More and more often we hear about mobility bonuses, which incentivize the purchase of electric vehicles such as bikes and scooters, reimbursing their value up to a maximum of 500 euros, but going beyond the technicalities to get it, someone could stay out of it for the simple the fact that the extra kilos it carries would affect the performance of the vehicle. What if I told you that there is an electric scooter that instead manages to guarantee its potential even with a driver weighing 120 kg? It exists and is called NIUBILITY N1, the new electric scooter sold exclusively by the Gearbest.com store at a launch price of about 230 euros with shipping from Europe. I tell you about it in this full review.
For this type of product it has poco sense to do an unboxing but it is right to know that in the cardboard that will wrap the scooter, further protected by polystyrene, you will also find an instruction manual in English, the 42V / 2A charger with European socket and proprietary connection and finally a bag containing 2 spare screws for fixing the handlebar, set of Allen keys for maintenance of the vehicle and an extension to attach to the tire valves to facilitate any inflation.
Before using the scooter it is therefore necessary to fasten the rudder of the handlebar to the barrel with 4 screws, a simple operation within everyone's reach. Specifically, we are dealing with a vehicle with dimensions equal to 1054 x 436 x 1150 mm when open while when closed we obtain dimensions equal to 1054 x 436 x 480 mm: yes, because the NIUBILITY N1 allows you to fold down the handlebar for possible transport to hand or to insert it inside the trunk of your car.
To do this, it is necessary to take advantage of the mechanism positioned in the lower part of the handlebar barrel, and then hook the latter through a sort of spring pin, on the foreskin positioned on the rear fender. The transportability of the vehicle is guaranteed by a low weight of only 12 kg, obtained thanks to the use in the construction of aerospace grade aluminum alloy, which gives the vehicle lightness, net of a decidedly higher than normal strength. It is precisely this sturdiness that allows it to support a driver weight of up to 120 kg, without straining when driving, but for performance we will talk about it later.
Returning to the handlebar, on this we find the fixed knobs for the support of the hands with increased grip thanks to a design that adopts small protrusions, while on the right side we find the throttle grip, which once held down for about 2 / 3 seconds will set a sort of Cruise Control, thus maintaining the set speed without having to continue pushing on the knob.
On the left side of the handlebar, on the other hand, we find the brake lever, the spring clip for attachment to the mudguard and a practical bell to signal any presence during the march. On the front of the handlebar we find an LED light with 2W power, with a beam that illuminates the road well in the lowest ambient lighting conditions.
Also on the handlebar, we find the display and the power button of the scooter, which will start by holding it down for about 1 second, an operation that in reverse will allow the NIUBILITY N1 to turn off. What we can see on the display is really poco, as we will only be shown the remaining battery charge by means of a few notches that correspond to a certain percentage. We can then view the travel speed and finally through two icons, understand if we have activated the lighting system of the scooter and what speed program we are traveling. In fact, the icon relating to the speed program is defined by a letter S, green for the ECO mode and red for the sport mode, corresponding to a maximum reachable speed of 15 Km / h or 25 Km / h respectively.
To activate the lighting system, simply click once on the power button while to switch from one speed mode to another you have to quickly press the power button twice. As said basic information even if the biggest flaw of this display is readability under direct sunlight, practically non-existent.
NIUBILITY N1 relies on air-inflated 8,5-inch wheels, so there is a risk of puncture. This choice, however, turned out to be intelligent, since we do not have any damping mechanism for vibrations and holes in the road surface. On the front wheel we find the 250W brushless motor that allows our vehicle to go up to 25 Km / h (or max 15 Km / h in ECO mode), also overcoming important slopes up to 15 degrees of inclination, while thanks to the battery from 36V / 7,8Ah, integrated into the rear fender, the autonomy of the NIUBILITY N1 reaches up to 15 Km.
It will take approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to fully charge. The entrance is located on the right side of the rear fender, protected by a small silicone cap. The data relating to the autonomy are variable depending on the terrain traveled, the slope of the same (maximum 15 degrees) but above all the weight of the driver. In fact, the NIUBILITY N1 scooter is able to support up to 120 kg of weight and with great amazement, compared to many others tried in the past, even in more stressful situations, such as rather steep slopes, but also grass etc .. the scooter has always maintained the same performances found in the plains. At the moment, among what I have tried so far, this was the only electric vehicle that allowed me to drive uphill without having to get out and push the vehicle because it was put in difficulty by my weight. This is something not to be underestimated, because as I said at the beginning there are many people like me who carry the annoying extra pounds with them and who renounce the purchase of electric vehicles because they are not able to perform their functions at their best. excessive weights.
Continuing the inspection of the NIUBILITY N1, on the rear we find a sort of fender that contains the battery module, as well as the red rear light. This naturally also acts as a STOP signal, but in two different ways: if the general lighting is turned off, pressing the brake lever, the red light remains steady while in the case the lighting is active and therefore the red light is already fixed, then when we brake, the STOP starts flashing. The braking system is guaranteed on the rear by a disc brake that is allied to an E-ABS braking system, which also minimally regenerates the battery charge.
However, I did not like this braking system, as it is delayed with respect to the actual actuation of the brake lever, coming to stop the vehicle only after about 2/3 seconds. So calibrate the times well but above all be careful, because you risk investing someone. For heaven's sake nothing to worry about and that can partly be optimized by adjusting the brake mechanism on the rear wheel, but it is right to point out.
Finally, we have a large platform covered with non-slip material, as well as allowing an easy position during the march, without tiring the legs or the back. This is also due to the height of the handlebar, which is not adjustable, but positioned right at the junction between medium and tall stature.
In the tests carried out, I was able to verify the real robustness of the NIUBILITY N1, overcoming obstacles of grass and pebbles as well as slopes where other scooters failed, but the stability system is not exactly the most efficient. Leaving the handlebar with one hand, this was very "dancer", also putting you at risk of falling. It is true that any vehicle must be driven with both hands, but in this case you cannot even afford the distraction of scratching your nose. Am I exaggerating naturally or maybe not?
What this NIUBILITY N1 lacks is its own app, which might have allowed the vehicle to be blocked via Bluetooth, or would have allowed the vision of the kilometers actually traveled, perhaps even keeping a maintenance history or reporting any operating anomalies. However, none of this is possible, but the fact remains that this scooter is perfect for covering the last mile in the city and making small urban trips.
We also report the presence of the IP54 certification, which will allow you to complete your trip even if you encounter a light rain or run into some puddle or dusty ground. There is also a start-up safety mechanism that does not allow the scooter to start only by acting on the accelerator lever, but to do so you must always push yourself first, even with your foot.
The finishes of the NIUBILITY N1 scooter are completed by a practical metal stand and some reflective finishes. I also find the brand's writings positioned on the handlebar barrel and on the footrest quite appealing.
PROJECTED IMPACT
Net of what we have told each other, this scooter has satisfied me a lot. Versatile for both teenagers and adults with no age limits and I would even say weight, or at least guaranteed up to 120 kg without performance drops. Very cheap price compared to solutions that we can find online but also at large-scale electronics retailers. I was also convinced by the strength of the vehicle and the finishes and if we then add the IP54 certification then we can define this scooter as a real best buy for those looking for a quality product, with good capabilities and performance.