Electric scooters have been all the craze over the past couple of years. With city centres becoming busier, and parking becoming more difficult, expensive, or stressful to find, the idea of having your own electric scooter to get around is starting to sound more appealing, isn’t it? Xiaomi’s latest Mi Essential / Lite Electric Scooter makes this option all the more feasible for every budget. The Mi Essential is Xiaomi’s entry-level electric scooter that has all the essentials you’d need at a pretty favourable price tag.
At first glance, it looks just like the Mi Electric Scooter 1S or M365, but there are some differences. While the dimensions are the same, the Mi Electric Scooter Essential is actually the lightest Xiaomi scooter, weighing just 12kg. The light weight design is thanks to a smaller battery size, and it’s use of low-density, high-strength aerospace grade aluminium alloy. The ingenious structural design can easily be folded down in just three seconds to store away, to carry up stairs, or onto public transport. Folded down it stands at just 49cm high making it perfectly compact to keep by your side, or store away while you’re at work.
There are three speed modes available on the Mi Essential Electric Scooter. Pedestrian mode travels at 5km per hour which is ideal for maneuvering busy footpaths alongside other pedestrians; standard mode lets your cruise along at 15km per hour; and sports mode zips up to 20km per hour. While the top speed is 5km less than it’s big sister - Mi Electric Scooter 1S - many will find 20km per hour to be a pretty comfortable max speed to travel at for the most part; especially if you’re using the scooter for inner city traveling.
The other notable difference is the battery size which has 33% less capacity than the Mi 1S at 5100 mAh, giving you a range of about 20km. While it’s easy enough to re-charge wherever you have access to a power outlet, the kinetic energy recovery system will help extend the battery life as you ride! Xiaomi e-scooters come complete with an energy recovery system built into the front wheel. This means when you pull the breaks, the electronic brake actually converts some of the energy back into battery power, providing a longer range.
When rental electric scooters first hit the streets of New Zealand, there was a lot of concern around safety; and to be fair, there were enough ACC claims to make those concerns fairly reasonable. Fortunately, Xiaomi offers a much safer option with scooters that are not only well-balanced and easy to control, but also have a number of great safety features built-in.
The Mi Essential Scooter has an E-ABS anti-lock brake system for the front wheel, and a large disc brake for the rear wheel. Both are activated at the same time, shortening the braking distance, and making driving the scooter, and any abrupt stops much safer.
The 8.5-inch tires are wear-resistant with an anti-skid tread, providing increased durability by up to 3 times. The puncture resistance and robustness have been comprehensively improved and the performance of the explosion-proof tires has also been greatly optimized. Not only does it make for a smooth ride on flat roads, it is also very comfortable to ride on non-paved roads like gravel, dirt roads, and grass.
The Mi Essential Scooter has powerful LED headlights and tail lights, enabling you to see further in the dark, and making the scooter easy to spot by others. There are also reflectors on the front, sides, and on the tail light, further enhancing night visibility to keep you safe while driving at night.
If you don’t intend on traveling more than 20km one way at a time, and don’t particularly have a need for speed, the Mi Essential Electric Scooter has all the essentials you need to zip around. The price tag is reasonable too; especially when you get to feel the wind in your hair every day, and no longer have stress about parking. Check out the range of Mi Scooters, or see the full range of scooters at PB Tech!
