Razor killer unveiled — meet the ultimate electric scooter

(Image credit: Glion)

While there are a ton of electric scooters, very few of them let you ride around seated; Razor's EcoSmart Metro HD is one of the few, and the only one on our list of the best electric scooters.

Glion's newest electric scooter, the Glion Balto, looks to be an even better alternative with a more adjustable design, removable battery and the ability to fold up for more convenient storage.

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The Glion Balto is available for preorder at Glion.com for $499, and will ship in November. At that point, the price will increase to $699.

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Like the Razor EcoSmart Metro HD, the Glion Balto has a seat that's affixed to a post at the rear of the scooter's foot rest. However, the Balto's seat post has a quick-release latch, letting you convert it to a stand-up scooter if you so choose.

The Balto also has a detachable basket that mounts behind the seat, which, like the EcoSmart Metro, making this a good scooter for a quick trip into town to pick up groceries.

The Balto comes with a headlight and a taillight — safety features the Razor lacks —as well as a mount for a rearview mirror.

Glion Balto specs

Motor: Rear hub-mounted 500W (750W peak)
Battery: 36V 10.5 Ah
Charge time: 5 hours
Tires: 12-inch pneumatic
Size (folded): 37 x 12 x 8 inches
Weight: 38 pounds

As with Glion's other electric scooter, the Glion Dolly, the Balto can fold up, which makes it easier to store in an apartment. And thanks to two small traveling wheels, the Balto should be easy to tote around when you're not riding it. The traveling wheels are built into a small rack, which props the Balto up when you're not riding it, and can be used to store items when you're scooting around.

Glion says that the Balto's 500-Watt hub-mounted motor and 36V, 10.5 amp-hour battery is good for a top speed of around 17 miles per hour and a 20-mile range. That's about the same as the EcoSmart Metro HD, and while it's no Apollo Explore, it should be plenty fast for most riders.

The Balto's battery is also detachable, which makes it easier to recharge, and gives you the option of swapping it out if you need to travel longer distances. Extra batteries cost $199 each. Glion is also selling an inverter for $75, which lets you use the Balto's battery as a power source for laptops, smartphones, and other portable electronic devices.

All in all, the Balto looks like an extremely well thought out electric scooter: You can ride it standing up or sitting down, it folds up for easy storage, and it has a large basket for carrying items. We're looking forward to putting some road miles on it when it ships this November.

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Michael A. Prospero is the U.S. Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide. He oversees all evergreen content and oversees the Homes, Smart Home, and Fitness/Wearables categories for the site. In his spare time, he also tests out the latest drones, electric scooters, and smart home gadgets, such as video doorbells. Before his tenure at Tom's Guide, he was the Reviews Editor for Laptop Magazine, a reporter at Fast Company, the Times of Trenton, and, many eons back, an intern at George magazine. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College, where he worked on the campus newspaper The Heights, and then attended the Columbia University school of Journalism. When he’s not testing out the latest running watch, electric scooter, or skiing or training for a marathon, he’s probably using the latest sous vide machine, smoker, or pizza oven, to the delight — or chagrin — of his family.