Netonnet consumer files complaint after selling illegal electric scooter

A consumer from Stenungsund, Thomas Carlander, has filed a complaint with the National Board for Consumer Disputes (ARN) against the electronics retailer Netonnet. The dispute arises after Carlander purchased an electric scooter from a Netonnet store in Gothenburg, only to discover months later that the model is illegal for use in public traffic.

To be legally classified as a bicycle for use on public roads and cycle paths in Sweden, an electric scooter must have a maximum speed of 20 kilometers per hour and a motor with a maximum power of 250 watts. The model purchased by Carlander reaches speeds of 25 kilometers per hour and possesses a 400-watt motor, meaning it can only be used on enclosed private property.

Carlander stated that he made the purchase as an impulse buy and that staff provided no information regarding the legal limitations of the device. After Netonnet refused his requests to cancel the purchase or exchange the item, he sought recourse through ARN to ensure his children do not inadvertently break the law.