Moose Reviews: Xiaomi 1S Electric Scooter
The Xiaomi M365 was one of the best selling electric scooters of all time. Fast forward, Xiaomi has decided to give its worldwide best selling e-scooter a much-needed upgrade - and the result is the Xiaomi 1S.
When the electronics company announced the Xiaomi 1S, many were curious as to what changes the new version would bring. With a few much-needed tweaks to the M365 design, the Xiaomi 1S up to speed with today’s competition.
Need to Know
Even though the Xiaomi M365 e-scooter is still available to buy, we recommend the new Xiaomi 1S as they are so close in price point. Both scooters weigh 12.5kg, have the same top speed (15.5 mph), range (18.5 miles), maximum rider weight (100kg) and they also share the same 8.5" pneumatic tyres.
The biggest upgrade on the Xiaomi 1S is its LED display and three different riding modes. The M365 has only two riding modes and four battery indicator lights, making it the only e-scooter without a display. The 1S also seems to have ironed out any kinks with the patchy Bluetooth connectivity that happened with the M365.
We must state, it is against the law to ride a privately owned e-scooter on both roads and pavements in the UK. You may ride them only on private property with the landowner's permission. The usage of rental e-scooters has recently been legalised in some British cities with the aim of reducing traffic congestion on shorter journeys.
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Price and Competition
A few years ago, it was easy to call the Xiaomi M365 "best low-cost e-scooter" because there was little competition; however, the following year Pure Electric launched their own low-cost e-scooter, the Pure Air Gen 1.
While both e-scooters have unique features, the Pure Air can be ridden on wet roads and in rain and holds a maximum rider weight of 120 kg, whilst the Xiaomi 1S is only able to hold 100kg. The Xiaomi 1S is only IP54-rated, which means that if you ride it in the rain or puddles, your warranty will be voided.
Weighing in at only 12.5kg, Xiaomi's offering is significantly lighter than the Pure Air's 16.5kg frame. Not to mention, it comes with built-in Bluetooth features like Motor Lock and Cruise Control - both of which the Pure Air model lacks. Even though Bluetooth is available on the Pure Air Gen 2, it still won't come with Cruise Control; a feature that lets you go hands-free after 10 seconds of riding at a constant speed.
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The Xiaomi 1S has a handlebar with rubber grips, which many people find more comfortable than the squishy foam grips on the Pure Air. However, the Pure Air's tyres are 10" around and made of pneumatic rubber, so it is smoother to ride across different surfaces than the Xiaomi 1S (which has 8.5" wheels).
Design and Setup
The Xiaomi 1S has a 42V rechargeable lithium-ion battery that takes about 5.5 hours to fully charge from empty. The scooter’s charging port is concealed under a red rubber flap beneath the front wheel. Simply connect the battery charger provided into this port. Once completely charged, the light will turns green.
To fold the Xiaomi for easy transportation, slide the release securing the latch on the stem, pull down the latch until the stem begins to fold, then attach the lever on the bell on to the rear mudguard to secure. It's simple enough to do without even looking at the manual and you can fold or unfold your e-scooter in under 5 seconds once you get the hang of it.
The Xiaomi 1S has a mechanical brake and bell within easy reach of the left handle grip. It also has front and backlights, and orange reflectors on both sides (left and right) of the tyres. One tiny but noteworthy new feature unique to this model is that the rear fender is attached to the scooter’s base. This stops the fender from vibrating when you’re riding on uneven surfaces but, more importantly, it prevents riders from stepping on the rear fender to use it as a brake.
Features and Mobile App
The display is turned on by pressing the power button once. In the bottom corner, there will be five bars that signify your speedometer, riding mode and battery percentage. The 2W LED headlight can be toggled on or off by pressing the power button again, and between three different riding modes with a double press of the same button.
Pedestrian mode is indicated by a walking man icon and it tops out at 3mph; ideal for when you’re walking with your e-scooter because the throttle doesn’t activate in this mode. Drive mode is denoted by a blue “d” icon and has a top speed of 12.5mph. The fastest mode is Sport mode, denoted by a blue “s” icon, with a maximum speed of 15.5mph.
Before taking your Xiaomi 1S for its first ride, you should update its firmware. To do this, simply install the free Xiaomi Home app (available for both Android and iOS), turn on your phone’s Bluetooth, create a Xiaomi account or login to your existing one, and follow the onscreen instructions. As soon as you pair the app with your e-scooter the app will automatically update the scooters firmware.
Once in the app, the main screen displays your riding mode, speed, battery level as a percentage, your average speed and current trip mileage. It also gives you the option to lock the motor on your Xiaomi 1S, which is great if you're leaving it unattended for a few minutes.
You can access the e-scooter's settings whilst in the app. This section lets you activate cruise control, choose whether you want to keep your taillight on all the time, update your firmware and even change the scooter's units of measurement (both on LED display and within app) from kph to mph.
Comfort and performance
It's essential to set your riding mode and adjust the headlight depending on the weather conditions and your journey. A fantastic advantage of Xiaomi e-scooters is that you don't need to connect the app to your scooter unless you want to lock it. Once turned on within the app, cruise control will work automatically.
To ride, you first need to kick-off from the ground to set the e-scooter in motion. Then, gently press the accelerator throttle to control your speed. There isn't a big difference between the maximum speed in Drive mode and the Sports mode, which drains the battery quicker. The slightly lower top speed also gives you more control of the e-scooter.
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The pneumatic tyres provide excellent traction on any road surface; if the terrain gets tough, you'll feel some jolting. The 1s' combination of front and rear disc brakes do a great job of smoothly and quickly bringing you to a halt.
Even braking at full speed the scooter brings you to a controlled stop in under two seconds. As an added bonus, the regenerative front brake harnesses the braking forces to top up the battery, too.
Summary
The Xiaomi 1S is a joy to ride, and it keeps all the excellent features of the M365 while adding some crucial upgrades mainly to the LED display. The Xiaomi 1S is more expensive e-scooter, compared to others on the market, however it's lightweight, easy to use and foldable for your commuting journey.
The new e-scooter retains most of the features of the popular M365 had including its perfect balance of weight, range, and ease of use.
Please Note: No Xiaomi Electric scooters are waterproof from the factory, meaning that they are not suitable for riding in the rain!