Summary

The price difference between these three scooters is the first thing that stands out.

Examples include the Sport at 599 euros, the Pro at 699 euros, and the Max at 899 euros. However, keep in mind that the three scooters offer excellent performance for the money.

In addition, the KQi3 Max has a higher maximum power output than the Pro and the Sport (900W vs. 700W and 600W, respectively).

Despite sharing the same voltage (48V), the KQi3 Sport, Pro, and Max each have different rated powers of 300W, 350W, and 450W, respectively.

Furthermore, the power of their batteries varies. The Sport model’s battery has 365Wh of power, while the Pro and Max models’ batteries have 486Wh and 608Wh of power, respectively.

The three scooters are very different from one another, especially in terms of power and performance. They differ in some ways, but they are also alike in some ways.

Each of the four modes are as follows:

low-key individualized athletic performance and electronic cost-cutting.
Various factors, including operating range, battery life, and maximum speed, differentiate them. However, compared to other escooters in their price range, they offer above-average performance.

Speed and Acceleration

You can tell these three scooters are superior to others in their class because of their silky acceleration. The scooters have a remarkable acceleration range, reaching 15 mph from a standstill in just 5.2 seconds thanks to the scooter’s smooth throttle.

Compared to its forerunner, the escooter’s acceleration is 46% faster, and compared to the Ninebot Max, it’s 20% faster. The scooter’s acceleration is also comparable to that of similar vehicles. Plus, it travels at a faster clip than the Fluid Mosquito e-scooter. They both have tremendous acceleration, but their top speeds are quite different.

As an example, the NIU’s website states that the Sport has a top speed of 17.4 mph while the Pro and Max models can reach speeds of 19.9 and 20+ mph respectively.

The e-scooter performs about as well as other scooters in its class, but its top speed is a bit lower than advertised.

Remember that the scooters have three different gear modes (pedestrian, eco-save, sport, and custom) that control the maximum speed. In the final setting, users can adjust the maximum speed of their scooters using an app developed by the NIU.

Hill Climbing

The practicality of buying an electric scooter with decent hill-climbing capabilities cannot overstated. The KQi3 also provides superior performance in this area.

The 16-mph top speed the scooter was able to maintain up the hill. The scooter passed our tests on a 10% grade, 60m hill climb and we were able to keep it going at six miles per hour, so it should be fine for people who live in relatively flat areas.

Battery and Range

All three KQi3 scooters are reliable options for short trips around town or the city, such as to and from school or the supermarket. Scooters have a respectable mileage for the price and can relied upon to get you where you need to go.

The Sport’s maximum range is 24.9 miles, thanks to its 365 Wh battery.

The KQi3 Pro’s battery has a range of 31 miles and has a capacity of 486Wh, while the Max’s battery has a capacity of 608Wh and can go 40.4 miles.

Commuters looking for dependable scooters that can used every day will find the three KQi3 models to be an excellent choice. The people who want to go on lengthy journeys and explore new places may not benefit as much from them.

Brakes

If you’re looking for an electric scooter with twin mechanical disc brakes for less than $1,000, your search may end with the KQi3.

Starting at 14 miles per hour, Ninebot Max could slow to a stop in only 3.3 meters. The 3.2-meter distance achieved by Anyhill UM2 is a new world record. The KQi3, however, slashed it to 3.0 meters and kept it there.

As was previously noted, the three different KQi3 scooter versions set a new record thanks to their regenerative braking and twin disc brakes (front for the Sport).

Regenerative braking is a characteristic of e-scooters that enables the scooter to recycle the kinetic energy lost while braking into electrical energy that is then stored in the scooter’s batteries.

Frame and Deck

NIU’s scooters are built to last using aerospace-grade aluminum. There is a lot of strength in its yield and the alloy is quite resistant to fatigue. Therefore, you may ride your scooter often without worrying about the frame giving out.

The scooters are eye-catching due to the winged deck design. Commuters who prefer to put their feet up in the back or front may find it uncomfortable due to the sharp angle.

The scooter’s deck is a generous 51 by 17 centimeters, giving you plenty of room to spread your feet out.

Portability

The KQi3 scooters are very light and compact. The point when you could carry them up a flight of steps with ease.

The scooters feature a strong, reliable stem clasp and a simple, rapid folding mechanism. In addition, the stem latch features a secondary safety clip that can released so that the handlebars may folded down onto the deck.

The deck lock of this scooter is superior to that of the Ninebot Max since it clicks into place so quickly.
You have to push the button extension to release the handlebars and fold them out. The scooter is easy to use, durable, and compact enough to fit in most car trunks.

Wheels and Tires

Scooter tyres are 9.5 by 2.5 inches in size, making them ideal for pavement in urban areas.

The tyres’ grip and handling are excellent. Comfort on grassy paths, light gravel, and broken pavement is acceptable due to the pneumatic design. They aren’t the ideal choice for rough, uneven terrain.

Off-road enthusiasts will find it problematic as the tyres often puncture and rupture.

The KQi3 Max, on the other hand, features polymeric pneumatic tyres that can repair themselves after punctured. Instead of using suspension, NIU went for pneumatic tyres.

Handlebar

We applaud NIU for including a display in its KQi3 series, despite the sky-high expectations of modern consumers.

The interface is straightforward. It has a poor resolution and the text is shown in pixelated graphic style. The design, however, allows motorcyclists to more easily see the information even when the sky is brightly lit.

The display just has a single button, yet it serves several purposes. To give you an example, you can switch on your scooter with a single click and toggle between different speed settings with a series of short clicks (when the scooter is on).

The scooter’s headlights can turned on and off with two quick clicks, the distance can shown in miles or kilometers with three clicks, and the scooter’s mode may changed to pedestrian/walk mode with five clicks.

Lights

The high-mounted, spherical headlights of this scooter do double duty as both daytime running lights and nighttime lighting.

A constant beam of light emanates from the front of the bike, making the rider and their vehicle more visible to other road users. The headlight can adjusted to a wide range of settings and shines brightly up to 18 meters away.

Niu App

Even though there’s not much to do in terms of initial hardware configuration, you will need to register your device in the Niu app and complete some basic training. If you don’t do that, the scooter will stuck in a slower training mode and you won’t able to take your first ride.

There is a minimum distance of 500 meters that must be ridden before you may access the higher speeds.

The need to register your car is annoying, but I can see why they want to have consumers complete some kind of training course beforehand. The future of eScooters is murky at best right now. They are still theoretically prohibit to ride in public where I now reside in the UK. Niu’s initiative to make all owners partially accountable is a wise one in light of rising safety concerns.

But there are some great extras available only via the app, such knowing how long it would take to fully charge and being able to secure your KQi3. While locking the scooter for a lengthy period of time can drain the battery somewhat, it is a convenient feature to have on hand for quick stops.

The scooter can’t be pulled away easily if it’s secured. The scooter’s screen will flash and make an obnoxious beeping noise if you try to turn it on, speed it up, or even just push it. It’s not an ear-splitting siren, but it’s loud enough to let everybody in the area know that something’s amiss. A missing opportunity would be for it to notify you through the app.

In addition to seeing your trip data, there is a cool setting that lets you adjust the amount of regenerative braking you experience (more on that below).

It’s important to mention that I’ve been working with a TestFlight version of the programmed, which means it’s still under development and has some bugs. For example, the app mapping system routes I started were not record by the vehicle’s internal computer.

The fact that you can’t simply stand on the scooter, hit the go button, and go isn’t something you can change at the moment. This is probably meant to protect us, but I don’t find it really useful. Remember that this is not the final product and that things may change before the release.

Is NIU KQi3 Sport Waterproof?

The scooter’s design earns it an IP54 designation, which means that it is impervious to water sprayed from any direction.

Due to its construction, moving components are safe from dust and other small debris. To be safe, you should avoid using the scooter in the rain unless there’s no other option.

Should You Buy the Niu KQi3 Sport?

To evaluate the Niu KQi3 Sport was the most entertaining experience I’ve had reviewing a product in a long time. I’m not usually the sort to ride an eScooter just for the joy of it; rather, it serves as a practical means of transportation. On the other hand, I’ve been hankering after hopping on the KQi3 and taking it for a spin lately since.

It’s not ridiculously quick, and the absence of suspension makes it difficult to ride over rough terrain. In cities, though, the ride is smooth, secure, and pleasant; it was obviously made with adults in mind. There has been a maturation of eScooters.

However, if you are of a bigger build or happen to live in a very mountainous area like I do, I suggest going with the Pro version rather than the Sport one. I found that even mild inclines required a good amount of effort to overcome while driving a Sport model.

Truth told, I am exceedingly slothful and slightly overweight, so maybe it’s for the best that I have to put in more effort than usual. But if you’re not bent on having the sporty little red number, the Pro model may be a better option.

Review Conclusions

Despite its name, NIU is not an established manufacturer of electric kick scooters. But they’re pros at making sturdy two-wheeled vehicles with seats.

For most urban commuters, their e-scooters provide above-average performance, a sufficient range, and dependability. The riding experience is average, the guarantee is excellent, and the scooters are quite secure.

NIU’s KQi3 kick scooter is a triumph of engineering. It was design with both experience and inexperience commuters in mind.

If you’re looking for a dependable scooter for short journeys around town, this is the one for you.