this is the NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter it’s by NIU a company you probably haven’t heard of yet but is one of the most experienced and high volume electric vehicle makers on the planet NIU has over 2 million electric mopeds on the streets that’s more units on the road than tesla very recently they turned their attention to kick scooters and the NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter their newest and least expensive model may quickly become their best seller is this the best scooter you can buy for under $600?
let’s find out having made over 2 million seated electric scooters it’s no wonder why news first kick scooters look and feel like real vehicles and not toys as a global heavyweight in light electric vehicles it’s clear how NIU has been able to produce scooters with quality that’s competitive to top shelf segway ninebots but at a price of a go trax and warranty the beef them both we’ll cover new’s unusual warranty later, don’t forget to use our exclusive affiliate link to support this blog for future posts.
on our range test course the kqi2 surprised us covering 15.7 miles in top performance mode beating every comparable scooter on range and average speed the esg certified top speed of the kqi2 is 16.3 miles per hour in sport mode which is typical for its price class though just short of its claimed 17.4 mile per hour spec. the NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter’s 48 volt system definitely has enough power to go faster so i wouldn’t be surprised if an over-the-air firmware update brings the top speed of our test scooter up to 17.4 miles per hour a top speed above 15 miles per hour helps you avoid getting stuck behind bikes in the bike lane especially going uphill if you want to limit the top speed you can also put it into pedestrian mode e-save mode or custom mode which lets you select any speed below the scooter’s maximum.
The latest version of the app lets you turn on cruise control to activate it just hold the throttle down for eight seconds and the scooter will continue at the same speed then to turn it off hit the throttle again or touch the brakes.
The NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter was an above average hill climber on our super steep 10 hill climb test but really shines when climbing more typical four to six percent hills i was able to maintain 15 miles per hour on the steepest part of our range test course right up until the last two miles acceleration is on par with other scooters in its class getting from zero to 15 miles per hour in 7.6 seconds even in sport mode the throttle feels smooth and gradual so anybody will be able to handle it the app lets you set energy recovery to low medium or high causing the scooter to automatically slow down when you release the throttle the.
NIU KQi2 Pro Breaks
Energy from slowing down then recharges the battery the NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter app doesn’t have a zero start function so you’ll always need to kick it to get it going NIU omitted this feature to prevent NIU riders from getting caught off guard the braking system is truly exceptional and right in the goldilocks zone it’s strong enough to outbreak every scooter in its price class but with no possibility of going over the handlebars.
They’ve done this by using a small 75 millimeter drum brake up front which resists skidding and strong regenerative braking in the rear the single brake lever on the left hand side activates both but does require a firm squeeze to get maximum stopping power the rear brake won’t skid under normal conditions but gives you an extraordinary level of braking control if you feel like kicking it out sideways on purpose.
NIU KQi2 Pro Ride Quality
The kqi2 has the ride quality of a larger more expensive scooter because NIU has used their extensive design experience to give the kqi2 more of everything that makes a scooter feel stable and wobble free, taller, wider handlebars, larger 10 inch diameter tires and a larger rake angle all of which adds up to a lower chance of crashing if you take one hand off.
The handlebars the NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter doesn’t have suspension but the 10 inch diameter pneumatic tires do a great job of soaking up bumps in the road and because the tires are tubeless like motorcycle tires they’re impervious to pinch flats eliminating one of the leading causes of flat tires pro tip set tire pressure at 45 psi rather than the 50 psi maximum you’ll get a noticeable improvement in ride quality and a barely noticeable reduction of maximum range in combination with a rock solid frame and rear wheel drive all of these things make the NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter a wobble-free, rattle-free, corner carving monster that makes you just want to keep riding and riding you can feel NIU’s electric motor scooter routes in their build quality and that’s a very good thing let’s look at five examples the headlight with the always-on halo makes the rider more visible and the fact that it’s adjustable means you can put the light right where you need it the dash is bright and easy to read even in direct sunlight if the dash ever seems dim in daylight turn off the headlight the dash will get brighter and the halo of course stays on.
Water protection is outstanding and makes the ip54 water resistance rating feel conservative so it didn’t worry me at all to do the entire range test in the rain the stem latch is quick and easy to operate and has such a satisfying feel to it you may end up doing a double take when you encounter a component that feels as good as this it really says something about the quality of the overall scooter.
Kit stand is easy to kick down and gives the scooter just the right amount of lean this scooter is available in gray or white and comes with grip tape which is rare to find on small scooters we love the grippy feel and we also like that they give you a colorful spare plus four other styles that you can buy on their website.
we really appreciate news recyclable packaging too we review more scooters than anyone in the world so we’ve got more than our share of difficult to recycle styrofoam.
NIU KQi2 Pro Ride Warranty
Most of the feature set is pretty standard but the NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter still over delivers on build quality for the price and we haven’t even gotten to the unusual warranty yet on less expensive scooters it’s not uncommon for the one year warranty to only cover the battery for six months the NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter warranty is an outlier covering all the most expensive parts including the battery, motor, controller and dash for two years.
This points out why you should always read the warranty for any scooter you’re considering for example gotrax only covers their scooters for 90 days at 40 pounds with non-folding handlebars.
NIU KQi2 Pro Ride Safty
Portability is good but certainly not ultra portable that said it fits in most trunks and i’d have no problem carrying it up three or more flights of stairs it’s clear from the app that NIU is serious about safety when you first get the scooter you’ll need to briefly plug it in or it won’t turn on at all then you’ll have to download their app pair it with a scooter and watch a short safety tutorial once you’ve completed the tutorial.
The scooter limits you to 6 miles per hour for the first 500 meters before you can engage sport mode the NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter’s smooth braking and throttle make it as safe as a scooter can be.
Pros
Excellent range per dollar
Easy to ride
Outstanding ride quality
Build quality
Cons
Doesn’t have zero start
7 hour charging time
Conclusion
While you’re doing your research here are a few scooters in the same price class:
Highboy s2 – https://amzn.to/3Rs1lkq: Highest top speed but worst ride quality due to smaller solid tires.
Apollo Air – https://amzn.to/3PmdPYp: Smoothest ride quality due to front suspension but slow hill climber.
Segway 9 by f30 – https://amzn.to/3PJc6ha : Lighter weight but lower top speed and shorter range.
NIU KQi2 Pro Electric Scooter is one of the very best choices for NIU riders because it’s an easy fun and high quality ride with a price and warranty that seemed too good to be true.
NIU is one of the top companies we’re watching in the coming years so is this the best scooter you can buy right now for under &600 we think it is. don’t forget to use our exclusive affiliate link to support this blog for future posts. if you like what we’re making and want to support us.
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