NIU KQi Air Carbon Fiber Electric Scooter
- 401-600 Wh
- 26-40 mi claimed
- 251-300 lb max load
- Up to 20 mph
SVT Score, Upper
A 26.2 lb carbon fiber commuter scooter with a 451.2 Wh battery, turn signals and NFC unlock, but no suspension and one disc brake.
$809
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Usability
6.3 out of 10
- Peak: 700 W claimed, not scored
Better on motorSegway ZT3 ProRear hub motor is rated 650 W nominal. $999.99Scores 10.0
- Fold: two-step stem fold, not one-step
- Searched: UL Certipedia Intertek SGS CPSC Health Canada
- Record: UL Product iQ, ANSI/CAN/UL 2272 (FKIS, Electrical Systems for Personal E-Mobility Devices), KQi Air, Jiangsu niu Electric Technology Co., Ltd
- Record: TÜV Rheinland Certipedia, EN 17128:2020, KQi Air; KQi Air X, Jiangsu Niu Electric Technology Co., Ltd
- Kit: KQi Air and helmet bundle $928.00 at shop.niu.com
Strengths
- Very light to carry upstairs
- Air tires ride smoother than solid ones
- Lights and turn signals built in
- NFC card and app lock
- Strong range for its weight in tester runs
Drawbacks
- No suspension so rough roads jar
- Single front disc brake
- Alarm cannot be switched off
- Owners criticise the firmware
- Turn signal screws can loosen
- Price is high for the battery size
A very light commuter that is easy to carry, but rough roads jar
Specs
- TypeCommuter
- E-Bike ClassNot applicable
- Battery401-600 Wh
- MotorSingle motor
- Top SpeedUp to 20 mph
- Claimed Range26-40 mi
- WeightUp to 40 lb
- Max Rider Load251-300 lb
- BrakesMechanical disc
- SuspensionNone
- FoldingFolds
- CertificationsEN 17128 certified, UL 2272 listed
- Warranty2 Years
At a glance
- LG 21700 cells
- Electric horn
- Four riding modes
- Over-the-air updates
The store's terms name NIU Technology Inc. of San Jose, California, as a joint operator with NIU International Co., Ltd. The brand belongs to Niu Technologies, a Nasdaq-listed maker of electric two-wheelers based in Beijing.
- NIU sells its kick scooters and e-bikes in the US through its own store, shop.niu.com, and some of its scooters through Best Buy.
- NIU also sells through its own Amazon store, under the seller names NIU Tech. and NIU Global.
- Best Buy sells NIU's KQi 300P, KQi 300X, KQi 200P and BQi-C3 Pro as the seller, Home Depot lists the KQi 100P and KQi Air, and Walmart and Target carry NIU only through marketplace sellers (October 2026).
The NIU KQi Air is a lightweight folding commuter scooter with a carbon fiber frame (PYROFIL TR50S15L), a 451.2 Wh battery of LG 21700 cells and a 350 W rear hub motor (700 W peak). NIU labels the pack 48 V and does not publish its amp-hours.
It has a front mechanical dual-action disc brake with rear regenerative braking, no suspension and 9.5-inch tubeless tires. It weighs 26.2 lb with the battery and is rated for a 265 lb rider aged 14 and up. The maker claims 20 mph, up to 31 miles of range and a 20% hill, with a 5-hour charge.
It has a halo headlight, a tail light, ambient lighting, turn signals and an electric horn; the NIU app adds NFC and Bluetooth unlock, cruise control and over-the-air updates, and it is rated IP55.
It comes in black and red at the same price, with red sold out on 2026-10-20, folds in two steps to 18.9 in tall and has a 21.7 x 7.5 in deck.
The KQi Air X shares its battery, motor, brakes and tires, but has an all-carbon frame, weighs 25.8 lb and comes in gold, while ERideHero reports the KQi Air's neck and stem are magnesium. A KQi Air and helmet bundle sells for $928.00, and a phone-holder bundle is listed at $918.00 but sold out.
Questions answered from our data
Is NIU good?We list eight NIU products and score eight of them. Their overall scores run from 4.5 to 6.5, with a median of 5.9, against a median of 5.6 for all 208 products we score.
How much does an electric scooter cost?The 99 electric scooters we list run from $240 to $5,799, with a median of $749.
Are electric scooters UL certified?63 of the 99 electric scooters we list carry a UL 2272 listing we could look up by model.
How far can an electric scooter go?47 of the 99 electric scooters we list claim 41 miles or more on a charge, each on its maker's own basis.
