XIAOMI M365 e-scooter review
Looking for an affordable and reliable electric scooter? Xiaomi’s M365 scooter is a great option, and in this review, we’ll take a look at its design, performance, and features. We’ll also compare it to other scooters on the market, so you can see how it stacks up. Read on for our full Xiaomi M365 review.
There are about as many electric scooters lining the streets of UK cities as there are disheveled pigeons, even though technically they are illegal to ride anywhere other than private land.
There’s a good reason for this. These lightweight machines are easier to carry than bikes, more efficient than cars, less skill-demanding than skateboards, and faster than feet. Who wouldn’t be prepared to put up with a few angry lorry horns for that kind of convenience?
A market leader in this burgeoning segment is Xiaomi’s M365, a scooter that strikes the perfect balance between price, features, and portability. In a bid to see why all the fuss is about, we ventured down to the backstreets of South London with our friends at Pure Scooters.
Xiaomi M365 Specifications
Before we go far on the XIAOMI M365 e-scooter review, let us take a look at the specifications in summary.
Xiaomi M365 Specifications
Top speed 15mph
Range 18.5 miles
Weight 12.5kg
Maximum rider weight 100kg
Motor power 250W
Charge time 5.5 hours
Wheels Pneumatic
Battery
We estimated that the Xiaomi M365 Pro electric scooter would travel approximately 30km on a full charge, after testing it for four 7km (4.3 miles) 30-minute commutes. Our scooter was driven at full speed over most of this distance, so we’d assume the scooter could reach the 45-kilometer range Xiaomi indicates it can reach if it were driven in Eco Mode, which lowers the max speed.
A power cable included with the scooter can be used to charge it; it plugs into a port near the front wheels.
It seems as though the battery is actually draining faster than it charges – after roughly half an hour of charging, it was up only 8%. Usually, this isn’t a problem if you plugin every time you are at home, but if you use your scooter a lot, you should let it charge regularly.
Xiaomi M365 Pro boasts a battery capacity of 474Wh, which is significantly higher than the 280Wh of the non-Pro variant. So, we recommend the Pro if you can charge it regularly.
Speed & Range
Xiaomi Mi M365 electric scooter is a great option if you need a scooter for commuting. Although the scooter’s motor is only 250 watts, it can travel up to 15.5 mph and has an 18.6-mile range (which is a little less than the Nanobot ES4). Lithium batteries charge in five hours. The speed of this electric scooter isn’t exceptional, but it’s fairly normal.
Your Control panel displays the battery level. Round lights display the battery level instead of percentages. Having all four power lights on means that your battery level is 100-86%. Three of the lights remain lit as the battery drains, while one flashes. This indicates low power with the bottom power light flashing. When the power goes out, all the lights dim, and the scooter begins to slow down.
Power-saving modes limit the maximum speed of the scooter to 11.2 mph to save on battery power.
Accelerations
Xiaomi Mi M365 has a 250-watt brushless DC motor and a 500-watt peak power output. During our acceleration tests, the scooter reached 24 kph in 6.3 seconds. Both the Turboant X7 Pro and the Hiboy Max V2 are entry-level scooters under $500, and they’re almost three seconds faster than this.
There are lots of user-created content articles and videos to customize your Xiaomi Mi M365, unlike many other scooters that just emerged on the market. By simply modifying the firmware, it is possible to increase the acceleration, top speed, and hill-climbing capabilities.
The battery life may also be shortened with this modification. Although most users report only a 10% reduction in range, it is negligible compared to the significant performance increase.
Portability
Due to the size and bulk of the Xiaomi M365 scooter, it’s not exactly the most portable device out there (unless you are riding it). Furthermore, the scooter lacks many features which makes it even less useful.
The handlebars can be collapsed into the deck of the scooter, and the wheels can be locked using a hook near the bell, which attaches to a hook on the back wheel. Initially, it is a little tricky, but it becomes second nature, and it makes carrying the scooter much easier.
Additionally, the scooter doesn’t come with a lock, so if you want to lock the scooter to a bike parking space, you’re out of luck.
Your smartphone can be used to lock the scooter digitally with the Xiaomi Home app. An alarm is triggered if the scooter is moved. The scooter will not move. However, they are still able to pick it up and take it with them. Assuming they are able to do that in the first place. It makes a perfect scooter for students in college.
Braking System
Its braking system is one of the more notable features of the Xiaomi Mi M365 electric scooter. There is a dual braking system, which makes use of both a disc brake on the back tire and a brake lever on the front tire that engages the regenerative anti-lock braking system.
Battery power is saved through regenerative braking. Breaking activates your tail lights, letting people behind you know you’re breaking.
Cockpit
I am very pleased with the design and cleanliness of the cockpit. It makes excellent use of the 43 cm-wide space. In order to optimize ergonomics and comfort for long-term riding, we like the right handlebar to have a thumb throttle. Both the front regenerative brake and the rear disc brake are controlled by the hand brake on the left handlebar.
The left handlebar of the bike is also home to a bell with a hammer latch that can be used as a locking latch to attach the stem to the fender. The handlebars don’t feel cluttered thanks to this really intelligent, thoughtful design.
Led display
Four LEDs tell you how much battery life is left in the center of the stem. Power, lights, and riding modes are controlled by one button. The scooter will power on once you press once, and the lights will turn on once you press again. The green light indicates eco mode, while the white light indicates the standard model.
The Xiaomi scooter has a limited display, but if you use one of the third-party Bluetooth-enabled apps (available for both Android and iOS platforms), you can see the speed, distance traveled, and other scooter vitals on your phone.
simplicity
The simplistic display actually works really well for this entry-level scooter. We don’t recommend looking down at your display frequently, as anytime your eyes are looking down, they’re not on the road, and the M365 displays the most important vital that you need (battery level).
In either case, you’ll find integrated and information-rich displays on the M365 Pro and Ninebot Max models.
Your phone can not only display your speedometer and odometer in metric or imperial, but you can also disable or enable cruise control, as well as adjust the strength of the regenerative brakes, depending on the app.
Lights
Both the headlights and taillights of the Mi M365 are LEDs. With its high mounting, the front light throws light further and allows for greater visibility. There is a nice recess in the stem, which is the ideal position for your headlight. There is a little rear taillight on the fender that looks small but is appreciated since it alerts other drivers when you slow down and responds to braking.
To improve safety and visibility during night rides, we recommend additional lighting. Being visible to others is important, but also being able to see others is equally important. Therefore, adding lights to your scooter and body is a good idea. Read about scooters with lights here.
Tires
Dual 21.6-inch pneumatic tires (filled with air) grace the Xiaomi Mi M365. Flats are common with pneumatic tires, but they offer better traction and ride quality that greatly outweighs this disadvantage.
Despite the M365’s lack of suspension, air-filled tires offer a more comfortable, cushioned ride than even solid tires combined with suspension. These tires are similar to those found on the Hiboy S2, which has a wide 21.6 cm honeycomb tread that skates on surfaces instead of molding to them.
In addition, flats aren’t a big deal, since tire slime can be used to prevent and even repair them. Also, by maintaining your tires properly, you can prevent flats.
Deck
Its deck has a standing area of 45.0 cm wide by 14.6 cm long, with a ground clearance of 8.9 cm. There is an average deck-to-handlebar height of 95.0 cm for this price range, suitable for most riders.
There is a grey rubberized finish on the Xiaomi scooter deck.
Whenever you ride over high curbs or ledges, it’s possible to bottom out due to how close you are to the ground.
Hill Climbing
The M365 performed well in hill climbing. Yes, some scooters can climb hills. On steep slopes (more than 10% grade), expect a significant speed loss. Depending on the steepness of the hill, you may need to assist the scooter’s speed by kicking or walking, as it can be tricky to get the scooter moving on an incline and may chug along slow.
During our hill climb test, the M365 completed it in 20.8 seconds at an average speed of 10.6 km/h. The scooters are all tested on a hill with a 10% grade and a 60 m elevation, as well as a rider weighing 74 kg. Obviously, this is not an easy climb.
Features
You can enable Eco mode by double-pressing the power button after you start the Xiaomi M365, which has a top speed of 15 miles (25kms) an hour by default. When the lowest of the four battery indicators lights up, you’re in Eco mode. This mode allows the scooter to reach speeds of 11 mph (18 kph), which makes it easier to control, though its acceleration and speed suffer compared to the default mode.
Buttons
One button on the M365’s handlebars turns on a light. Press it once to turn it on. You can use this to illuminate your path ahead and to let others know you’re nearby when the weather is dark.
It is recommended to keep the taillight on at all times. By default, the taillight flashes whenever you apply the brakes. The Xiaomi Home app (Android, iOS) lets you pair your scooter with the scooter wirelessly after downloading it.
app
The app also displays information relevant to your riding trip including your average speed, current battery status, and trip distance. As long as your e-scooter is connected to a cellphone holder, you won’t be able to see this information in real-time, however, the remaining battery level, which is more accurate than the LEDs on the handlebars, makes it worthwhile to attach a phone holder. You might see only one light on the scooter’s LED battery indicator, for example, when your battery is only 10% full.
In addition to the Cruise Control and Motor Lock found in the app, this scooter is great because of two other features hidden inside. The Cruise Control system detects when you are traveling at a constant speed for a few seconds before letting off a long beep. By releasing the throttle, you can maintain that speed for an extended period, giving your thumb a well-deserved rest.
Locks
In cases when you have to leave your scooter outside, like when you pop into the shops, the Motor Lock feature is useful. The Motor Lock sign will appear when you swipe right from the main app screen. The motor is not only locked so that it cannot be wheeled away but an alarm is activated as well. Any time anyone moves your scooter, it beeps continuously and loudly. Locking the scooter also prevents the device from being turned off, so it cannot be circumvented.
The M365 has nearly all of these features, but I often had difficulty accessing the M365’s advanced features, as I found the Bluetooth connection with my phone was patchy. Also, the scooter kept making different beeping sounds, which were very difficult to interpret since the only thing you see on it is the four battery LEDs. The nearly continuous beeps sometimes fooled me into thinking my cruise control was working, only to release the throttle and discover it was trying to tell me something entirely different.
IP rating
Thankfully, this does not happen very often. Xiaomi’s M365 is rated IP54, which is a good thing. You won’t have to worry about spraying water on it from anywhere. The same goes for the port for the battery if the rubber battery flap is secured firmly after charging it. It’s not recommended to wash your scooter with water (a simple wipe-down will do). Still, this means you will not have to run for cover if it rains on your way to work.
Design
Black and red, the M365 looks much like an adult-size kick scooter, but its most noticeable feature is it is air-filled 8.5in tyres, which indicates its versatility.
The weight of this scooter reminds you right away that this isn’t your average scooter. Despite being made of lightweight aluminum; the base cannot hide the size and weight of the battery and motor. With a weight of 12.5kg, it’s not something you want to carry too far, although there are certainly heavier alternatives.
You simply need to pull a lever to fold and secure the M365, and the whole process takes less than a minute. I should also say that the scooter I received for testing began to fold involuntarily while I was riding it, resulting in the recall of a limited number of products. There is currently no threat to stock currently available for sale as all affected models have been recalled. Thank goodness.
From left to right, you’ll find a break, a bell, an accelerator that’s slightly unnaturally located with your thumb, and four LED lights to indicate which mode the scooter is in. The scooter will only turn on once it moves, so there won’t be any unexpected lurches.
During my testing of the M365, I noticed that it takes a bit of time to figure out where your feet should be placed. I tended to place my back foot against the heel of my leading foot even though the base is wide enough for you to have them side-by-side.
Safety
The Xiaomi M365 E-scooters review guide indicates that it complies with part 15 of the FCC’s US rules, as well as with Industry Canada’s license-exempt RSS standards. In the manual, there was no mention of UL certification.
You should not ride this scooter in the rain. You should always keep the speed between 3.1-6.2 mph when riding over speed bumps or uneven pavement. Also you should never accelerate going downhill. There are six-meter bright headlights on the Xiaomi designed to improve visibility.
Price and availability
In the UK, you can pick up the Xiaomi M365 for around £550 – £600, depending on the retailer. It’s not available in most regions, including the US.
It is important to keep in mind that electric scooters aren’t legal everywhere. Please consult our guide to determine whether electric scooters are legal in your area. Although it’s worth pointing out that some countries allow you to own one if you use it only on private property, you shouldn’t buy such a high-priced piece of technology if you can’t legally drive it.
Its price places the Xiaomi M365 firmly in the middle tire, as it is with most Xiaomi products, such as their smartphones. Retailers typically charge between $600 and £500 for it. You’re paying more than what you would for one of the low-range Micro scooters which typically cost $300 to £350. On the other hand, you are not paying four figures for the high-end scooters.
You can buy one from the Xiaomi stores in Kenya. You may also order one from Amazon by clicking here. Or you can check it here from Walmart.
Xiaomi Electric Scooter: UK law
PLEVs, or Personal Light Electric Vehicles, are kick scooters with low-power motors integrated into them, also known as electric scooters. However, they cannot be used on any public land in the UK because they are not taxed or registered.
It is however unlikely that police will stop you if you ride your electric scooter responsibly and show due care to pedestrians and other road users.
We advise you to stick to private land whenever possible (where you will also be less likely to be harmed) and to keep a healthy dose of common sense at all times. The consequences are serious for those who use electric scooters irresponsibly.
PROS
I commute from home to work in less than 15 minutes with the scooter. I find it an incredibly fun way to get to work, once you learn where to place your feet and relax your grip. My daily commute is literally fun for me.
In addition to reducing my Uber and Lyft usage, it has simplified trips to places that felt rather burdensome in the past. The grocery store, coffee shops, and medical appointments in Oakland are just a few of the places I can reach without a problem. The battery once ran out of charge before I got all the way to Sausalito from the Embarcadero in San Francisco!
Foldability
I particularly like how the scooter can be folded in half to fit in a car trunk. Because I can always scoot somewhere and then call an Uber if it is too dark/cold/far to drive home, I don’t have to plan out exactly how to get home. A scooter has many distinct advantages over a bicycle – I used to bike everywhere but having to find a way home after an event was a hassle.
You can often take it along wherever you go because of the folding feature. It is lightweight and easy to carry for short amounts of time. It can be tucked under a desk or a restaurant table for storage so you won’t have to worry about finding a secure place to store it. As a consequence, it has one disadvantage: locking the scooter up isn’t really possible in the same way it’s possible to lock a bike. You can’t drive your scooter somewhere, lock it up, and then go hiking. Getting to a mall and locking it up isn’t an option. There are times when you need to carry it with you, but it may not always be convenient.
apps
You can use the scooter’s app to configure certain things, including having the red rear light turn on whenever the scooter is running, which I do. My scooter also has the option to alert you if someone attempts to use it without permission. The scooter is really easy to pick up and carry away without even turning it on, so this might not do much to deter theft.
Cycling can be really frustrating when you have to remember to keep your lights charged, but the built-in lights are really convenient. Whenever I need lights, they’re right there on my scooter and they light my way pretty well. When it’s dark, I tend to move slower since I can’t see as far ahead, but I don’t think it’s a big deal.
Lastly, I am able to hop on or off the scooter with ease. When I’m on my scooter, I’m usually on the road. However, I can also walk it across pedestrian crossings or dismount if I see an unsafe situation.
CONS
Having to deal with poor-quality roads has been my main problem with the scooter. The jiggling of wheels along the uneven ground isn’t particularly enjoyable, and even small potholes are pretty frightening. In spite of that, it seems to be able to handle more than I thought. It hasn’t yet thrown me off the trail, but I have learned the hard way that unexpected potholes aren’t fun. Taking familiar routes is definitely easier; I tend to go a little slower when navigating unfamiliar roads.
Giving arm signals to indicate a turn can be challenging when riding one-handed than when riding a bike. I would appreciate it if the handlebars had some type of light to help indicate turns.
You can enjoy riding on flat terrain or downhill, as well as gentle uphill when your battery is full. However, anything steeper is challenging, and it’s much more challenging when the battery is half full.
While it handles most of it well, I do have to give it a manual kick when I reach the final short hill. Coming home at night is not a problem as it’s all downhill!
Read more on how to put air in a scooter wheel
No exercises
You won’t be getting any exercise if you exchange your bike for a scooter. When I walked or cycled to work, I felt smug knowing that I got my exercise before even starting my day. But at least I feel more environmentally conscious than when I drive…
I’ve found that cars have generally been very respectful around my scooter, although I try to avoid busy roads.
Having a scooter is a little like having a car, a bike, and a pedestrian all rolled into one. As a result, it can be somewhat difficult to figure out what rules of the road you should follow. It feels more appropriate to behave like a pedestrian sometimes than like a bike, but for the most part, I behave like a bike. Currently, I feel like other road users are judging me for not following their opinion. so, I look forward to when these conventions become more firmly established. Unless I don’t understand myself well, that is!
Cannot be carried for long-distance
This product has the convenience of folding, but it is quite heavy, so it is best suited to short distances. Hopefully, future models will be lighter.
The device is great for grabbing a few groceries on your way out, but it isn’t designed for big shopping trips as you can’t carry much. However, you can also ride your scooter to the store, pick up all your shopping and take your scooter home in an Uber.
In addition, you must carry anything you want on the scooter in a backpack; unlike a bike, there are no baskets or panniers for storage. As long as the cross-body bag is light, it works, but anything substantial will throw you off balance. I recommend getting a backpack that is big enough to accommodate your helmet.
As a final note, although electric scooters are legal where I live, you may wish to check the regulations in your area. The UK does not allow them on any public land. This is a very sad situation. Electric scooters can help decongest cities and get people to breathe clean air. They can also help reduce environmental damage. I hope that city planners and lawmakers will begin to recognize the benefits of taking advantage of this form of urban travel.
Final thoughts on XIAOMI M365 e-scooter review
Finally it is time to lap up theXiaomi M365 e-scooter review. If you have somewhere to take it you will have a lot of fun with this toy, but it is expensive and not allowed on UK roads. You can ride it fast, quietly, and without interruption, with decent brakes that stop you quickly, but safely, and with a battery that keeps ongoing. Despite its size, this scooter is recommended for older kids.
By no means is the Xiaomi M365 perfect. Although we found the Bluetooth connectivity to be patchy, it was otherwise a great experience. It doesn’t have an LED display like most e-scooters today.
Despite these minor flaws, the M365 is certainly one of the best value e-scooters you can buy, and it’s priced normally at £469 instead of £599. Simply put, the Xiaomi M365 is a perfect choice if you want a hassle-free ride that won’t break the bank.
References
Bedford, T. (2020, July 01). Xiaomi M365 e-scooter review. Retrieved from https://www.techradar.com/reviews/xiaomi-m365-pro-electric-scooter-review
Coelho, S. (2021, April 07). Xiaomi M365 e-scooter review: The best budget e-scooter you can buy. Retrieved from https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/scooters/1410221/xiaomi-m365-review-best-budget-e-scooter