Rent the batteries or buy them? The sums over 3 years
Battery-swap scooters at MinFast are sold two ways: with batteries, or without them and a monthly battery rental. This article uses Evo as the example, with the shop's prices.
Two ways to pay
- With batteries: 21,600,000 VND, paid once. The batteries are yours.
- Battery rental: 15,800,000 VND for the scooter, plus about 350,000 VND a month for two batteries.
The totals over 36 months
| After | With batteries | Rental |
|---|---|---|
| At purchase | 21,600,000 VND | 15,800,000 VND |
| 12 months | 21,600,000 VND | 20,000,000 VND |
| 17 months | 21,600,000 VND | 21,750,000 VND |
| 36 months | 21,600,000 VND | 28,400,000 VND |
Around month 17 the rental total catches up with the price of owning the batteries. After 3 years, renting costs about 6,800,000 VND more.
Why some people still rent
- 5,800,000 VND less up front, which matters to someone who needs a scooter now for delivery work.
- A worn or faulty battery is replaced rather than bought again.
- For anyone planning to change scooters within 1–2 years, renting works out cheaper.
Why others buy
- They keep a scooter for 2 years or more.
- They would rather not have another monthly payment.
The shop asks how long you plan to keep the scooter before suggesting either.
The exact rental fee follows the battery provider's plan when you buy.
