How to start electric scooter company
Updated 16 October 2026 · AURORIDE dealer briefing
Short answer: the fastest route into the market is not to manufacture, it is to become a dealer for a brand that already holds the approvals. You still need a registered business, liability cover, a service capability and a defensible opening order — but you skip the eighteen-month type-approval cycle entirely.
Four ways in, and what each really costs
| Route | Time to first sale | Capital at risk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dealer / importer of an approved brand | Weeks | Lowest | Almost everyone starting out |
| White-label (OEM) of an existing model | 2–4 months | Medium | Dealers with an existing retail brand |
| Own specification (ODM) | 6–12 months | High | Established distributors |
| Own type-approved vehicle | 18 months plus | Very high | Manufacturers only |
That last row is where the whole-vehicle type approval, certificate of conformity and conformity-of-production obligations live. It is a manufacturing decision, not a startup one.
Setup checklist
- Register the business and get your VAT position confirmed before your first import.
- Product liability insurance — explicitly covering electric vehicles and batteries. Some insurers exclude lithium; check the wording.
- A place to work on them. Even two metres of bench and a torque wrench beats sending everything back.
- Documentation discipline. A folder per model with the conformity declaration, national certificate and manual in the local language.
- A battery storage and charging arrangement that your insurer and landlord will both sign off.
- An opening order you can actually sell through — not a container you hope to move.
What to open with
Three models covers the market without burying cash in stock:
- One homologated road model — N5 for Germany (350 W, ABE, 20 km/h) or N8 / N9 for the wider EU (20 km/h for DE/PL/HU, 25 km/h for FR/IT/ES).
- One off-road model — X5 (55 km/h) or X5 Max (65 km/h), for landowners, campsites, estates and security customers.
- One upsell — X7 PRO for mixed use, or M3 (55 km/h) if your customers want moped-style transport.
Add an L6e quadricycle such as the Q6e once you have footfall, not before — the ticket value is attractive but the approval conversation is longer.
The numbers
AURORIDE dealer terms are built so the first order is a market test rather than a bet:
- MOQ 10 units per order, and models can be mixed
- Single sample units available to evaluate before committing
- 50-day lead time on factory orders
- EU warehouse stock in Germany, Poland and the Netherlands for faster replenishment
- Service centre in Messel, Germany for after-sales support
- OEM/ODM available once volume justifies it
Frequently asked
Do I need a special licence to sell e-scooters?
Generally no beyond normal commercial registration, but you must be able to show the conformity documentation for what you sell, and some markets require specific point-of-sale information. Confirm locally.
How much stock should I start with?
Enough to display one of each model you sell and to deliver immediately. Ten mixed units is a normal opening order; containers come later.
What about warranty claims?
Get the process in writing before you order: who diagnoses, who pays freight, what the parts lead time is. That document is worth more than a point of margin.
Next step
Request the dealer pack and the opening-order proposal for your market. [email protected] · WhatsApp +86 191 0685 6105.