products, either on its own or via authorised entities.

Controllers

There isn’t much information in the wild on the Swagtron Swagger Pro’s controllers.

Maintenance

The Swagger’s maintenance revolves around cleaning and storage. Here are some dos and don’ts:

• Avoid storing the scooter in places with extreme temperatures.
• Never spray any liquid directly onto any part of the scooter.
• To prevent overcharge due to idleness, fully charge your scooter before storing it.
• Switch your scooter off before cleaning it.
• Never use alcohol or ammonia-based cleaning solutions on your scooter.

Known Issues

We have to take points off for the Swagger’s battery. Numerous users have complained about reduced battery performance after a few charge cycles. One complaint across the board was that the scooter’s range is reduced to 9-10 miles after several recharges.

Is this E-Scooter value for money and is it worth buying?

Yes, it is! The word “cheap” might have popped up a couple of times throughout this review, but the Swagger is overall a solid product. Yes, the plastic bits on it feel cheap and the battery capacity is small, but at $240, you won’t find many better bargains!

The debate on speed and range is subjective. Remember electric scooters are purposely designed to cover short distances. And after all, the average rider covers around 15 miles a day, and any speed between 15-18 mph is sufficient.

In a nutshell, the Swagtron Swagger V1 Pro is the perfect scooter for beginners. It’s easy on the pocket and easy to master too.

Swagtron Resources

Swagtron Website