Category: e-Scooter

Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 – Mercedes-AMG F1 Team Edition

The just released Xiaomi Scooter Pro 2 (international name: Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2) will also be released in a special edition. In cooperation with Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 racing team Xiaomi will release the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team edition.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team’s President of Brand Partnerships for APAC, Chris Church said

“We are extremely excited to bring the Mercedes F1 experience closer to our fans. Like us, Xiaomi is committed to continuous innovation and we are delighted to work alongside them to bring to the market this new edition of their flagship Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2.”

I don’t know yet if it is just a design edition or if there will be any changes with the specs for the Mercedes-AMG edition. Xiaomi’s new e-scooter model Pro 2 just saw minor updates compared to predecessor Pro 1. The display is a bit different with an adaption of driving modes, the scooter will receive stronger LED lights and reflectors to comply with international markets as well as new fenders. But there are no major changes with the technical specs. Here you can read my detailed comparison: Xiaomi Scooter Pro 2 vs Xiaomi Scooter Pro.
I still do hope they have something in place to make the F1 edition stand out a bit. The new tires used on Ninebot ES models, 9″ tubeless filled with PV foam, would be the top one item on my wishlist.

Xiaomi offers a scooter lineup with 3 models:

• Xiaomi Scooter Lite (Essential) – entry level model
• Xiaomi Scooter 1S – base model
• Xiaomi Scooter Pro 2 – upgraded model with more power

Xiaomi Scooter 1S is the direct Xiaomi M365 successor with a few new features like display and better brakes. Here you can find my Xiaomi Scooter 1S vs Xiaomi Scooter M365 comparison. (including video)

Xiaomi Scooter Pro 2 is a facelift of the Pro model with some adoptions to meet requirements for the German market and to share components. Here you can find my Xiaomi Scooter Pro 2 vs Xiaomi Scooter Pro comparison.

Xiaomi Scooter Lite, also labelled Mi Electric Scooter Essential, is the successor of the less known Xiaomi Scooter M187 (Youth Edition).

Xiaomi Scooter Lite (Essential)

Xiaomi Scooter Lite – Specs

Battery, Range, Size and Display

Basically the Lite edition is a version of Xiaomi Scooter 1S / M365 with a lower capacity battery. Instead of the 280 Wh battery used in 1S and M365 it is using a 183 Wh battery. The Xiaomi Youth Edition M187 also offered a lower capacity battery with 187 Wh. On the one side Xiaomi Lite is also the lightest scooter in the Xiaomi lineup with 12kg. On the other side the range is limited and a max. of 20km is stated. Besides that the frame size of Xiaomi Scooter Lite is the same as Xiaomi 1S, M365 and M187. Only Pro and Pro 2 are a bit larger. Great news is that the new Lite edition will also feature the display known from the Pro version, showing speed, battery status and driving mode. As all Xiaomi Scooters it will offer Bluetooth to connect with Mi Home App (available for iOS and Android).

Motor, Speed, Brakes and Tires

The brushless motor is the same, compared to 1S and M365, offering 250W constant power and 500W peak. While having the same motor Xiaomi Scooter Lite will only offer a max. speed of 20 km/h while all other models offer a max. speed of 25 km/h. Also the climbing angle will be lower, stated to be 10%. The same KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) is used like on the other scooters, being the electric brake on the front wheel. A mechanic disk brake is used on the back wheel. Xiaomi Scooter 1S was upgraded compared to M365 using the same disk brake as the Pro version which is a bit larger and thicker, since the M365 version tended to bend. I guess the “Pro brake” will be used as well so Xiaomi is using the same component on all new 2020 scooter models. Tires are also the same on all Xiaomi 2020 models: 8,5″ air tube tires. I was hoping the new 2020 lineup will get tubeless air tires.

Xiaomi Scooter Comparison

Here’s a comparison of all Xiaomi Scooter models:

Conclusion

Xiaomi Scooter Lite is an affordable entry level model, if you want to keep an eye on the budget. Xiaomi Scooters can be found on Amazon and Aliexpress:

I really like the design of Xiaomi M365 scooter – no wonder they were awarded with a “Red Dot Design Award”. But when I first saw the Unagi I was blown away by the slick design, to me the best looking e-scooter so far! Well, the design is nice to look at, but how does it perform? There are two versions available Unagi E250 single motor and Unagi E500 dual motor. (Note: Unagi E500 was known as E450 before but it got a motor upgrade). Similar to Boosted Rev the Unagi E500 is powered on each front and back-wheel, but Unagi is a lot cheaper. So lets take a closer look at the specs:

Unagi Scooter vs Xiaomi Scooter Pro vs Ninebot MAX

[pricing_table separate_columns=”no”]

[pricing_column title=”Unagi E250” subtitle=”” featured=”no”]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]max. speed: 25 km/h[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]range: 25 km[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]weight: 10,4 kg[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]carrying capacity: 125 kg[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]battery: 281 Wh[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]charging time: 5 h
external charger[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]motor power: 250W (500W peak)
(front wheel drive)[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]tires: 7,5″
honeycomb tires[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]suspension: no[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]brake front: electrical
brake rear: – [/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]display: yes[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]max. gradient: 6%[/pricing_row]
[pricing_footer]840 USD
[/pricing_footer]
[/pricing_column]

[pricing_column title=”Unagi E500” subtitle=”” featured=”no”]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]max. speed: 25 km/h[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]range: 25 km[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]weight: 12,0 kg[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]carrying capacity: 125 kg[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]battery: 281 Wh[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]charging time: 5 h
external charger[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]motor power: 500W (1000W peak)
(dual wheel drive)[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]tires: 7,5″
honeycomb tires[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]suspension: no[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]brake front: electrical
brake rear: electrical[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]display: yes[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]max. gradient: 15%[/pricing_row]
[pricing_footer]990 USD
[/pricing_footer]
[/pricing_column]

[pricing_column title=”Xiaomi Pro” subtitle=”” featured=”no”]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]max. speed: 25 km/h[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]range*: 45 km[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]weight: 14,2 kg[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]carrying capacity: 100 kg[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]battery: 474 Wh[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]charging time: 8,5 h
external charger[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]motor power: 300W (600W peak)
(front wheel drive)[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]tires: 8,5″
air tube tires[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]suspension: no[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]brake front: electrical
brake rear: mechanical (disc)[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]display: yes[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]max. gradient: 20%[/pricing_row]
[pricing_footer]489 USD
[/pricing_footer]
[/pricing_column]

[pricing_column title=”Ninebot MAX” subtitle=”” featured=”no”]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]max. speed: 30 km/h[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]range*: 64 km[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]weight: 18,7 kg[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]carrying capacity: 100 kg[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]battery: 551 Wh[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]charging time: 6 h
built in charging port[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]motor power: 350 W (700W peak)
(rear wheel drive)[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]tires: 10″
tubeless air tires[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]suspension: no[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]brake front: mechanical (drum)
brake rear: electrical[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]display: yes[/pricing_row]
[pricing_row strikethrough=”false” bold=”false” italics=”false”]max. gradient: 15%[/pricing_row]
[pricing_footer]699 USD
[/pricing_footer]
[/pricing_column]

[/pricing_table]

* manufacturer’s data
Xiaomi Pro data is calculated as follows: 15km/h speed, 75kg driver, flat road, 25°C temperature.
Ninebot MAX data is calculated as follows: 15 km/h speed, 75kg driver, average pavement, 25°C temperature.

Body & Design

Frame

As already mentioned, the design of Unagi Scooters is stunning and the materials used are superb. The tube is made of carbon fibre to strike an unprecedented balance of lightweight and heavy-duty strength. No wonder that Unagi E500 is more than 3kg lighter than Xiaomi Scooter Pro. The deck is a single piece of machined aluminum with embedded silicon on the top surface for traction. Similar to Xiaomi Pro and Ninebot MAX the footstep holds the battery. I prefer this construction over the battery placement within the tube (e.g. Ninebot ES2) as a lower center of gravity can be achieved which benefits driving experience. All of them are designed to carry a rider with a max. of 100kg. Likewise they all have a foldout stand integrated to conveniently park the scooter. But again with Unagi you can experience the extra effort they put in designing the scooter – their “ruthless obsession with detail” as they call it. Unagi seamlessly integrated the stand and as a result the stand is sturdy and simple; practically invisible when riding. What’s more Unagi is the only e-scooter among them with color options: both Unagi models are available in Cosmic Blue, Gotham Grey, Sea Salt White and Matte Black. Three separate coats are applied, including a laminate and a high-abrasion resistant paint to handle the wear and tear of the road. As the scooter is made of aluminum and carbon fibre it also never rusts.

Motor, Motors actually

When ordering Unagi Model One you have two options: Unagi E250 contains a 250 watt motor, embedded in the front wheel. Unagi E500 has 250 watt motor in each wheel, supplying 500 watts in total and over 32 newton meters of torque. Max. speed is 25 km/h and it easily tackles hills with 15-degree inclines. That’s about the same as you can get on a Ninebot MAX or Xiaomi Pro. Xiaomi Pro even states 20% gradient, but according to my tests that’s overstated.

Battery & Range

The announced range for Unagi E500 is 25km. That’s not much compared to Ninebot MAX or Xiaomi Pro (45km). But they stated that this range can be achieved with a 75kg rider, driving 15 km/h on a flat road. So when I go with my Xiaomi Pro with full speed I achieve about 30km. Currently I don’t know how Unagi is calculating range (hopefully with full speed) but I will test that soon. There’s another item that has to be considered in relation to range – the battery and weight. Unagi is by far the lightest scooter among them (2kg lighter than Xiaomi Pro; almost 7kg lighter than Ninebot MAX). Consider that if you use your scooter in combination with public transport!
Unagi is relying on high quality batteries from Sony and Unagi promises “they will last for many years with continuous daily use”. The battery can be easily replaced.

LEDs & Display

The Display of Unagi E500 Scooter shows current mode, actual speed and battery status, same as all the other scooters. But it also shows mileage, I was missing that on Xiaomi and Ninebot. Unagi Scooters feature a 47 lumen LED front light and a rear blinking red LED.

Tires

E-Scooters rely on different solutions when it comes to tires and suspension. Ninebot ES series features solid rubber tires with suspension (ES1 just on front, ES2 on both wheels). I thought that gives good shock absorption but after testing I prefer the 8,5″ tube air tires of my Xiaomi Pro. Even considering the fact that Xiaomi doesn’t offer any other form of suspension. For their latest model MAX, Ninebot switched to 10″ tubeless air tires. While air tires offer great shock absorption they of course have a huge disadvantage: they can puncture or deflate, leaving you with a flat tire. (That happened on my Xiaomi as well). Unagi tackles both issues with 7.5″ honey-comb tires. On one hand they are solid rubber and puncture proof, on the other hand the air pockets of the honeycomb design provide shock absorption on front and rear wheel. I’m very much looking forward to test the result.

Brakes

Unagi E500 uses an electronic brake that is controlled via a lever on the handle. I prefer this method since the main brake is a regenerative braking system as the generated energy during braking flows right back into the battery. Since Unagi E500 has dual motors, both wheels make use of the electric brake. Both Unagi’s accelerator and brake levers are built with variable controls, so pushing down further increases their action. Unagi states that almost every other scooter tested is binary in their action – either all on or all off. Also other scooters use a mechanical brake as their main brake: Xiaomi Pro uses a disc brake while Ninebot MAX uses a drum brake. They only use the electric brake as secondary brake, which can’t be influenced during the ride and only be preset. Ninebot ES series scooters was equipped with electric brake and lever, I don’t know why Ninebot moved away from that system.

Unagi Scooter – in a nutshell

This is just my impression after going through the specs of Unagi Scooter (E500 Dual Motor). This article will be updated as soon as I had the chance to ride Unagi Scooter:

Unagi Scooter E500 (dual motor version)

awesome design
very light (carbon & aluminum frame)
dual motor – better acceleration
dual motor – better electric brakes
Range

Retailer & Price

You can get Ungai E500 and Unagi E250 scooter via their webshop. Shipping is free in US and EU!

• Unagi E250 Scooter: 840 USD
• Unagi E500 Scooter: 990 USD

When purchasing you have a 30 days “no questions asked” no-risk return policy. That means you have a 30 day period to return the scooter for any reason, even if it has been ridden.

US company Boosted, producer of the famous boostedboards, will be releasing their first e-scooter Boosted Rev soon. According to the specs it seems to be the most powerful e-scooter out there. Not only the specs are stunning, also the price – 1799 USD! So how does it compare to the other top-of-the-line scooters like Ninebot Max and Xiaomi Scooter Pro? And does Boosted Rev makes sense, since in most countries it won’t be allowed on the street? Let’s take a closer look:

Boosted Rev vs Ninebot Max vs Xiaomi Scooter Pro

Body & Design

Frame

Boosted states “We build vehicles, not toys”. Boosted Rev looks indeed very tough and sturdy built. And they guaranteed that Boosted Rev is built for thousands and thousands of miles of daily riding as they offer a 12 month warranty for any manufacturing defects. The scooter is designed to withstand harsh road conditions and is IPX7 rated on key drivetrain components with its batteries enclosed in IP57 waterproof casing. Weight limit is 250 lbs / 113 kg, a little more than Ninebot MAX and Xiaomi Scooter Pro. Similar to its competitors Boosted Rev folds for carrying, but with a weight of 46 lb /20.9 kg it is way heavier (Ninebot MAX: 18.7 kg; Xiaomi Pro: 14,2 kg).

In my comparison Ninebot ES2 vs Xiaomi M365 I experienced a way better driving experience with M365 as it has its battery integrated in the footstep. (Ninebot ES2 has it mounted within the steering tube). That’s due to the lower center of gravity. Now all 3 scooters, Boosted Rev, Ninebot MAX & Xiaomi Scooter Pro, have their batteries built in the footstep. But with Boosted Rev’s frame design they even achieved a bit lower standing height compared to the others.

Also worth to mention, Boosted designed the frame with security in mind. To lock your scooter, simply place your lock around a standard bike rack and the metal frame for a secure hold.

Motor & Speed

Xiaomi Scooter Pro offers a 300W motor within its front wheel that offers a max. speed of 25 km/h. Ninebot MAX holds a 350W motor within the back wheel. According to Ninebot rear wheel drive offers you a better solution to acceleration, stability, and brake. MAX can go up to 30 km/h but will be limited to 25 km/h in some areas (countries) to meet legal requirements. Boosted Rev holds a 750W motor in each wheel which will get you to stunning 39 km/h with its dual wheel drive. Even climbing angles of 25% shouldn’t be a problem for Boosted Rev.

Battery & Range

It seems that most of the battery will be needed to boost the 2 motors as the max. range is 35km / 23mi. Xiaomi Scooter Pro performs better with a max. range of 45km / 28mi. The range of Ninebot MAX is massive: 64km / 40miles. That’s half as much again compared to the others. Ninebot MAX also has the power port built in and features 6h fast charging compared to 8,5 h for a full charge on Xiaomi Scooter Pro. Well 6h “fast charging” for MAX is super long as Boosted Rev states a charging time of just 3 hours. I really wonder how they achieve that.

Display & Controls

All three e-scooter offer headlights, rear lights and a LCD Display to check current speed and parameters. Similar on oll of them are the 3 driving modes that limit top speed. Xiaomi Scooter Pro offers 3 driving modes indicated on the display: ECO for energy saving mode (15km/h), D for standard mode (20 km/h) and S for sports mode (25 km/h). Ninebot Max offers the same modes, even with the same names. There is a 4th mode, a power assist when pushing MAX by hand. Since Boosted Rev offers a higher top speed the 3 modes are: 20 km/h, 29 km/h and 39 km/h.
While Xiaomi Scooter Pro and Ninebot MAX use a push throttle that activates the electric brakes on release Boost Rev uses a roll throttle that also controls the brakes.

Brakes & Tires

Xiaomi Scooter Pro and Ninebot MAX offer two independent brake systems. While Xiaomi Scooter Pro offers a mechanical disk brake on the back wheel, Ninebot MAX offers a mechanical drum brake on the front wheel. Booth feature a regenerative electric eABS brake on each other wheel. But you can only set the strength in advance via App which takes effect when you release the throttle. As mentioned the throttle on Boosted Rev is also used as brake lever. All you need to do is roll your thumb to the plus sign to speed up, and back to the minus sign to slow down. This way most of the braking energy can be stored again. Further Boosted Rev offers two other brake systems, three independent brakes in total. Besides the electric one there are two mechanical brakes: a mechanical disc brake on the back wheel and rear fender brake.

Xiaomi Scooter Pro use air tube tires, their benefit: great shock absorption resulting in a more comfortable ride. Of course on the downside there is a high risk of puncture and flat tires and the tubes are super hard to change. Ninebot MAX and Boosted Rev features tubeless air tires. The shock absorbing tires will offer a smooth ride while reducing the risk of getting a flat tire because of a damaged tube. There is a slight difference while Ninebot MAX is using 10″ tires, Boosted Rev is using 9″ tires.

Video

Here’s a first clip from Ben Fox testing Boosted Rev:

Price & Availability

Boosted Rev

Available on their website:

 Ninebot MAX

• Ninebot MAX is available on Amazon:
  • in Germany the version G30D is sold

Xiaomi M365 PRO