How to import electric scooter from china
Updated 16 October 2026 · AURORIDE dealer briefing
Short answer for dealers: importing works well when three things are settled before you pay the deposit — that the model is approved for your market, that the battery can travel, and that you know your landed cost per unit including duty and VAT. Miss any of those and the container becomes a liability.
Step by step
- Fix the specification per market. 20 km/h for Germany, Poland and Hungary; 25 km/h for France, Italy and Spain. Confirm the configuration in writing on the proforma invoice.
- Collect the documentation. Declaration of conformity, test reports, national certificate where applicable (ABE for Germany), the manual in the local language, and the battery's UN 38.3 test summary.
- Book freight with a lithium-experienced forwarder. Confirm which UN number and packing instruction applies and that the carrier will actually take it. Not all will.
- Clear customs. Correct classification, duty and import VAT. Use a broker — the classification determines both the duty rate and whether the battery documentation is accepted.
- Do PDI before it reaches the floor. Torque check, brake set-up, firmware version, tyre pressure, battery state of charge. This is where good importers separate from bad ones.
- Hold spares. Order a parts kit with the first container, not after the first failure.
Cost lines people forget
| Line | Why it bites |
|---|---|
| Duty and import VAT | Cash out before you sell anything |
| Battery freight surcharge | Dangerous-goods handling is priced separately |
| Demurrage and storage | Days at port cost more than the margin on several units |
| Parts inventory | Non-earning stock you must carry anyway |
| Warranty labour | Your time, rarely priced into the unit cost |
| Returns and end-of-life | Battery disposal is a real obligation |
How to avoid the container you cannot sell
- Start with 10 units, not a container. AURORIDE's MOQ is 10 units per order, mixed across models — enough to test three price points.
- Buy the sample first. One unit, ridden and stripped, tells you more than any catalogue.
- Sell from European stock while you learn. Warehouse stock in Germany, Poland and the Netherlands means replenishment without a 50-day cycle.
- Move to containers once the warranty rate is known. By the second or third order you will know which model fails and which one sells.
Frequently asked
How long does it take?
50 days from order confirmation for factory orders. European warehouse stock ships considerably faster.
Who handles customs?
You, or your broker. We supply the commercial invoice, packing list and the model documentation; the import declaration is the importer's obligation.
Can you brand it for me?
Yes — OEM/ODM subject to volume. Send the brief to [email protected].
Next step
Ask for the dealer pack, the model documentation and the opening-order proposal. Service for German dealers runs through the AURORIDE service centre in Messel, Germany. WhatsApp +86 191 0685 6105.