Unicycles have been around for over 160 years. The first real version that we know of was in 1866 when James Stanley invented the unique and now world-famous Penny Farthing. In this article, we will be exploring the best electric unicycles.
The idea was for a human to be able to ride around on one single wheel. Of course, back then they didn’t quite have all the details hashed out, so there was an extra tiny wheel at the back added for extra stability.
Since its first incarnation there have been impressive improvements on unicycles over the years - and by the 1980s unicycles looked a lot closer to what we all know and love today.
But it wasn’t until the early 2000s that we began to see the first glimpses of what we call Electric Unicycles. These are electrically powered, single-wheeled vehicles that are convenient, cool, and fun to ride around on.
So you’re considering getting an electric unicycle - but one look online and you find yourself confused. There are dozens of different models to look at, with strange names that don’t really describe the products.
Also, when you begin to read into the specifications of different unicycles, you’re finding a whole load of jargon you couldn’t possibly understand. If this sounds like you, you’re in the right place!
We’ve created a handy guide that will introduce you to the world of electric unicycles. We’ll tell you a little about how they work and then give you a list of some of the best electric unicycles on the market today.
We’ve also added an extensive buyers’ guide that will outline the reasons for some of our choices, as well as a short FAQ section to answer any questions you might have.
What is an Electric Unicycle?
Before we look at the best electric unicycle, let's understand exactly what they are. The modern, electric unicycle - sometimes abbreviated to EUC - is part of the new clan of small, battery-powered vehicles that are beginning to grow in popularity. You might have seen electric skateboards, golf carts, hoverboards, and scooters in the past - but electric unicycles are much rarer.
Electric unicycles usually consist of a few classic parts, including a wheel, central battery, platforms to stand on, and a motor. Because they have one wheel, the person who rides them is tasked with balancing on top with their feet on either side of the central wheel.
An electric unicycle differs from a traditional one because it does not have pedals - it instead uses forward propulsion from its motor, which makes it a lot less stress and effort to ride.
It’s worth noting right away that learning to ride an electric unicycle can be challenging - especially if the rider does not already have experience with a traditional version. Once mastered, however, an electric unicycle can be a fast and fun way to travel around.
OUR TOP PICK
So with that in mind, let’s first consider our first pick for the best electric unicycle that would be great for beginners. King Song is a company that has tasked itself with redefining small electric vehicles with great design and passion. One of their more popular electric unicycles is the King Song 14D.
It has a 420wh battery and an 800wh motor, which is quite powerful for a small and minimalistic design such as this and can reach up to speeds of 18.6 MPH. We generally found this unicycle to be a great middle-ground between power, comfort, and quality.
It has around a 2-3 hour charge time to reach 80% - which is where you’ll want to be before taking your unicycle out for a spin - and it is estimated that it can travel around 21 miles at regular speeds. Whilst this isn’t the best kind of range for an electric unicycle that you might find, it’s enough for a beginner who is still learning.
Pros
- Padding - side padding for comfort on your legs.
- USB Charging Socket - for convenience.
- Estimated Range - can travel up to 21 miles with regular speed.
- Power - good power despite motor.
Cons
- Weight Limit - 200IB weight limit, which is restrictive for buyers who are heavier than this.
EDITORS CHOICE
If you’re looking for something with a decent range, then the V8S by Inmotion might be the unicycle might be the best electric unicycle for you. This unicycle has an estimated range - providing the right conditions - of an incredible 38 miles. This can be achieved with its impressive 518wh battery capacity, its thick tires, and 1000wh motor power.
The real downsides of this unicycle are that it has a long charge time - but that’s because of its power and ability to carry large loads. This unicycle will carry a weight of up to 265 pounds, but it also has rather large pedals which can help to cater to a wide variety of different body types. These are also fitted with a sandpaper grip that we found to have good traction with shoes.
Another feature that we loved was the battery display at the front of the unicycle. This little blue bar lets you easily look down and check how much battery is left during riding. Its small features like this make the V8S perfect for unicyclists who are looking to take their unicycle out on long adventures.
Pros
- Range - a 38-mile range which is one of the highest we found for its size.
- Power - powerful 1000wh motor.
- Battery Panel - that lights up and indicates how much power you have left.
Cons
- Charge time - long charge time which means you might be waiting around a little longer.
BEST VALUE
The next on our list for the best electric unicycle is from King Song. If the King Song 14D doesn't sound powerful enough for you, then it might be best to opt for its larger and more powerful brother - the King Song 14s. This powerhouse has an 840Wh battery made out of 64x cells and an 880wh motor power.
It charges faster than its younger counterpart, with an estimated 1.5-2 hours to 80%. For just a little bit higher of a price, the 14s has been designed to climb hills and difficult terrain much better than the 14D. One of the main things we noticed when looking at this unicycle is its size compared to other products of similar power - it’s much smaller and easier to keep somewhere within your home.
Just because it's more powerful and larger, doesn’t mean that you miss out on comfortability. King Song has recently improved the side paddings so that they’re thicker and more friendly to your shins. This is a newly made improvement, which shows you the care and responsive nature that the company takes when designing their products.
Another thing we found impressive about this unicycle is its weight carry capacity, which is set at around 220ibs. If you are a larger person then this is the unicycle for you, you’ll be able to ride without difficulty!
Pros
- Performance - a very powerful little unicycle that is great if you’re looking for something with an extra push.
- Size - small considering its power, which makes it easier to store.
- Comfort - improved padding to save your shins!
Cons
- Doesn't reach higher than 20MPH, if you’re looking for a really fast unicycle this might not be the one for you!
RUNNER UP
Maybe you live somewhere where there are lots of hills and sharp inclines. If you want to use your unicycle as transport, it can be difficult to traverse this kind of terrain. That’s where the MCM5v2 by Begode comes in. It is thought to be one of the best hill climbers on the market, with extreme acceleration and high speeds and might be the best electric unicycle for you.
In many ways, this unicycle seems to be fairly regular. With a max load of 250ibs, an 800wh battery, a range of 40 miles, and classic atmospheric lighting. Where it sets itself apart is its wheel and power. The motor power comes with incredible torque which means you can tackle tall hills without much difficulty. This is especially impressive considering its size as a 14” unicycle.
Its charge time is fairly regular, with around 2 hours to 80%, and it can reach average speeds of 23-25MPH. We also noticed that this unicycle was surprisingly quiet despite its power, even when tackling difficult terrain.
Pros
- Torque - incredible torque which makes it better at hill climbing than any other unicycle
- Load - great load considering the size.
Cons
- Durability - More likely to break because of power/size ratio.
RUNNER UP
Are you looking for something big, beefy, and powerful? Are you looking for a unicycle that will make all the other unicycles look feeble in comparison? If this sounds like you - then you might want to take a look at this beast from Begode as your pick for the best electric unicycle.
The RS 19” has some rather impressive stats - with a hollow 26000W motor and 1800Wh battery with up to 60 miles of range. It can also reach speeds of 35/40 miles per hour which is insanely fast for a unicycle!
Its max load is 325ibs, which makes it one of the most suitable for larger body types that we could find. Its range of 60 miles sounds almost impossible but when you get a look at its size and power you’ll be able to believe it. It also has impressively large pedals and an included mudguard.
One thing we noticed that was impressive was its charge time. For such a gigantic unicycle, it charges remarkably quickly - we found that it took around 2 hours to charge to 100%.
If you’re searching for a unicycle that you can push to its limits, in difficult terrain, or over long distances, this might be the one for you. It’s a large, powerful machine that is certainly not recommended for beginners. Buy this one if you’re an experienced unicyclist looking for a new toy to keep you happy!
Pros
- Range - a 60-mile range which is very high!
- Power - an extremely powerful motor.
- Load - high max load of 325 lbs.
- Mudguard - included which may be needed for something this powerful.
Cons
- Size - very large and bulky.
- Beginner-friendly - this is not for beginners or inexperienced unicyclists.
Best Electric Unicycle Buying Guide
Now that we’ve taken you through some of the best electric unicycles on the market, we hope that you have a better understanding of what makes shopping for unicycles difficult
The industry has boomed in recent years, and there are a lot of different specifications and uses for you to look over. That’s why we’ve created this extensive buyers’ guide to walk you through some of the most important factors to keep in mind whilst searching for your perfect electric unicycle.
Battery Life
There’s nothing worse than buying a new electric toy, only to find that it dies on you after an hour or two of play. Electric unicycles are more than that - like vehicles, you might have to rely on them for transportation, so you will want to make sure you are buying one with good, healthy battery life.
There are two things to consider here - the size of the battery and the charging time. When looking in stores or online, make sure you check out what size of battery your unicycle has, as well as how long it will take to charge.
Generally, we found the standard charging time to be around 1.5-3 hours. Any more or less and you will want to consider why.
It’s also worth checking reviews to see how the overall battery life holds up over long periods. Sure, the unicycle you’re looking at might work great, to begin with, but it might decay quickly and become slow. As with all things when it comes to batteries
Motor Power
Motor power is going to determine two things - how well your unicycle deals with different terrain, and how fast it goes. It’s remarkable to think that unicycles can reach speeds of up to 40MPH.
If you’re a beginner, it’s unlikely you’ll want to tackle something so fast, but it’s good to know the impressive technology that is being put into these new machines.
You will want to make sure that your motor has the appropriate power level for you. Consider the motor power, and consider its Max Cruise Speed - this will give you some indication as to how difficult it will be to manage.
We recommend that you not buy a unicycle that is too powerful for you. Often smaller is better if you are new to unicycling. Learning to balance will be hard enough without an incredibly powerful motor!
Handle/transportation
You will want to double-check the handle and transportation options for your unicycle. Consider a few things here when choosing the best electric unicycle for you. Firstly make sure that it has a handle that is easy to use and possibly extendable. Some modern unicycles include an extendable handle at the expense of some extra weight.
Secondly, you’ll want to consider how large your unicycle is. This will affect its portability greatly. Bringing your unicycle along on a trip is great, but how easy it is to carry it around with you depends greatly on its size and weight. Often you will have to choose between size and features.
Durability and Comfort
Next, you will want to consider how durable your unicycle will be. It is a vehicle after all, and the materials that it is made with make a huge difference. Check the material of the tire, check to see what others have to say about how its tire performs after traveling long distances. Similarly, make sure it’s made out of the best shell material that you can find.
Another note here is to make sure that it has features for comfort. What is especially important here is the padding around where your legs rest on top of the pedals. There are unicycles out there without adequate padding and it can make riding them very uncomfortable.
There have been improvements to padding technology from electric unicycle companies in recent years, so double-check to make sure you’re buying one that has had care taken to make the ride easy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast can an electric unicycle go?
This depends massively on the power of its motor. The speed of an electric unicycle corresponds directly to how big and powerful the motor is. The highest ranges for electric unicycles peak at around 45MPH!
Is an electric unicycle illegal?
Depending on where you are, the general rules around electric unicycles tend to be the same as other electric small vehicles - with some restrictions regarding helmets and age. 16 is usually the oldest you have to be to operate one in public spaces.
How do electric unicycles work?
They work similar to a normal unicycle, except instead of traditional pedals, they have electric versions that propel you forward with an electric motor. The gyroscopes inside can detect changes in angle, which makes the electric unicycle move in the direction you are trying to go.
Final Thoughts
We hope that this guide has given you a look into the exciting new world of electric unicycles. Unicycling can be a fun hobby, something good to do on the weekend, or a great way to travel around cities and towns. Before buying an electric unicycle, always consider why it is that you need one so that you can buy the right product for you!
We wish you the best on your unicycling journey and hope that you find the perfect electric unicycle! Below is a short FAQ section to answer some of the more common questions you might have.
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