UL2272 Scooters: Should I buy them now or later?

UL2272 Scooters: To Buy or Not to Buy?
There are few factors to consider when choosing whether to buy now or wait till new UL2272 models become available to the market. For starters, UL2272 certifiend models of PMDs typically costs more than non-UL2272 models due to the costs of certification.

Another thing to consider is a scooter's lifespan. A scooter's battery typically lasts for about 500 charge cycles, assuming you use it every day and charge it every day a year, a scooter will typically last for about 1.5 years, whether it is UL2272 certified or not.

Along with a scooter's lifespan, is its warranty, which typically lasts 6 months or less, with the longest being 12 months (DYU), so if one gets a UL2272 device today, the warranty would have expired before the new law kicks in, meaning more cost of repair for the scooter whereas, if one buys a non-UL2272 model, even after the warranty expires, cost of repair would not be as high as a UL2272 scooter, and even after the law takes full effect, one can trade in their non-UL2272 device for a top up on their new UL2272 device.

Another thing to take note is that there is not a variety of UL2272 devices available in the market to choose from today (1 January 2019), so there shouldn't be any rush in getting a UL2272 device at the moment as the few models to choose from currently would be a Ninebot ES2, ES1, and MiJia M365.

For UL2272 certified units such as the Ninebot ES1, ES2, and MiJia M365, there are not many and in fact, very little after market parts for aesthetics. Which unlike popular models like the Passion Mini IV, DYU, Fiido and XiaoMi Himo, have a very wide array of after market parts to choose from. Since you are going to use it for awhile, why not make more unique as your own.

So after all this, one must consider if it is worth getting a UL2272 certfied device now or wait till the law fully kicks in. 

UL2272 Introduction
In September 2018, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Singapore announced that electric scooters and personal mobility devices sold from July 2019 onward must comply with the UL2272 standard.

At the time of this announcement, the vast majority of electric scooter brands in Singapore are not UL2272 certified.

What exactly are UL2272 certified PMDs?
UL2272 certified PMDs are models that have passed rigorous testing by Underwriter's Laboratories (UL), a US company to certify them with them with the UL2272 fire safety standard. Currently, approximately 99% of the PMDs used in Singapore does not meet this standard.

In the current market (as of 1 January 2019) the only UL2272 certified model of PMD available is the Ninebot ES2.

Models that bear any one of these markings are considered UL2272 certified.

So what does that mean to us PMD users?
Users of non-UL2272 devices will have only till 31 December 2020 to use their PMDs before they will also be considered non-compliant, therefore making them illegal for use on public paths.

There is also no way to certify one own's device to be UL2272 so there is nothing one can do to make their current device comply with the new law.

However, getting a non-UL2272 can still give you a lot more value today over a UL2272 device before it becomes illegal for use.