Testing an adult electric scooter designed like a kid’s toy: Razor Icon review
If you’re between the ages of 25 to 50, the name “Razor scooter” likely brings with it a certain nostalgia, the flavor of which may depend on whether you associate it with the childhood freedom of cruising the neighborhood or the unforgettable sound of aluminum on ankle bone. But now both are possible again with a modern twist thanks to Razor’s introduction of an electric scooter based on its classic design. I’ve had some fun by riding, testing, and crashing the new Razor Icon electric scooter over the last few weeks, and now it’s time to tell you what I think.
The Razor Icon certainly does a good job capturing the iconic flair of the original Razor scooter from twenty-something years ago.
The shiny aluminum deck, colorful wheels, minimalist foot brake, and folding stem all harken back to the scooting days of yesteryear.
But at the same time, the scooter carries a number of fun new upgrades that I would have loved to make use of as a kid.
Check out my testing video below to see the Razor Icon in all its orange glory (though other bright colors are also available). Then keep reading for my full review.
Razor Icon video review
Razor Icon electric scooter tech specs
- Motor: 300W rear motor
- Battery: 36V
- Top speed: 18 mph (30 km/h)
- Range: Up to 18 miles (30 km)
- Weight: 26.5 lb. (12 kg)
- Load capacity: 220 lb. (100 kg)
- Brakes: Rear motor braking and rear stomp brake
- Tires: 8.5″ solid tires
- Extras: Front and rear LED lights, LED display with built-in thumb throttle, kickstand, folding stem
Nostalgia on wheels
The Razor Icon electric scooter certainly looks the part of a classic Razor. The only immediate giveaway that this isn’t the same as the scooter gathering dust in your parent’s attic is that the wheels look much larger.
In fact, they’re around twice the size of those original little pucks that Razor called wheels.
These 8.5″ tires may be larger, but they’re equally flat-free. Razor’s original wheels from the early 2000s were hard polyurethane wheels. The Icon at least received a rubber upgrade to make them a bit softer, but the solid rubber still prevents flat tires from ruining your ride.
I wouldn’t want to hit any brick pavers or Zeus-forbid any cobblestone streets, but the wheels feel just fine on smooth bike paths and decent-quality roads.
The rest of the scooter is nearly a dead ringer for the original one, except for all of the electric updates.
That rear motor gets a surprisingly peppy 300W motor. Maybe it just feels so strong because the scooter is quite light (26.5 pounds!) and so you expect it to be a weak little thing. Whatever the reason, the scooter really picks up and moves.
There is one little annoying thing about the motor though, which is that the scooter has to be moving at around 2-3 mph or so in order for the thumb throttle on the handlebars to work. Surely Razor will say that’s a safety feature so that it’s hard for small kids to hop on and ride, or something to that effect. And that might also be true. But it’s really because the motor is sensorless (hall sensors in brushless electric motors are needed to let e-bikes and e-scooters start with good power from a standstill). Sensorless motors are cheaper and have fewer parts to go bad, and so it also surely helps support that fairly low $599 price tag on the Razor Icon (or apparently sometimes even cheaper on Amazon).
I’d have loved for the scooter to simply fly off from a stop when you hit the throttle, since sometimes you have to kick off harder than you’d expect to actually hit 2-3 mph and get enough speed to activate the motor. But it’s something you get used to and so I won’t complain too hard there.
The rest of the scooter is pretty positive from there. For such an inexpensive and lightweight little thing, it works quite well.
The small LED screen isn’t fancy but gives you a good readout of your speed and battery life. There are three speed modes, though I never used anything but the highest speed mode. And the motor braking in the rear wheel is surprisingly powerful. In fact, you may find yourself using the rear foot brake for more gentle stops, since the motor braking comes on quite strong.
I wouldn’t mind a little more grip in the tires, especially after I crashed it in some particularly tight turns (see video above), but I was also pushing this scooter way harder than anyone should normally ride it. These aren’t Pirelli racing tires, as I astutely discovered.
So who is it good for?
Here’s the thing: There are so many electric scooters out there right now. Like so, so many.
Every company has a few models and there are new companies every day. So what makes the Razor Icon special in this sea of scooters?
To be honest, it’s mostly just the look. Don’t get me wrong. The scooter works well. It’s nice and lightweight. It’s decently peppy (for such a lightweight scooter). And it will work just fine for cruising your cul-de-sac, Google campus, or NYC commute.
But the performance isn’t revolutionary and it doesn’t really offer anything you can’t get in another scooter, outside of the awesome design. So if nostalgia is high on your list, the Razor Icon probably should be too. And with a wide range of colors to choose from, you can have that nostalgia served up in just about any flavor.
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With the federal EV incentive set to expire at the end of September, Ford is urging its dealers to prepare for a rush of buyers.
Ford warns dealers of upcoming EV rush
Like most automakers, Ford is preparing for a shakeup under the Trump Administration. After the “One Big Beautiful Bill” was signed into law on July 4, the $7,500 and $4,000 tax credit for new and used EVs will no longer be available after September 30.
In a memo sent to dealers this week, Ford warned, “demand is expected to increase as the deadline approaches for eligible vehicles.”
The letter (via CarsDirect) confirmed that the EV tax credit “will no longer be available for vehicles acquired after September 30, 2025.”
Ford blamed Trump’s new bill for the expected rush of EV buyers ahead of the incentive deadline. Although the Mustang Mach-E doesn’t qualify for the credit, since it’s built in Mexico, Ford is passing it on through a leasing loophole. While it’s still available, the F-150 Lightning does qualify for the credit when purchased or leased.
Last week, Ford launched its new “Zero, Zero, Zero” summer sales promo, offering a $0 down payment, 0% interest for 48 months, and zero payments for the first 90 days on most Ford and Lincoln vehicles.
The new campaign replaces the employee pricing for all campaign, which ran through the first half of the year. Despite outpacing the industry with overall sales rising 14% in Q2, Ford’s EV sales fell by nearly a third.
Ford spokesperson Martin Gunsberg told Electrek that electric vehicle sales were lower due to the Mustang Mach-E recall and the transition to the 2025 model year. “Our dealers can’t sell what they don’t have,” Gunsberg said.
Although the Mach-E doesn’t qualify for the credit when purchased, it’s still one of the best EV lease deals available right now, starting at $395 per month. The offer is for 36 months with no down payment required.
Ford isn’t the only one preparing for big changes over the next few months. Honda extended its ultra-low lease offer on the Prologue until the end of September. Hyundai and Kia are slashing prices with generous discounts ahead of the deadline. The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 might be the best EV deal at just $179 per month right now.
Looking to snag the savings while they are still available? You can use our links below to find deals on top-selling electric vehicles in your area.
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Environment
Tesla engineer admits Tesla didn’t maintain Autopilot crash records amid trial over fatal crash
A Tesla engineer admitted in court that Tesla didn’t maintain Autopilot crash records before 2018, 3 years after launching the ADAS system, in a trial over the death of a bystander in a crash involving Autopilot.
Tesla is currently on trial in Miami over a crash involving a 2019 Tesla Model S that was operating on Autopilot.
The case attempts to place some responsibility on Tesla for creating complacency with drivers, who were led to believe Autopilot could do more than it actually could.
George McGee was driving his Model S on Autopilot in Key Largo in April 2019 when he dropped his phone and looked down to pick it up when the car blew past a stop sign at a T intersection, and crashed into a parked Chevrolet Tahoe.
22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon and her boyfriend Dillon Angulo were standing next to the parked Tahoe. Benavides died and Angulo was seriously injured.
The police charged McGee with reckless driving, but the families of the victims sued both McGee and Tesla. McGee settled with the plaintiffs, but Tesla hasn’t.
The automaker has been sued many times over fatal crashes related to its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems. Recently, Tesla settled a few of those lawsuits, but this one is the first to make it to trial.
The plaintiffs allege that Tesla’s communications regarding Autopilot have led drivers, such as McGee, to become complacent and use Autopilot in a manner that led to this crash. They also claim that Tesla misrepresented the safety of Autopilot and failed to deploy proper driver monitoring to ensure its safe use.
The trial started on Monday and on Thursday, the jury heard testimony from Tesla software engineer Akshay Phatak who said that Tesla didn’t even complete records of Autopilot crashes before March 2018 (via Law360):
At the end of the first day of testimony, jurors watched part of the videotaped deposition of Tesla software engineer Akshay Phatak in which he said Tesla did not maintain records before March 2018 for evaluating whether it was safer to operate Tesla vehicles with the autopilot engaged or shut off.
When asked if Tesla maintained records or data before 2018 that kept track of the number of crashes that occurred per vehicle mile driven with the autopilot engaged, he replied simply, “No.”
That’s despite Tesla launching Autopilot almost 3 years prior. The jury will hear more of Phatak’s deposition today after Tesla attempted to keep it out of court over claims that it contains “sensitive trade secrets.”
Plaintiffs also challenged Tesla’s Autopilot safety report. We previously highlighted how Tesla suddenly stopped reporting the statistics and only started again a year later, while updating older data.
Dr. Mendel Singer testified on Tuesday and highlighted the discrepancy:
He noted that Tesla offered corrections to the vehicle safety report in January 2023 after finding some errors and miscounts. The crash data for when the autopilot was on stayed about the same, but the crash rate for when the autopilot was off went up by about 50% in the updated report, he said.
Mary Cummings, a professor and director of the Autonomy and Robotics Center at George Mason University and a longtime critic of Tesla’s self-driving efforts, is expected to testify today.
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General Motors and Redwood Materials are joining forces to take EV battery tech beyond the road and onto the grid. The two companies just signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding that sets the stage for turning both new and second-life GM batteries into energy storage systems to support the US’s rising electricity demand.
The collaboration aims to help the grid keep up with the surge in power-hungry applications, from AI data centers to electrified transport and industry.
“The market for grid-scale batteries and backup power isn’t just expanding, it’s becoming essential infrastructure,” said Kurt Kelty, GM’s VP of batteries, propulsion, and sustainability. “Electricity demand is climbing, and it’s only going to accelerate… GM batteries can play an integral role.”
Redwood launched a new venture in June called Redwood Energy that repurposes both new and used EV battery packs into fast and cost-effective energy storage systems. Today’s announcement allows Redwood to use second-life batteries from GM EVs and new GM battery modules to create US-built energy storage systems.
This isn’t just a future plan – it’s already happening. GM’s repurposed EV batteries are currently powering the biggest second-life battery project in the world. Located in Sparks, Nevada, Redwood’s 12MW/63MWh installation is also the largest microgrid in North America and supports Crusoe, an AI infrastructure company.
“Electricity demand is accelerating at an unprecedented pace,” said JB Straubel, Redwood’s founder and CEO. “Both GM’s second-life EV batteries and new batteries can be deployed in Redwood’s energy storage systems, delivering fast, flexible power solutions.”
And the timing couldn’t be better. AI data centers alone are expected to triple their share of US electricity use, from 4.4% in 2023 to 12% by 2028. That’s driving the urgent need for scalable, domestic energy storage.
GM and Redwood Materials say they’ll share more details on their plans later this year.
Read more: Arizona brings a huge grid battery online ahead of peak demand
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