NIU KQi Air X Carbon Fiber Electric Scooter
- 401-600 Wh
- 26-40 mi claimed
- 251-300 lb max load
- Up to 20 mph
SVT Score, Upper
A 25.8 lb carbon fiber commuter scooter with a 451.2 Wh battery, NFC unlock and turn signals, but no suspension and a single disc brake.
$1,049
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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 Solutions certificate (hosted copy) UL Certipedia Intertek SGS TÜV SÜD CPSC Health Canada
- Record: UL Solutions certificate (hosted copy), UL 2272, Ed. 1 (2016-11-21, rev. 2019-02-25), KQi Air, KQi Air X, Jiangsu niu Electric Technology Co., Ltd
- Record: UL Product iQ, ANSI/CAN/UL 2272 (FKIS, Electrical Systems for Personal E-Mobility Devices), KQi Air X, 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
Strengths
- Very light to carry upstairs
- Carbon fiber frame feels solid
- NFC card unlock and app lock
- Lights and turn signals built in
- Wide deck and handlebars for comfort
Drawbacks
- No suspension so rough roads jar
- Single front disc brake
- Smaller tires feel bumps more
- Owners criticise firmware quirks
- Premium price for the battery size
A featherweight carry-anywhere commuter, but no suspension and a premium price
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
- Folded height 18.9 in
- 5 h charge time
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 X 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 x 2.28 in (241 x 58 mm) tubeless tires. It weighs 25.8 lb 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 gold only, folds in two steps to 18.9 in tall and has a 21.7 x 7.5 in deck.
Questions answered from our data
Is NIU good?We list seven NIU products and score seven of them. Their overall scores run from 4.5 to 6.5, with a median of 5.7, against a median of 5.6 for all 130 products we score.
How much does an electric scooter cost?The 47 electric scooters we list run from $240 to $2,700, with a median of $629.
Are electric scooters UL certified?42 of the 47 electric scooters we list carry a UL 2272 listing we could look up by model.
How far can an electric scooter go?15 of the 47 electric scooters we list claim 41 miles or more on a charge, each on its maker's own basis.
