In this Levy Plus review, we take a deep dive into this popular electric scooter and put it up against our comparable favorites. Read on to find out if the Levy Plus is worth the price.
From the very first throttle-push, the Levy Plus electric scooter looks like the commuter’s dream. It’s got a seemingly reliable folding system, beefy tires to handle potholes, and a large hot-swappable battery for high levels of convenience - All this in a sturdy build with a triple braking system, two LED lights, and side-attached reflectors for visibility and safety.
It sounds like the complete package, but how does it handle the challenges the real world presents on a demanding commute? Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty together and figure out.
The Levy Plus may look familiar to the well-versed electric scooter rider, and for good reason: It is based on the HX1000 X8 design that is distributed worldwide through a range of different brands. It’s a well-proven design we have lots of hands-on experience with (having reviewed the Turboant X7 Pro in the past, for instance). Despite other brands offering the same core product, Levy Electric differentiates itself from the competition in multiple ways that may just make them the best option out of the bunch. We’ll walk through all the differences/advantages that Levy Electric has on offer with their Plus model.
The Levy Plus boasts a front-wheel hub motor with a nominal power rating of 350W (700W peak). This translates to a top speed of 18 MPH (29 KMH) which, in our opinion, is right about the perfect speed for inner-city commuters who want to get from A to B on time in a safe manner.
Through the intuitive LED display between the handlebars, you can swap between three different riding modes (Beginner, Eco, and Sport). Each mode unlocks more motor power, resulting in a higher top speed and a faster acceleration curve. The beginner mode will allow you to get comfortable on the electric scooter before unleashing all of its power and the Eco mode is excellent for getting the most range out of your battery. If you just want to get there as fast as possible, Sport mode is where it’s at.
The Levy Plus is definitely not the torquiest electric scooter on the block (Unagi Model One E500 takes the price here) but it is sufficient for the occasional hill here and there. Levy advertise a 5%-10% max hill-climbing angle (depending on rider weight) and according to our test results, that holds true. With the same model, we were able to just make it up a 15% incline at 170 lbs.
As far as motor performance goes, the Levy Plus runs on par with many of the top offerings from Segway Ninebot and Xiaomi - it is designed for cities, and for the most part, it’ll be able to handle that well.
The battery is one of the highlights of the Levy Plus. This is where the unique design really shines. Like its predecessor, the Levy Plus is equipped with a detachable battery - this time located at the back of the stem. The design is convenient for an array of reasons and in my opinion, it functions really well in practice too.
With the quick-swap battery setup, you can click out the battery in a few seconds and bring it inside for a charge. This eliminates the need to carry the entire scooter inside just to juice it up which is a huge advantage for people in apartments. You can take further advantage of the interchangeable battery system by getting a 2nd separate battery for double the range.
Moving on to the battery specs - this is an important area in which the Levy Plus differs from other HX1000 X8 distributors. The Levy Plus ships with either a 36V 10.4Ah LG cell lithium-ion battery or a 36V 12.8Ah Panasonic cell lithium-ion battery depending on your needs and budget. Most other distributors cut corners here and ship their scooters with a Chinese cell 36V 10Ah battery to save money, but the Panasonic and LG cell battery packs have been proven to last longer and perform better.
As far as effective battery capacity goes, the 10.4 Ah pack yields 374.4 Wh while the 12.8 Ah pack gives you 460.8 Wh to work with. That makes the Panasonic cell option about 20% bigger in capacity and that difference translates over to the range as well. While the 12.8 Ah Panasonic battery is on offer at a select few competitors, none of them ship them directly with the scooter meaning you'd have to purchase them as an extra and with a high price tag that will be suboptimal for some.
Levy advertises a max range of 16 and 20 miles (25.7 and 32.2 km) respectively when ridden in Eco mode. Based on our hands-on experience with this model, this holds true in the real world. If you really try to push it as far as possible as a 170 lbs rider, those are the results you're likely to get. If you go full throttle in Sport mode, on the other hand, the real-world range looks closer to 10 and 12 miles (16.1 and 19.3 km).
Like many other electric scooters, performance drops off a bit as the battery level diminishes. This drop in performance is respectably low in the Levy Plus thanks to the high-quality battery cells.
Portability is often a make-or-break deal for electric scooter riders who rely on something they can carry up multiple flights of stairs on a daily basis without straining themselves. Throughout their designs, the team behind the Levy Plus has had the portability-focused consumer in mind.
For starters, the scooter has a relatively narrow set of handlebars that measure 16.5 inches across. Although they don't fold, they can quickly be unscrewed if needed and their overall small form factor aids in easy storage. The main win in terms of portability comes from the previously-mentioned detachable battery. Not only can you take the battery out to carry the much lighter frame by itself, but you can also take only the battery itself inside for a charge. I live on the 1st floor and have three flights of stairs up to my apartment but I store my electric scooters in the basement. The fact that I can separate the battery from the stem and only carry the relatively lightweight battery pack up the stairs is a huge game-changer.
When unfolded, the Levy plus measures 42.6" x 46.7" x 16.5" and when folded it measures 42.6" x 18.1" x 16.5".
Like most other electric scooters intended for commuting, the Levy Plus folds at the bottom of the stem (just above the front wheel) and hooks nicely into the rear fender using a hook located just below the handlebars which makes it easy to carry and gives it a small form factor.
The Levy Plus weighs 30 pounds which puts it right in the middle of the competition as far as weight goes. There are definitely lighter models out there, but they often don't have near the same amount of battery capacity. If you detach the battery and carry it separately, you're looking at a 25-pound frame that is extremely easy to carry around.
When carrying, the weight distribution is a little front-heavy but it's not enough to cause any issues whatsoever. All in all, the Levy Plus makes the most of portability without sacrificing range, motor performance or ride quality.
Ride quality is something I value highly in an electric scooter and after having tried more than 50 different models, I have to admit I am starting to get picky. The Levy Plus has nothing to fear here, however, because I really enjoy the ride quality for inner-city commutes.
The Levy Plus does not have any form of spring suspension but it does boast large 10" tires - and the tire setup is another area in which the Levy Plus offers more customization than its competitors. Most competitors exclusively offer 10" tubed pneumatic tires whereas Levy also fit their Plus model with solid tires. Although a solid tire sacrifices some dampening of road vibrations, it's practically maintenance-free in that you don't have to worry about flats. For that reason, it's a more convenient solution for some consumers.
From my perspective, a set of pneumatic tires adds a lot of ride quality to the Levy Plus so I'd personally never trade them for solid ones, but I'm experienced in dealing with flats and tube changes so in that way I may be biased. Still, it's good to see a wider array of options to serve a larger array of consumer needs because changing a flat tire can be a hassle if you don't have the know-how and tools to do so.
In my opinion, an inner-city commuter scooter doesn't need spring suspension to be successful. 10-inch tires are on the rather large side for portable commuter electric scooters and I absolutely love that. It deals better with potholes, has a larger contact surface with the road for improved grip and overall feels more cushioned than a comparable 8.5-inch tire does. The larger tires also give it about 4.5 inches of ground clearance up to the bottom of the deck which makes it easy to go down curbs without worrying about the underside of the deck scraping against it.
The Levy Plus uses a thumb throttle which is ergonomically the preferred throttle type by many riders including myself. It puts less strain on the hands overall and rarely interferes with brake activation.
Lastly, the deck itself has a textured surface that helps with foot grip. If the ride ever gets shaky, you can rest assured your feet won't slip off the deck thanks to this. Some brands use plain grip tape as we know it from regular skateboards but grip tape eventually wears down and may require regular cleaning for optimal performance which is both a hassle and requires you to buy grip tape cleaner. Other models completely lack any type of grip on the deck which is a safety concern. Props to the Levy Plus for taking care of that in a reliable and low-maintenance fashion.
Build quality is of great importance in an electric scooter. When you're making a substantial purchase you want something that lasts and performs reliably over time.
Through years of testing and riding various electric scooters produced by the HX1000 & Kixin factory team in China, I've been impressed with the built quality and experienced very few issues pertaining to build quality. They're a reliable manufacturer with an enormous supply on a global scale and many of their designs have now stood the test of time. The frame largely resembles that of their X7 model (which is also known as the regular Levy electric scooter) but they've made several changes and improvements for this newer model.
The frame is constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum alloy which is one of the go-to materials used in high-quality electric scooters. It blends low weight with great strength excellently.
The folding mechanism works really well. It feels solid and the locking lever is easy to use and sits firmly in place. For added safety, it has an additional layer of protection and a small PVC hook you slide across to cover the lever when it is locked in place. There's minimal play in the stem and even though the weight distribution is a bit front-heavy it feels easy to handle.
We like that there are so few exposed cables in the design. All external cables are sealed in waterproof material and a lot of it is hidden internally in the stem and under the deck as well which gives a nice look as well as reduces the chance of a flaring cable catching onto an obstacle.
The Levy Plus electric scooter has an IP54 resistance rating which determines the level of ingress protection the design has. IP54 means that the Levy Plus is protected against dust and other solid objects as well as water splashing from any angle. This does not mean you can leave it out in the rain, but going through a puddle or riding in light rain is likely going to be fine.
We still recommend you dry off your e-scooter after usage if it is wet to avoid water slowly creeping into any electronic parts. Overall, IP54 is really solid for an electric scooter - it's above average but not quite as protected as the Emove Cruiser's impressive IPX6 rating.
It's important to have responsive braking in busy streets. As far as braking goes, the Levy Plus uses three separate braking systems that allow for a safe ride you can feel comfortable with.
The rear mechanical disc brake is the highlight here. It's the best-performing type of brake you can get on an electric scooter (only surpassed by its hydraulic counter-part). For further safety, the Levy Plus also takes advantage of kinetic energy by recharging its battery slightly using its regenerative motor braking functionality that works seamlessly together with the hand-controlled disc brake. Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) aren't perfected yet, but it definitely improves your range a bit which is nice.
Lastly, the Levy Plus has a manually operated friction brake which is primarily used to make small brake adjustments or in conjunction with the other two braking mechanisms if you need to stop on a dime.
Visibility is crucial for your safety in traffic. In some areas, you're even required by law to have proper lights and reflectors equipped on your electric scooter to avoid potential fines. The Levy Plus has a 3W LED headlight and a backlight on the rear fender. To improve side visibility, it has reflective stickers which is a nice addition for added safety. The reflectors can lose their stickiness eventually but they're extremely cheap and incredibly easy to replace.
The light setup as a whole isn't enough to illuminate the road ahead of you in complete darkness, but it is definitely sufficient to ensure your visibility to others in traffic which is the most important thing.
As I've pointed out a few times throughout this review, the Levy Plus is sourced from China and there are plenty of brands and distributors across the globe that sell the same model under different names. When you're essentially buying the same product, which is the best often comes down to the price and the after-sales support, and the relationship between the two.
As far as price goes, Levy falls in the pricier end of the spectrum, but they pride themselves on their reliable after-sales customer support. This becomes a big advantage in terms of spare part availability. Being the largest distributor in the US and Canada, they typically have access to 2-day shipping on almost every spare part you would need for the Levy Plus. If you rely on your electric scooter for daily commuting, this is a huge game-changer. If you ever get a puncture on the pneumatic tires or something stops functioning, you can rest assured you'll be up and running faster than with the competition.
With Levy, all repair and replacement costs are fully covered for 6 months after purchase and you can upgrade that for up to 2 years at a reasonable cost.
Whereas a lot of the other distributors operate out of Asia, Levy has a physical HQ store located in New York and more than 100 retailer or service partner locations throughout the US and Canada. This means help is always within reach.
If you're a tech-savvy person who knows your way around electronics, messing with the hardware inside and has the necessary tools to change tires without damaging the scooter, then yes, you can definitely go for another distributor and save a few bucks here and there. However, if you value an extended warranty period and peace of mind that you can always get technical repairs and support done nearby, going with Levy is a great option.
All in all, the Levy Plus is an excellently designed electric scooter specifically designed to suit the commuting lifestyle. With an upgraded quick-swap battery, you've got extra range for longer roundtrips and you can even bring an extra battery pack with you for more mileage.
The motor performance is decent, but it doesn't match premium lightweight electric scooters like the Unagi Model One E500 or E-TWOW GT SE. Instead, the Levy Plus places itself lower down the price ladder, serving as a more affordable solution for riders who still need a reliable electric scooter.
The Levy Plus features an iconic design that has stood the test of time and it is based on the accumulation of customer feedback across thousands of units.
Truthfully, the Levy Plus is an electric scooter with very few weak points to show for. A slightly more torquey motor and a little more balance in weight distribution are the only things we're really missing - and we would love to see in a future model.
If you want your purchase based by a responsive company with an excellent reputation for their after-sales support, the Levy Plus may just be the ideal match for you.
Not sure about your decision yet? See how the Levy Plus stacks up to the best-rated electric scooters here.
Rasmus is the creative lead at ERideHero. As a jack of all trades, Rasmus handles videography, photography and review write-ups as well as website development. He has tested more than 100 personal electric vehicles of all sorts across more than 6,000 miles.
