It’s not really a powerful electric scooter, but the Xiaomi brand makes up for a trustworthy name that you surely won’t be disappointed in. It lets patrons and consumers opt for a quality e-scooter and a great price from a trusted brand, overall making the Xiaomi 1S a great option to weigh in when looking for an electric scooter for the daily commute.

An accompanying Xiaomi Home app takes care of the scooter, looking after firmware updates and controlling some of the functionality. It’s not as comprehensive as rivals such as Segway Ninebot and Bird, but it handles the basics well. However, it’s also not very clear what app is required. A QR code for something similar would help matters, Xiaomi.With all these in mind, it’s up to you to decide which scooter you should get. But for now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of Xiaomi 1S. Read on. It has a maximum climbing range of 14% and only weighs around 27.6 lbs, which is still quite heavy for an entry-level scooter. The good thing about it is that it has a maximum load capacity of 220 lb. On top of that, it only takes four hours to charge. The 250W motor on the 1S is almost completely silent; so silent in fact that I had to use the bell on more than a few occasions because pedestrians couldn’t hear me approach even when I was less than two feet behind them. The pneumatic tyres provide great grip on every road surface, but you will notice slight jarring if the terrain gets rough. Personally, I prefer the comfortable rubber grips on the Xiaomi 1S handlebar compared to the squishy rubber grips on the Pure Air, which feel cheap. However, the Pure Air counters this with 10in pneumatic tyres that offer a slightly more comfortable ride across different surface types compared to the Xiaomi 1S’s 8.5in ones. Battery range is pegged at 18.5-miles, based on a 75kg rider scooting around in fairly ambient 25-degrees celsius temperature, but we all know that’s not going to be the case in the UK.

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 power adapter provided into this port and turns green once it’s fully charged. The batteries will drain faster in colder climates and as soon as you throw a few hills into the mix, the remaining range soon slips away, but we’d say it could still handle a ten-mile commute if ridden carefully. The Xiaomi tyres are 8.5 inches in diameter and pneumatic. The idea is that air-filled tyres make the ride smoother. However, there is no suspension so it is really a trade-off between the two options. Xiaomi claim that their new range ( Essential, 1S and Pro 2) have "next generation tyres", making them three times as robust (less likely to puncture) as the M365 tyres. I cannot vouch for the robustness (I never had a puncture on my M365) but I have ridden M365s in Mexico City, where road repairs fall fairly low down on the "to-do" list, and found that, as long as major potholes are avoided, and a comfortable riding stance taken, most road surfaces can be comfortably traversed. Unsurprisingly, cobble stones present a problem. The Xiaomi Mi 1S sits right in the middle of the current range, costing less than the slightly larger and more powerful Pro 2 but only costing only slightly more than the basic and much slower Xiaomi Essential model.

Before taking your Xiaomi 1S for its first ride, you should first 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, you’ll see a Bluetooth icon on your scooter display, and the app will automatically update its firmware. The main plastic platform is slightly smaller than its larger Pro 2 sibling, but there’s ample room to have even large feet resting one in front of the other. Unlike rival scooters, the rear fender doesn’t double-up as a brake and carries a ‘no step’ warning with it, which is slightly annoying given the rear foot naturally wants to sit here, but it feels strong enough to handle it.

High quality batteries guarantee a riding distance up to 30km as the Forty 18650 li-ion cells offer altogether a high capacity of 275Wh. Smart battery management system (BMS). Dual braking system Outfitted with regenerative and disc braking at rear wheel, E-ABS system at front wheel. This is a great scooter for those thinking of replacing public transport or even a bicycle with something smaller, more convenient and easier to stash in a flat or office. It offers a great mix of performance, durability and comfort at a price that won’t break the bank. Easily switch speeds at the touch of a button. When commuting to work, press S to go faster. When cruising around the park, press D, and in crowded areas, you can turn on the pedestrian mode to go slower. Simply double press the power button to switch between modes and easily adjust the speed to your surroundings. The scooter's battery is located in the base and the frame itself is built from aluminium. It feels strong and the folding mechanism means it can be folded or unfolded in a few seconds (Xiaomi claims three seconds). This sturdiness and low cost (as you are not paying for carbon fibre) does mean it is reasonably heavy at 12.5 kg; but this is as light as mid-range scooters come and heaviness is fairly subjective: I am by no means strong and can carry this scooter up and down stairs without too much effort. One difference from its predecessor, apart from yellow reflectors on the EU/UK model, is that the external wires are neater in the 1S. They still have not figured out how to feed the wire to the handlebar internally (through the folding joint) but they have at least tried.The 1S battery has the same capacity and power as the M365 battery, and the scooter retains the same top-speed of 25 km/h (15.5 mph) and range of 30 km (18 miles). The range is pretty accurate (at least to begin with) but the speed tends to hover around 14 mph. Xiaomi also claim the battery on the 1S has been improved so that it takes less time to charge (5 hours) and has a longer overall lifespan (partly by limiting its charge so that it reads 100% charged when it is, in fact, only at 93% of its real capacity. The Xiaomi 1S E-Scooter comes with a 250W motor powered by a 7650mAh/275Wh Li-ion battery, which powers through almost all general road surfaces that you’d expect an electric scooter to zoom through. The biggest upgrade on the Xiaomi 1S is its LED display and three riding modes. The M365 has only two riding modes and four battery indicator dots, making it the only e-scooter I’ve reviewed without a display. The 1S also seems to have ironed out any kinks with the patchy Bluetooth connectivity I experienced when I rode the M365. 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 is Sport mode, denoted by a blue “s” icon, with a maximum speed of 15.5mph. The Xiaomi Pro 2 scooter has a powerful 600W electric motor for top-end performance, a maximum speed of 25 km/h and three speed modes to easily adjust your speed to your environment, power when required, safety when need. The 1S and Essential scooters have an almost as powerful 500W motor and each can take you a long-way, 30 to 45 km depending on the model selected.