Xiaomi was an established technology company long before they decided to release their own electric scooter. With phones, TVs and an array of smart devices, I was very excited when they decided to have a go at electric scooters – and it seems other companies were too! You may have recognised the Xiaomi M365 (also known as the Xiaomi Mi) as the scooter Bird have chosen for their dockless electric scooter scheme, so if you decided to purchase this scooter you’ll fit right in with the Californians who are most commonly found whizzing around on one of these. So let’s find out why these scooters were chosen as the centrepiece of the revolution that is Bird.
Contents
Quick Look
The Xiaomi M365 looks like it was designed for city life and makes a perfect commuter scooter, with narrow handlebars and an uncomplicated design, you can hop on and weave your way throughout streets and roads with minimal fuss. It’s not too pricey, you’ll usually find it at around $500, and you can get a little over an hour of riding with the 18.6 mile (30 km) range and 15.5 mph (25 kmph) top speed. The frame is aluminium alloy, and overall the scooter has a high-quality, if not slightly bulky, feel to it.
The Xiaomi has a simple power button at the centre of the handlebars, and this can be used to adjust to power-saving mode so you can make your ride last even longer. The 8.5” tires provide a super smooth ride on top of the 250 Watt brushless motor, and once you’ve reached your destination you can come to a stable stop on the dual disc brakes.
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| Quick Specs | Top Speed: | 15.5 mph (25 kmph) or 11 mph (18 kmph) on cruise control |
| Maximum Range: | 18.6 miles (30 km) | |
| Weight: | 27.5 lbs (12.5 kgs) | |
| Recommended Height: | 47” to 80” | |
| Motor: | 250W | |
| Charge Time: | 5 hours | |
| Maximum Load: | 220 lbs (100 kgs) | |
| Maximum Incline: | 14° | |
| Dimensions (Upright): | 42.5” x 17” x 45” | |
| Dimensions (Folded): | 42.5” x 17” x 20” |
Features
The Xiaomi 365 isn’t packed full of features, but it does have a collection of fun features that simultaneously add modernism and nostalgia to your ride. The scooter has 4 simple LED lights that show the charge of the Xiaomi, situated below them is the power button which can be held down to switch to power-saving mode, this will bring the top speed down to 18 km/h.
This scooter has a push-button acceleration, a kickstand and a bell just like one you’d find on a kick scooter. The motor will need initial movement to get going, so you’ll need to manually kick off and then press the throttle. The M365 comes in at just over 26 lbs, though it has an aluminium frame it still proves to be quite heavy, especially when trying to pick it up and carry it around. Saying this, it still folds well, and though the T-bar isn’t adjustable, this removes any awkward screws or frustrating corrections to the height – everything flows together in an easy, modern fashion.
The M365 has a kinetic energy recovery system, this extends battery life through converting and storing kinetic energy into electrical power. This goes hand in hand with regenerative braking, which uses the brakes to help charge the battery.
Mobile App or Dashboard?
Through downloading the Mi Home app, you’ll be able wirelessly connect your phone to your scooter and view real-time statistics such as current speed and remaining power, and you’ll be able to set cruise control!
Full disclosure – I’ve heard complaints about this app crashing, and after looking at its rating on the app store I can see that quite a few people had the same problem. I personally don’t have the same complaints, and I had a lot of fun riding around with my own personal scooter dashboard.
Design and Build Quality
The scooter comes in either black or white. I picked black, and I really like the overall look of this one, the way the red features of the M365 stand out against the matte black makes it look sleek and professional.
The design of the Mi scooter was definitely centered around adults navigating city life. The handlebars are narrow, making it easier to weave around traffic, and for night time riding the M365 provides you with a 1.1W headlight with a 6 meter range, as well as a brake light.
Xiaomi have given their scooter 8.5” wheels with anti slip treads and shock absorption. It has a lithium ion battery situated on the underside of the deck.
The frame is slim and made of aluminium, and the non-adjustable handlebars stand at 45” tall. It’s foldable and when folded it’ll sit upright thanks to the kickstand, however I would dispute the term ‘ultra lightweight’, at 26 lbs, you can pick it up and carry it around but it won’t be the easiest job in the world.
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Performance and Range
Being built for city life has its downsides as the suspension is good but not great, I could definitely feel a couple rough bumps. I think this scooter is better suited for streets and sidewalks. The 8.5” inflatable tires can handle drops off kerbs and cracks in the streets however, and they feel solid beneath my feet.
Sometimes I felt like the top speed left something to be desired, and this became clearer when going up steep inclines, as it slowed down somewhat.
The cruise control is a super fun and helpful addition, it comes in handy when travelling down long streets and empty roads. If you want to take full advantage of the fun the app provides, you should purchase a phone holder so you don’t have to fumble around with your phone in one hand and the handlebars in the other.
It took me around 5 hours to get the battery from dead to fully charged, and the lithium ion battery will last you for slightly over an hour if you rode at max speed, so I’d say that’s plenty for a day of travelling around the city or your commute to and from work.
It’ll do all of this almost completely silently, and the disk brakes bring you to a controlled stop even at full speed. However if you want to keep your ride as efficient as possible, you can attempt to stick to regenerative braking, which will be engaged with light touches of the brake lever. If you continue to pull the brake lever you will activate the disk brakes, this will drain your battery more than regenerative braking but will give you the strong stop you require.
What We Like About the Xiaomi M365
- Build Quality – Considering the mid-range price of the scooter, the build is sleek and impressive. The aluminium frame never creaks or wobbles, and every component of the scooter blends together really well.
- Headlight – Some scooters lack a headlight that would actually work well enough for you to see and be seen in the dark – but not the Xiaomi. This 1.1W headlight will make you feel considerably safe.
- Tires – These tires are good at absorbing bumps and cracks in the road, and also feel solid and comfortable beneath you.
What We Don’t Like About the Xiaomi M365
- Motor – Although I don’t necessarily have a problem with the motor, I feel like it could do with a bit more power. Hitting the top speed, I still felt like there could’ve been more to it.
Final Thoughts
Everything in this scooter feels well integrated, from the brakes to the wheels to the lights. This is an adult electric scooter rather than a kick scooter with a motor stuck on it. The M365 is an electric scooter that was purpose-built for city life, and in areas where the traffic can often reach standstill at rush hour, you’ll definitely be able to get where you’re going faster than in a car or bus.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Check the latest price on GearBest.
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Xiaomi M365
Pros
- Build Quality
- Headlight
- Tires
Cons
- Motor
The motor is actually not that bad and only limited by the default Xiaomi firmware. You can flash a modified firmware and unleash it.
Where can I find the modified firmware please?
I feel like the Xiaomi M365 is the best on the market right now, I’m totally grabbing one for my son for black Friday! Better yet, it seems to be discounted for BF on Amazon!