With people still being urged to stay at home as much as possible and public transit systems everywhere operating on limited routes and gob led screen schedules, having an e-bike or electric scooter might make sense for essential short-distance travel -- it's an easy way to drop needed goods off with vulnerable family and friends as safely and quickly as possible. Or perhaps you want to cover longer distances faster than walking or maybe you have been looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint -- all good reasons to consider a rideable.

I've learned a lot from testing different types of battery-operated rideables, some tested before the coronavirus outbreak, others more recently, on a commute through sections of midtown Manhattan, around Central Park or down the West Side Highway bike path. 

This roundup, which I'll update as I review more products, covers electric scooters and skateboard-like devices. E-bikes get their own list. Why would you want a scooter over a more traditional bike? Electric scooters are nimble and smaller, and are easy to take on mass transit, leave in the trunk of your car or store at home.

Read more: The best e-bikes to ride in 2020