You would think having twin boys that they would push each other around in toy cars and you'd be all good. Apparently not! For this reason, we invested in some electric ride on cars for our twin boys to help keep them entertained. 

In this article, we're going to detail what electric cars are, the process of purchase and what goes into it, pros and cons and which ones you could look into.

Best Electric Ride on Cars Compared

What are Electric Ride on Cars for Kids?

Electric cars are toy cars for your kids that they can use for some fun activities in the backyard or in the neighborhood.  Depending on what type of electric ride on car you buy, some cars are suited for riding on pavement while others are even capable of driving on sand or dirt!

For the purpose of this article, we’re going to stick with cars, but you can get electric bikes, ATVs, trucks and SUVs and even farm and construction equipment vehicles that run either on rechargeable batteries or power. Most cars use batteries and are the safest of all, so we’ll stick with battery powered cars. 

What Type of Batteries do Electric Cars for Kids Run Off?

Most electric cars have a relatively low battery requirement. Not quite low enough to run on simple AA or AAA batteries but enough to run on either 6V, 12V or 24V batteries.

In terms of which is best, we generally recommend you look at the battery as different levels of power with the lower the volts such as the 6V being the lowest level of power while the highest of volts being the 24V being the highest level of power. We would recommend:

• 6V is suitable for lightweight children and more appropriate for indoor use.
• 12V is suitable for outdoor use and can cope with rougher surfaces and more heavier children.
• 24V is suitable for big kids where the car needs to carry more weight while also being able to go on uneven terrain.

What Features to Consider When Buying an Electric Ride on Car

Buying an electric ride on car for your child is pretty straight forward but we wanted to share some tips on what we recommend to look for when buying.

Safety​​

Safety should be your number one priority when looking at electric cars. We recommend looking for cars that at least have seat belts and doors that properly shut close.

Battery Life

Battery life is important too, however since most e-cars use a 6V or 12V batteries, this means you're generally constrained to a battery life of around 1 hour.

On the topic of battery health, we also recommend checking whether the manufacturer or store of the electric car you're looking to buy also sells replacement batteries.  Batteries have a limited life span and if you're buying an electric car second hand, you may need to look at getting a replacement battery if the battery life isn't amazing.

Dual Control

Dual control of the vehicle is a big feature that works wonders when your kid is small and learning the ropes. Dual control works by allowing you to control the car via remote control while your child is using the electric car. 

Flashing Lights and Music

Some cars offer blinking lights and the option to link and play your music. How cool is that? Your child rolling around while playing their favourite music!

While some cars also come with audible horns and features within the car (e.g. indicators) working like they would in a normal car. 

Legroom

Legroom is an important one too. You want something that will scale up well as your child grows by being comfortable enough for when they are young (ages 3 to 4) while having enough leg room for when they are older (ages 6 to 8). For this reason, we recommend looking for an electric ride on car that has a good amount of legroom.

Durability

Obviously, durability is important too. You don’t want to get a $100-200 electric car for it to get ruined after its first use.

Most electric cars have decent quality of materials that are made to last and able to withstand poor weather conditions and some heavy bumps. Although we wouldn't recommend leaving it out in the rain if you can avoid it!

When we say durability is an important feature to look for, we recommend looking for what kind of wheels the car uses. You want something that uses rubber based tyres instead of plastic as these will last better than plastic based tyres.

Easy Assembly

Don't worry, we've been there when you buy something for your kids then get home and then have to spend a few hours assembling it! It goes without saying that it's worth considering an electric ride on car that is easy to assemble. 

Do Electric Ride on Cars Require Much Assembly?

Ultimately it depends on what car you buy. From our experience, some of the bigger cars, SUVs and the farmer equipment vehicles require more assembly than a basic car or a motorcycle as they offer different features.  

When assembling an electric car, you'll generally need to:

• Attach the wheels to the car
• Insert and attach the steering wheel to the car
• Attach the rear and front bumper
• Remove any protective plastic covers for when the car was shipped
• Connecting side mirrors that come with the car
• Adding any decals that come with the car

What is the Weight Limit of an Electric Car for Your Child? 

Ultimately the weight limit of an electric car will depend on what electric car you buy. But speaking more broadly, we generally saw weight limits of electric cars split across the following ranges:

• Single seat cars having a capacity of 60 lbs or 27 kg.
• Dual seat cars having a capacity of 130 lbs or 58 kg.

It’s safe to say that most adults won’t fit in even the largest of ATVs or dune buggies made for kids, unless you’re a professional cyclist and weigh next to nothing! Don’t get into your kid’s electric cars. Let it be theirs.