Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)
The GOTRAX GMAX Ultra takes the overall win here thanks to its far superior real-world range and long-haul commuting comfort, despite the higher price and lack of suspension. It is the better choice if your daily rides are genuinely long and you want to forget about the charger for days at a time.
The Acer ES Series 4 Select makes more sense for shorter, mostly urban commutes where safety features, front suspension and turn signals matter more than mega-range, and where the price difference is hard to ignore. Choose the Acer if you want a "safe, sensible office scooter"; choose the GOTRAX if you want a "range-first daily workhorse".
Both have compromises, but how they annoy you is very different - keep reading to find out which flaws you can live with.
You know the scooter market has grown up when names like Acer and GOTRAX are no longer just "cheap first scooters" but are trying to replace cars and public transport passes. The Acer ES Series 4 Select comes from a PC giant and promises a polished, commuter-friendly ride with suspension, strong brakes and a sensible price tag. The GOTRAX GMAX Ultra arrives with a bigger battery than many mid-range e-bikes and a clear mission: kill range anxiety, even if your commute is anything but short.
I've spent time riding both in the same kind of conditions most people face: cracked bike lanes, impatient drivers, damp mornings, and the occasional ambitious hill that looked flatter on Google Maps. One sentence each? The Acer is for the "I just need a dependable scooter to get to work" rider. The GMAX Ultra is for the "I want to ride all week and charge on Sunday" rider.
They occupy a similar performance bracket but attack the commuter problem from different angles - and each makes some very deliberate compromises. Let's dig in and see which one fits your life better.
Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?
On paper, these two shouldn't be worlds apart: both are single-motor, 10-inch, road-focused commuters with sensible top speeds and similar heft. They're aimed at adults who actually want to get somewhere reliably, not teenagers doing drag races outside Lidl.
The Acer ES Series 4 Select lives in the more affordable mid-range. It's for riders who want to step up from rental scooters or no-name Amazon specials without falling into "I paid more for my scooter than for my first car" territory. Think mixed commuting: a few kilometres from home to station, then from station to office, perhaps with some questionable paving stones in between.
The GOTRAX GMAX Ultra costs noticeably more and sits in that segment where people start saying things like "I'm replacing my bus pass" with a straight face. The priority here is distance: longer daily commutes, multiple trips per day, or just not wanting to think about the battery every evening.
They compete because a lot of riders are exactly on that fence: do you spend a chunk more for huge range and a bit more stability, or save money and get nicer comfort and safety kit out of the box?
Design & Build Quality
Both scooters try very hard to look like "real vehicles" rather than gadgets, and they largely succeed - with different personalities.
The Acer ES Series 4 Select goes for stealthy corporate chic. Matte black, minimal branding, and very tidy internal cabling. It's the scooter you can park next to a Herman Miller chair and nobody will complain. In the hands, the frame feels reasonably solid, with the battery low in the deck and a stem that doesn't squirm around when you lean on it. Buttons and indicators are laid out sensibly, and the display is bright and simple - classic consumer-electronics competence.
The GMAX Ultra looks and feels more "transport-grade". The frame is chunkier, the deck wider, and the whole thing has that slightly overbuilt vibe - in a good way. Cabling is also cleanly routed inside the frame, and the integrated display in the stem looks more premium than the Acer's bolt-on style. The folding latch feels more industrial than the Acer's quick-release system; there's less flex at the hinge when you muscle the bars from side to side.
However, both have weak spots. On the Acer, the overall finish is nice, but nothing screams "premium" - it's more well-executed mid-range than luxurious. On the GOTRAX, a few cheaper-feeling touches sneak in: the hook on the rear fender that catches the stem when folded can feel plasticky and is a known rattle point over time. Neither scooter is a tank like a Ninebot Max, but the GMAX Ultra definitely feels the more "serious hardware" of the two, while the Acer feels more like "nicely made consumer electronics with wheels".
Ride Comfort & Handling
Here the two scooters diverge quite sharply - and you feel it within the first few hundred metres.
The Acer ES Series 4 Select has a front fork suspension and 10-inch tubeless pneumatic tyres. On typical city surfaces - bricks, patched tarmac, tree roots gently lifting pavement slabs - that front suspension makes a noticeable difference. The bars don't chatter as much, your wrists survive longer rides, and the scooter feels more forgiving when you hit those annoying expansion joints on bridges. Combine that with a reasonably low centre of gravity and it's a calm, compliant city cruiser at moderate speeds.
Take the same route on the GMAX Ultra and you immediately notice the absence of suspension. The 10-inch air tyres do their best and actually handle regular tarmac and decent bike lanes surprisingly well, but once you hit cobblestones or neglected asphalt, the frame tells you about every imperfection. Your knees and ankles become the shock absorbers. On smooth surfaces, though, the GMAX actually feels more planted than the Acer thanks to its heavier battery and slightly longer wheelbase. It tracks straighter at higher speeds and feels less twitchy.
In tight manoeuvres - weaving around pedestrians, U-turns at junctions - the Acer's front suspension and slightly lighter build make it feel a touch more nimble and less "freight train". The GOTRAX is stable, but you're always aware you're piloting a heavier slab of aluminium and lithium. On broken infrastructure, I'd take the Acer. On decent roads and longer stretches, the GMAX Ultra starts to feel like the more mature companion.
Performance
Neither of these scooters is going to blow your helmet off, and that's fine - they're built for commuting, not flexing on Instagram. But their characters are different.
The Acer's motor has more rated power on paper and you feel that off the line. In Sport mode, it pulls away from the lights briskly enough to get ahead of bicycle traffic and feels reasonably energetic up to its capped cruising speed. It's rear-wheel drive, so traction is decent even when you ask for full power on damp tarmac. On moderate hills and bridges it holds its own pretty well, especially for lighter and average-weight riders; heavier riders will notice it working harder but it doesn't immediately collapse into a crawl.
The GOTRAX GMAX Ultra actually feels a bit more conservative initially. Acceleration is smooth, almost polite, but once it gets moving it settles into its top speed and just stays there without drama. It's less about "zippy" and more about "cruise control without the button". On shallow climbs it does fine; on steeper sections, especially with a heavier rider, it will slow down more than the Acer, but it's rarely embarrassing. It's a classic "slow and steady wins the commute" kind of motor.
Braking is an interesting contrast. The Acer runs a front disc plus rear electronic braking with anti-lock behaviour. The combination gives a confident, controlled stop with good modulation; you can squeeze hard without feeling like you're about to do a nose-dive. The GOTRAX flips the emphasis: mechanical disc at the rear and an electromagnetic brake at the front motor. It also stops strongly, but the feel is slightly different - more rear-biased, with a gentle, smooth front assist. Both systems work well in the real world; the Acer's front disc gives a bit more immediate bite, while the GMAX Ultra feels more progressive.
In terms of sheer "fun" acceleration, the Acer has the edge. But if you care more about stable, predictable power delivery and a relaxed top-speed cruise, the GMAX Ultra feels more grown-up - in a slightly boring, dependable way.
Battery & Range
This is the category that basically defines the GMAX Ultra - and also where Acer's number on the box and reality part ways a bit.
The Acer ES Series 4 Select's battery is decent for a mid-range commuter. In gentle riding on flat ground, you can stretch it closer to the optimistic figure Acer quotes, but in normal mixed riding - some full-throttle stretches, a few hills, stop-start city traffic - you're realistically looking at a comfortable medium-distance daily round trip with a bit of buffer. For a lot of people that's perfectly enough: home-office-errands-home, done.
The GOTRAX GMAX Ultra plays in a different league for range. Its large pack with quality LG cells lets you do true long commutes or multiple trips a day without even thinking about the charger. In my testing, even when riding briskly, I could stack up many tens of kilometres before the battery gauge became interesting. Ride more moderately and you can go for days of normal commuting on a single charge - that fundamentally changes how you use a scooter. It feels more like a small electric moped in daily range behaviour than a typical stand-up scooter.
The trade-offs are predictable. The Acer's smaller pack charges fully in roughly a working afternoon or an evening; topping up at the office is easy. The GMAX Ultra's larger battery is very much "plug it in overnight and forget". If you do accidentally run it flat, you're not getting back to full in a quick lunch break.
So: if your commutes are short and contained, the Acer is fine, and you save money. If your rides are longer, more frequent, or you simply hate thinking about charging, the GMAX Ultra is clearly the better tool.
Portability & Practicality
Both scooters sit in the "technically portable, realistically chunky" category. You can carry them, but you won't enjoy doing it often.
The Acer comes in just under the GOTRAX in weight, and you do feel that small difference when lifting. Its folding mechanism is quick and reasonably intuitive: flick the lever, drop the stem, hook it to the rear, and you're ready to haul. For a short staircase or popping it into a car boot, it's manageable. Do that every day up three floors without a lift and you'll quickly start questioning your life choices.
The GMAX Ultra is heavier again and has that dense, battery-in-the-deck heft. The folding latch feels more secure, but when you pick it up by the stem you're very aware this is not a "last kilometre micro-scooter" - it's more of a "roll it everywhere, lift it as little as possible" machine. Carrying it onto trains and into lifts is fine; lugging it up multiple flights of stairs is punishment.
Folded size is similar: neither is ultra-compact. Both take a decent chunk of boot space and are awkward in crowded buses or metro carriages. For practical, everyday use, the Acer has one big advantage: the integrated app, which lets you electronically lock the motor and tweak a few settings. The GMAX Ultra counters with its built-in cable lock in the stem - brilliant for quick café stops, though I wouldn't rely on it alone for city-centre overnight parking.
If your commute is mostly roll-on, roll-off - pavements, lifts, trains with level boarding - both work. If you're constantly wrestling stairs, the Acer is the slightly lesser evil, but you might honestly want something lighter than either.
Safety
Acer clearly sat down and wrote "checklist of things new riders worry about" and then added most of them. The ES Series 4 Select brings a very solid front disc brake, rear electronic braking with anti-lock behaviour, grippy 10-inch tubeless tyres, and - crucially - integrated turn signals. Being able to indicate without waving your arm around while trying to keep balance is a big real-world safety upgrade in traffic. The lighting package is competent: a front light that actually lets you be seen, and a responsive rear brake light. Add the water-resistance rating and you've got a scooter that feels quite reassuring in rain and low light.
The GMAX Ultra takes a more old-school approach: strong lights, decent brakes, and big tyres. The headlight is impressively bright for a stock scooter; you can actually see where you're going instead of guessing. The tail light responds nicely to braking, and the extra reflectors around the frame do help at side-on junctions. Braking performance is very solid, though with more of the work done at the rear. What it lacks are indicators - you're back to old-fashioned hand signals - and, of course, any suspension to help with stability when the road gets ugly.
In terms of raw braking and tyre grip, they're in the same ballpark. Where the Acer edges ahead is signalling and that slight extra composure over rougher surfaces. The GOTRAX relies more on bright lights and overall stability at speed. If you ride in busy mixed traffic a lot, those Acer indicators are not just a gimmick; they're worth having.
Community Feedback
| Acer ES Series 4 Select | GOTRAX GMAX Ultra |
|---|---|
| What riders love Smooth ride for the class thanks to front suspension and big tubeless tyres; strong, confidence-inspiring brakes; integrated turn signals; tidy design; decent motor punch for city use; good perceived build quality for the price; simple, useful app with motor lock; water resistance that actually lets you ride in light rain. |
What riders love Outstanding real-world range; LG battery cells and perceived longevity; very stable, planted ride at commuting speeds; wide, comfortable deck; bright headlight; integrated cable lock; solid frame feel with minimal rattles; good value for a long-range machine, especially on sale. |
| What riders complain about Heavier than they expected for a "commuter"; real-world range short of the marketing headline when ridden fast; struggles on very steep hills; app occasionally flaky; folding size still a bit bulky; kickstand stability could be better on uneven ground. |
What riders complain about Weight makes stairs a chore; lack of suspension punishes rough roads; long charging time; buggy or pointless app; occasional reports of rear fender cracking or rattling; motor noise more noticeable than some; modest hill performance given the weight; slight speed drop as battery depletes. |
Price & Value
Price-wise, these scooters live in different tax brackets. The Acer ES Series 4 Select sits firmly in the "sensible mid-range commuter" band. For that money you get front suspension, a stronger-than-entry-level motor, tubeless tyres, turn signals, app features and a known electronics brand behind it. There's nothing wildly generous here, but also very little that feels overpriced. For a daily city commuter on a budget, it's a rational choice.
The GOTRAX GMAX Ultra asks for a significantly fatter wallet. The extra money goes almost entirely into that big LG battery and the more substantial chassis. You don't get fancy suspension or exotic components; you get endurance. If your rides really use that range, the price makes sense. If you only commute a handful of kilometres a day, you're effectively paying a premium for capacity you'll rarely tap into.
Viewed through a cold "cost per kilometre of battery" lens, the GOTRAX extracts more money per unit of energy than the Acer. Viewed as a complete transport package for long, regular commutes, the GMAX Ultra justifies itself more convincingly. For short urban hops, the Acer offers better bang for the buck.
Service & Parts Availability
Acer brings decades of consumer-electronics infrastructure: service centres, established warranty processes, and a name that most retailers already work with. That doesn't magically turn every scooter warranty into a delight, but it does mean you're dealing with a brand that understands RMA logistics and has reputational skin in the game. In Europe especially, getting basic support and documentation shouldn't be a drama.
GOTRAX, while not a household name like Acer, has grown into a major scooter vendor with a decent track record for parts availability. They sell many spares directly, and the G-series is popular enough globally that third-party bits and DIY guides are not hard to find. That said, community stories about their customer support are mixed - some very positive, some frustrated with slow replies - though they do seem to be improving as they move upmarket.
For European riders, Acer probably edges ahead purely on established infrastructure and brand presence. GOTRAX isn't bad, but you may have to be a touch more patient or handy with tools if something does go wrong.
Pros & Cons Summary
| Acer ES Series 4 Select | GOTRAX GMAX Ultra | |
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Parameters Comparison
| Parameter | Acer ES Series 4 Select | GOTRAX GMAX Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Motor power (rated) | 400 W (rear) | 350 W (rear) |
| Top speed | ca. 30 km/h (region-limited) | ca. 32 km/h |
| Claimed range | 45-50 km | 72 km |
| Realistic range (est.) | ca. 32 km | ca. 45 km |
| Battery capacity | ca. 378 Wh (10,5 Ah, 36 V) | 630 Wh (17,5 Ah, 36 V) |
| Weight | 19,7 kg | 20,9 kg |
| Brakes | Front disc + rear eABS | Rear disc + front electromagnetic |
| Suspension | Front fork suspension | None |
| Tyres | 10" tubeless pneumatic | 10" pneumatic |
| Max load | 120 kg | 100 kg |
| Water resistance | IPX5 | IP54 |
| Charging time | ca. 5 h | ca. 6 h |
| Price (approx.) | 489 € | 763 € |
Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?
Standing back from the spec sheets and marketing speak, these are two competent, no-nonsense commuters with quite different personalities - and neither is flawless. The Acer ES Series 4 Select is the more approachable city scooter: it's kinder to your wrists, kinder to your bank account, and better equipped out of the box in terms of safety aids like indicators and front suspension. For typical short to medium urban commutes, it does the job without much fuss.
The GOTRAX GMAX Ultra, on the other hand, feels like a purpose-built distance tool. The ride is firmer and less forgiving over poor surfaces, but on decent roads it just eats kilometres in that quiet, slightly dull but reassuring way. If your daily rides are genuinely long, or you're the kind of person who hates thinking about charging and wants a scooter that behaves more like a small electric moped in terms of autonomy, the GMAX Ultra simply makes more sense.
If your commute is under, say, 10-12 km each way and your roads are less than perfect, I'd gently nudge you towards the Acer: you'll appreciate the comfort, the safety features and the lower upfront cost more than you'll miss the mega-range. If you're regularly riding further, or stringing multiple trips together in a day, and your city infrastructure isn't a war zone, the GOTRAX GMAX Ultra is the more capable long-term partner, even if you pay for that competence in both cash and kilos.
Numbers Freaks Corner
| Metric | Acer ES Series 4 Select | GOTRAX GMAX Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Price per Wh (€/Wh) | ❌ 1,29 €/Wh | ✅ 1,21 €/Wh |
| Price per km/h of top speed (€/km/h) | ✅ 16,30 €/km/h | ❌ 23,84 €/km/h |
| Weight per Wh (g/Wh) | ❌ 52,12 g/Wh | ✅ 33,17 g/Wh |
| Weight per km/h (kg/km/h) | ❌ 0,66 kg/km/h | ✅ 0,65 kg/km/h |
| Price per km of real-world range (€/km) | ✅ 15,28 €/km | ❌ 16,96 €/km |
| Weight per km of real-world range (kg/km) | ❌ 0,62 kg/km | ✅ 0,46 kg/km |
| Wh per km efficiency (Wh/km) | ✅ 11,81 Wh/km | ❌ 14,00 Wh/km |
| Power to max speed ratio (W/km/h) | ✅ 13,33 W/km/h | ❌ 10,94 W/km/h |
| Weight to power ratio (kg/W) | ✅ 0,0493 kg/W | ❌ 0,0597 kg/W |
| Average charging speed (W) | ❌ 75,6 W | ✅ 105,0 W |
These metrics let you strip all emotion away and look at pure efficiency: how much you pay per unit of battery or speed, how much scooter mass you haul per unit of energy or distance, how efficiently each turns stored energy into kilometres, and how "strong" the powertrain is relative to speed and weight. They don't tell you how either scooter feels to ride, but they do reveal who's better at sipping watts (Acer) and who gives you more battery capacity and charging speed per euro and per kilogram (GOTRAX).
Author's Category Battle
| Category | Acer ES Series 4 Select | GOTRAX GMAX Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | ✅ Slightly lighter to lug | ❌ Noticeably heavier overall |
| Range | ❌ Fine, but limited | ✅ Proper long-distance commuter |
| Max Speed | ❌ Slightly lower cruise | ✅ Tiny edge at top |
| Power | ✅ Stronger rated motor feel | ❌ More modest shove |
| Battery Size | ❌ Modest capacity pack | ✅ Big LG-cell battery |
| Suspension | ✅ Front fork helps a lot | ❌ No suspension at all |
| Design | ✅ Stealthy, office-friendly look | ✅ Clean, integrated, modern |
| Safety | ✅ Indicators, eABS, tubeless | ❌ Lacks indicators, harsher ride |
| Practicality | ✅ Better for mixed commutes | ❌ Bulkier, stairs unfriendly |
| Comfort | ✅ Softer over bad surfaces | ❌ Firm, knees as suspension |
| Features | ✅ App, indicators, eABS | ❌ Fewer smart safety touches |
| Serviceability | ✅ Simple single-suspension front | ✅ Common platform, parts online |
| Customer Support | ✅ Stronger EU presence | ❌ More mixed experiences |
| Fun Factor | ✅ Zippier, cushier city rides | ❌ Functional more than fun |
| Build Quality | ✅ Solid for its price | ✅ Very sturdy, tank-like |
| Component Quality | ❌ Decent but nothing special | ✅ LG cells, robust hardware |
| Brand Name | ✅ Huge global electronics brand | ❌ Smaller mobility specialist |
| Community | ❌ Smaller scooter user base | ✅ Larger active community |
| Lights (visibility) | ✅ Indicators plus good lighting | ❌ No turn signals fitted |
| Lights (illumination) | ❌ Adequate but unremarkable | ✅ Brighter, more useful beam |
| Acceleration | ✅ Punchier in city use | ❌ Smoother, but more sedate |
| Arrive with smile factor | ✅ Comfier, slightly more playful | ❌ Satisfying, but workmanlike |
| Arrive relaxed factor | ❌ Range thoughts linger sooner | ✅ No real range anxiety |
| Charging speed (experience) | ✅ Shorter full-charge window | ❌ Longer overnight-style refills |
| Reliability (impression) | ✅ Straightforward, few weak points | ✅ Solid frame, proven battery |
| Folded practicality | ✅ Slightly easier to manage | ❌ Heavier, bulkier folded |
| Ease of transport | ✅ Less punishing to carry | ❌ Carrying quickly gets old |
| Handling | ✅ Nimbler, kinder on rough | ✅ Very stable on smooth |
| Braking performance | ✅ Strong, front disc confidence | ✅ Strong, progressive stopping |
| Riding position | ❌ Adequate, a bit average | ✅ Roomy, suits tall riders |
| Handlebar quality | ❌ Functional, nothing special | ✅ Nice width, good grips |
| Throttle response | ✅ Smooth yet responsive | ✅ Very linear, predictable |
| Dashboard/Display | ❌ Standard bolt-on screen | ✅ Integrated, cleaner look |
| Security (locking) | ❌ App lock only, basic | ✅ Built-in cable lock |
| Weather protection | ✅ Better water resistance rating | ❌ Slightly lower protection |
| Resale value | ❌ Less recognised scooter brand | ✅ Popular, easier to resell |
| Tuning potential | ❌ Smaller modding community | ✅ More mods, guides out there |
| Ease of maintenance | ✅ Simple layout, tubeless tyres | ✅ Common parts, clear access |
| Value for Money | ✅ Strong for shorter commutes | ✅ Strong if you need range |
Overall Winner Declaration
In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the ACER ES Series 4 Select scores 5 points against the GOTRAX GMAX Ultra's 5. In the Author's Category Battle, the ACER ES Series 4 Select gets 26 ✅ versus 22 ✅ for GOTRAX GMAX Ultra (with a few ties sprinkled in).
Totals: ACER ES Series 4 Select scores 31, GOTRAX GMAX Ultra scores 27.
Based on the scoring, the ACER ES Series 4 Select is our overall winner. Between these two, the GOTRAX GMAX Ultra ultimately feels like the more complete partner for someone who truly lives on their scooter: the long, calm range, the planted feel, and the sense that you'll get home no matter how many detours you take add up to a quietly convincing package. The Acer ES Series 4 Select counters with better comfort, nicer safety touches and a friendlier price, but it never quite escapes the feeling of being a solid mid-ranger rather than a long-haul tool. If your riding life revolves around modest city hops, the Acer will keep you comfortable and visible. If your scooter effectively replaces buses, trams or the second car, the GMAX Ultra is the one that will actually keep up with that ambition.
That's our verdict when we try to stay objective – but hey, riding is mostly about emotions anyway, so pick the one that will make you look forward to your commute every single day.