Xiaomi Mi M365 Electric Scooter Review

Introduction

The Xiaomi Mi M365 electric scooter has become popular with scooter-sharing services like Bird, and after looking at the scooter, it’s easy to see why. It has a great range, good top speed, and simple, sturdy design. It’s a great choice for city commuters.

Note: There is a newer version of this scooter available. Check out our review of the Xiaomi M365 Pro.

Speed & Range

If you want a scooter for commuting, the Xiaomi Mi M365 electric scooter is worth looking at. It’s equipped with a 250-watt motor, which may seem a little on the low side, but the scooter can get up to 15.5 mph and has an 18.6-mile range (falling a little short of the Ninebot ES4, for instance). The battery is lithium and takes five hours to charge from empty. That’s not exceptionally fast, but it’s fairly regular for this range of electric scooters.

You can see the battery level on the control panel. Instead of showing actual percentages, it uses little round lights. When all four power lights are on, it means the battery level is at 100-86%. Once the battery starts to go down, three lights remain lit, while one flashes. A flashing bottom power light indicates low power. Once power is gone, all the lights go out, and the scooter gradually slows down.

To save on battery, the scooter has a power-saving mode which limits top speed to 11.2 mph.

Braking System

One noteworthy feature on the Xiaomi Mi M365 electric scooter is the braking system. It’s a double braking system, which means it uses both a disc brake for the back tire and brake lever for the front tire, which initiates an eABS regenerative anti-lock braking system.

Regenerative braking helps save on battery power. When you break, red tail lights turn on, alerting people behind you.

Construction

The Xiaomi Mi M365 electric scooter has won awards (including the Red Dot Award in 2017) for its design, which is sleek and modern. It’s made from aerospace-grade aluminum, which allows the scooter to stay lightweight at 26.9 pounds. It can hold 220 pounds. The 8.5-inch air-filled tires are made with anti-slip treads and shock absorption to keep your ride as smooth as possible. Recommended tire pressure is 50 psi, and you should check the firmness of your tires every couple of months.

We should mention that Xiaomi Mi recently issued a recall for its M365 scooters (which is this model) over a loose screw on the handlebar. There’s a possibility that these affected scooters could fall apart while someone is riding them. More than 10,000 scooters have this issue, but they were all manufactured in 2018, so a scooter you buy now from the company is not subject to the recall.

Bluetooth

This scooter has a smartphone app that connects to the unit via Bluetooth. Downloading is simple and explained in the buyer manual. Simply go to the App Store and download Mi Home app, or scan the QR code included in the manual. To add a device, hit “+,” and then add your scooter. The app provides info like battery power, your speed, and how far you’ve traveled.

This is especially useful because the scooter doesn’t have those on the control panel; it just has that light system. However, most Bluetooth apps have connectivity problems, so it may not be that reliable. You’ll also have to either stop the scooter and look at your phone or keep your phone in a holder on the scooter to have quick access to the app.

Safety

In the buyer’s guide for the Xiaomi Mi M365 e-scooter, it says it complies with part 15 of the FCC rules for the United States, and with Industry Canada’s license-exempt RSS standard. We didn’t see anything about UL certification in the manual.

Other safety tips: don’t ride this scooter in the rain, keep speed between 3.1-6.2 mph when riding over speed bumps or other uneven pavement, don’t accelerate going downhill, and always keep both feet on the scooter deck. For visibility, the Xiaomi Mi is equipped with ultra-bright headlights that illuminate up to 6 meters ahead.

Customer Service

Xiaomi uses a 12-month warranty for its scooter. As a limited warranty, which is the most common type, the company will not repair or replace scooters that have been damaged from not following instructions.

Downsides

The big downside is the lack of a traditional control panel that gives essential info like battery level, speed, and so on.

It may take some time to understand what the lights are saying exactly, or you’ll have to rely on the Bluetooth app. The fact that this scooter is going through a recall might also worry some customers. If something went wrong in the past, it could happen again.

Who Should Buy The Xiaomi Mi M365 Scooter?

The Xiaomi Mi scooter, despite its recent recall, has shown itself to be a solid entry in the scooter market. It has the speed and range for a city commuter, and a simple, lightweight design. It is easy to fold up and take on the bus or train if necessary.

With features like regenerative braking, disc braking, bright headlights, shock absorption, and more, it’s also very easy to ride. If you’re looking for a commuting scooter that’s more affordable than, say, Segway, the Xiaomi Mi is a great option.

Final Verdict

We’re giving this scooter 3.75 out of 5 stars. It loses a star because of its almost too-simple control panel, but everything else – the speed, range, braking, and construction – are appealing.

To save the most battery, stick to the power-saving mode that limits your speed to about 11 mph. You probably don’t need to go super fast in a city, and limiting your speed will get you more range.

There no denying that the Xiaomi Mi M365 is one of the best electric scooters for commuters on the market at the given time. If you have the money, you’re getting a solid product with a reputable company backing it completely.

Specifications