Xiaomi Electric Scooter 4 Ultra review: the king of e-scooters?

Xiaomi is like Mary Poppins’ bag: what the company has conjured onto the market in recent years is madness. Besides smartphones and tablets, this year there was even its first electric car. On my vacation I got to test the Xiaomi Electric Scooter 4 Ultra, a foldable e-scooter with some features you can’t see at first glance. According to the video description, the video is marked as an ad.

Build quality and equipment

What strikes you right away is how high-quality and solid it is.

• Frame and deck: The matte frame is reinforced with an extra aluminum alloy. The deck is nicely wide and rubberized, and you stand well and securely with both feet on it.
• Handlebar: firmly built, with rubberized grips for good grip and 61 cm wide.
• Turn signals: There is a brightly lit turn signal on both sides of the handlebar, operated with two buttons on the left. They are easy to see from behind. I would have liked two small turn signals on the rear wheel as well.
• Light and bell: The bell is nicely loud, and there is a very bright LED light at the front. On the rear wheel there is a taillight that only lights up when you switch on the light via the on-board display. Unfortunately it doesn’t work as a brake light. I find that a pity, because that would give more safety in traffic even during the day.

Riding: starting off, braking, suspension

The throttle switch is on the right of the handlebar. To start off, you have to briefly push the scooter and give throttle at the same time. It takes a bit of practice until you get the hang of it. My fear that the scooter would dash off when starting was fortunately unfounded: you start off comfortably and smoothly.

• Brakes: The dual braking system bites directly and works reliably even in tight situations. If you let off the throttle, it doesn’t simply coast, instead the motor brakes gently. At a traffic light you don’t have to brake additionally.
• Stability: It is so solid that nothing rattles or clatters while riding, and it supports up to 120 kg.
• Suspension: There is a dual suspension system front and rear. You don’t bump over every little stone like with rental e-scooters in city centers. It is nimble and agile, and you take corners intuitively and smoothly. The wide tires give a good feel on any surface.
• Tires: These are special Xiaomi Dura Gel tires that are supposed to repair themselves if something under 3.5 mm gets in. I haven’t tried that. What surprised me was that on vacation at 42 degrees a tire pressure message appeared on the display, so the pressure is measured. At cooler temperatures it was gone.
• Surface: Whether asphalt or gravel path, everything is cushioned well. Uphill is no problem at all in Sport mode.

Motor, range and riding modes

The brushless motor has 940 watts and the maximum range is 70 km. The top speed is 20 km/h. On the on-board computer in the handlebar you set four riding modes with different acceleration and top speed:

1. Pedestrian mode: walking speed, extremely practical for the city.
2. Standard
3. Sport
4. Sport Plus: accelerates from 0 to 20 km/h in 4 seconds. That’s nothing big in a car, but on a scooter it briefly pulls the wrinkles out of your face.

When I first unpacked it, I didn’t know the modes and went about it quite naively. I pushed the throttle all the way down, but the scooter was in walking speed. The fun of riding is great anyway.

Weight, transport and app

At 24.5 kg, I wouldn’t call it light. You can fold it and fasten the handlebar to the rear wheel, so it can be transported well in a car. I wouldn’t just carry it on my shoulder, though.

The Xiaomi Home app offers additional control, for example showing the remaining range and the kilometers driven. You don’t need it for riding.

Law and price

By law, the scooter is a motor vehicle because it also runs without pedal assistance, unlike an e-bike. For public roads you need an insurance plate. It can be taken out online and costs about €20 a year.

The RRP is €1,000, and it currently costs €799 at Xiaomi. That is an insane amount of money, but e-bikes cost three times that, and with the scooter you comfortably ride just as long distances and can take it along more easily. That puts it in perspective for me. From my point of view, the value for money is right.

Verdict

Riding is endless fun: high-quality workmanship, stable, well sprung, with a powerful motor and reliable brakes. I missed the brake light and a rear-wheel turn signal, and it isn’t light.