The Razor EcoSmart Cargo is just one of a handful of electric scooters with a very useful basket All of the best electric scooters are excellent for getting from point A to point B, but not so useful for grocery shopping, since it is up to you to carry everything you need

Even better, the basket can be swapped out for a second seat This makes it unique among Razor's electric scooters It is also the most expensive of the company's electric scooters, at $1,000; where does the EcoSmart Cargo rank among the best electric scooters? Let's find out in my test ride

The Razor EcoSmart Cargo will be available in fall 2022 and can be found in retail stores and online for $999

The EcoSmart Cargo has slightly more aggressive styling than the Razor EcoSmart Metro, looking more like a moped The Cargo's seat is much longer than the Metro's, large enough to accommodate a passenger, and there are fold-down footpegs for a second rider However, the maximum payload is 300 pounds, so it must be quite light for two riders

The EcoSmart Cargo is Razor's second sit-down scooter with a basket The first (and still available) Razor EcoSmart Metro has a less powerful (but quieter) motor and a slightly larger basket Still, the Cargo's basket is large enough to hold a bag of groceries or a case of beer cans It does, however, need a bungee cord to hold everything in place

To replace the seat with the basket, one must remove the seat by removing six screws (Phillips screwdrivers) and secure the basket with an Allen wrench Hopefully, with future improvements, Razor will make this task easier

There is a small LCD display on the left handlebar with two buttons to its left The lower button turns the scooter on and off, while the upper button turns off the headlight and taillight The entire display also functions as a rocker switch, and pressing the top increases the maximum speed; there are five levels, with the scooter's maximum speed being 199 MPH

At approximately 5 feet long and weighing 75 pounds, the scooter is not one that can be carried easily up and down stairs

The cargo is equipped with a large headlight and taillight, but curiously, no bell Also, it comes in only one color, olive green, but it looks nice, especially with the bamboo accents on the footrests

Powered by a 1,000-watt motor, the EcoSmart Cargo can pull your butt It wasn't as powerful as the Niu Kqi3 Max on hills, but it still made it up my standard test hill (6% grade) at about 10 mph

Because the EcoSmart Cargo uses a chain drive system rather than a hub motor (standard on most scooters these days), there is a constant whining sound when the accelerator is depressed This helps compensate for the fact that the Cargo is not equipped with a bell or horn

We also found that due to the high torque of the motor, the chain sometimes makes a loud "clang" as it hits the gear teeth when the throttle is depressed It is better to ease off the throttle than to depress it

The Razor EcoSmart Cargo had 16-inch pneumatic tires, which, combined with the padded seat, provided a comfortable ride in my city The seat is adjustable, good for taller riders

Cargo's rear disc brake worked, but it did not grip as well as expected, so a little more braking distance is needed

According to Razor, the Cargo's 468V battery will last about 166 miles and up to 50 minutes of continuous use It was a little shorter than that as I went up and down several hills around my town I wish this scooter had a removable battery like the Gullion Balto so I could charge it indoors

I have now tested three sit-down electric scooters with basket attachments on the back, all of which have their own advantages: the Razor EcoSmart Cargo has a sportier look than the Razor EcoSmart Metro and Glion Balto, a more The Razor EcoSmart Cargo stands apart from the Razor EcoSmart Metro and Glion Balto with its sportier appearance, more powerful motor, and the ability to carry multiple passengers

However, the EcoSmart Cargo is about twice as expensive as these two models, and its basket is not as large However, it is a heck of a lot of fun to ride If you live in a hilly area or simply want to ride around with a partner, the EcoSmart Cargo may be worth the higher price