Enlarge image
Niu offers the backrest for a second person such as a luggage rack and topcase as accessories.
The topcase is important because there is no storage space under the seat due to the two batteries.
Photo: Niu
The first impression:
electric scooters are usually not very attractive.
Seldom succeeds in telling them apart.
The exceptions are the Niu scooters from China.
They have a visually unmistakable front with a bright LED circle in the headlight, the Niu porthole.
This is what the manufacturer says:
Smaller scooters are one of the positive phenomena in city traffic, they take up little space.
But unfortunately they are extremely dangerous.
According to the law, most scooters are limited to a top speed of 45 km / h and thus become a traffic obstacle.
With a little more speed, they would swim along the main traffic axes - typical commuter routes.
The often risky car overtaking maneuvers would be reduced to a minimum.
The answer of the Chinese e-scooter manufacturer Niu to the problem is called MQi GT.
The e-scooter has a top speed of 70 km / h and is therefore at home in the class of light motorcycles.
"Made for the discerning commuter," writes Niu.
"With the MQi GT we offer the performance you need to master your route."
The offer seems to be well received by buyers.
As early as 2019, the Chinastromer was in third place in the German 125 light power class with around 900 registrations, behind two combustion Vespas.
In the meantime, the e-scooters with the "large" license plate have cracked the hurdle of a thousand registrations.
The reason for this is also the attractive price: while the competition, such as the E-Schwalbe or the Vespa Elettrica, costs almost 7,000 euros, the Niu MQi GT is comparatively cheap at 3399 euros.
But is the China scooter really a full-fledged road user with its 70 km / h?
We noticed that:
The MQi GT is lavishly equipped. There is a practical, deep step-through; the bench is long enough for two people. The vehicle looks valuable and stable. The digital cockpit with almost all the necessary information is under a large plastic pane; Unfortunately, the daily kilometers are not displayed. Selectable sounds and additional LED strips signal that the turn signal is active. The light strips are a profitable idea. It's just a shame that they are much less visible in the sun.
Niu also supplies Keyless Ride as standard;
the key is only used to open the seat and to lock the steering wheel.
For a three-step start, all you have to do is activate the scooter using the red button on the remote control, press the neon green switch on the right armature and select the driving mode.
Niu offers the three driving modes Eco, Dynamic and Sport, whereby Eco locks the scooter at a maximum of 25 km / h and Dynamic throttles it to 55 km / h.
Sport is the mode that, according to Niu, reaches the top speed of 70 km / h - the main selling point.
In the MQi GT, Niu has installed a 3 kW hub motor from Bosch in the rear wheel (3.1 kW peak power).
With a total weight of 115 kg, the power should actually be enough to accelerate the scooter quickly and keep it on its toes.
But it doesn't.
In city traffic - especially with two people - getting around is difficult.
Even in sport mode, free and seemingly endless distances between two traffic lights are rarely enough to quickly reach top speed.
Over 65?
Yes, made it once or twice.
But the MQi GT did not reach 70 km / h in two weeks of testing.
Niu should therefore still adjust the electronic design of the modes and the liveliness, because the built-in technology tolerates a more agile driving style.
Also because the disc brakes (220 mm at the front; 180 mm at the rear) and the chassis of the Niu with the small 14-inch wheels respond extremely well and you would feel safe at any time, even with a little more punch and propulsion.
In the current electronic tuning, however, the MQi Gt feels weak and tired.
Niu worked cleanly with the charging electronics: two battery blocks, each weighing 11 kilograms, can be charged at the same time directly in the vehicle or externally using the splitter cable supplied;
a cycle between 10 and 90 percent charge took just under three hours.
A range of between 65 and 75 kilometers was achieved with one charge in city operation - perfectly sufficient for commuters or for shopping trips.
How far you can still get with the MQi GT is not only shown on the display on the vehicle.
Range, charge status and other status reports are also reported via the Niu app on smartphones, along with driving statistics, the current location or a motion alarm.
You have to know that:
Niu supplies the MQi GT in white, red, blue, gray, black and black-red at a price of 3399 euros.
The e-scooters are sold through almost 200 dealers nationwide;
including around 20 premium and flagship stores with the entire Niu range.
The last hurdle is the permission to drive the scooter: Its classification as a light motorcycle means that you need an A1 motorcycle driving license or the “key number B196” introduced at the beginning of 2020.
Smaller scooters with a speed of only 45 km / h may be driven with an independent AM scooter license or a car driver's license (current class B and earlier). Faster scooters like the MQi GT with a "125" light power permit may only be driven if you are at least 25 years old, have had a class B driver's license for five years, as well as four theoretical and five practical lessons in the driving school without Has passed the exam. If these requirements are met, the "code number B196" can be entered in the driver's license at the local driver's license office.
We will not forget that:
In the helmet storage space under the seat bench there is at most space for a sheet of paper, in addition to the charger, charging cable, splitter cable and two battery blocks. That's annoying, this space is actually the big plus point of a scooter. And so e-scooters actually need a topcase to operate properly. But that would completely spoil an elegant line.