NIU KQi 100F Electric Scooter

NIU rates the rear hub motor at 300 W with a 600 W peak and 18 N·m of torque, driven by a sine-wave (FOC) controller. There are four modes: Pedestrian (3.7 mph), E-Save (9.3 mph), Sport (17.4 mph) and a Custom mode you set in the NIU app. ERideHero measured a 17.4 mph top speed with GPS and 0 to 15 mph in 7.2 seconds on average. Hills are the weakness. NIU's 15% climb rating is for a 165 lb rider at a constant 5 mph. ERideHero's 175 lb rider averaged 6 mph up an 8% grade and could not get up its 17% test hill, and the reviewer suggests riders over about 220 lb avoid hilly routes.

At 17.4 mph the 100F is under the 20 mph ceiling in New York's e-scooter definition (VTL §114-e) and New Jersey's under-19 mph line, but above California's 15 mph limit for motorized scooters (Vehicle Code §22411), so California riders must hold it to 15 mph. California also requires a driver's license or instruction permit (§21235). Pennsylvania does not allow e-scooters on public roads. Scooters are not e-bikes, so the US e-bike classes do not apply.

NIU markets a 48 V battery; the manual rates it at 46.8 V and 243 Wh, which matches 46.8 V × 5.2 Ah. NIU claims 18 miles and, unusually, says how it got there: a 165 lb (75 kg) rider at a constant 9.3 mph on a flat road at 77°F with a full battery. That is the E-Save speed cap, not Sport mode. Our own estimate for a 175 to 180 lb rider at full speed is about 9 to 11 miles: 243 Wh divided by 22 to 27 Wh per mile, the middle half of 32 published full-speed range tests of commuter scooters. ERideHero's measurements below agree. Plan on a round trip of under about 10 miles. A full charge takes 5 to 6 hours on the 54.6 V, 1 A charger, per NIU (ERideHero timed about 4.5 hours), and the app can cap charging at 80% or 90% to spare the battery.

ERideHero, with a 175 lb rider, measured:

The 100F rides on 9.5 × 2.3-inch pneumatic tires with inner tubes (NIU recommends 45 to 50 psi) and a front spring fork with 36 mm of travel; there is no rear suspension. NIU's US page calls the fork a spring fork while its global page calls it hydraulic; we go with the US page, which ERideHero also describes. Tubed tires ride softly but can puncture, and a flat means changing the tube. Braking is a front drum plus the motor's regenerative brake, with one brake lever; the regen strength is adjustable in the app. ERideHero measured 12.8 ft to stop from 15 mph. Freshly Charged reports about 27 ft from full speed, using a different method. NIU rates it IPX5 in its US spec table and manual (its global page says IP55), and the lights include an LED headlight, a brake light, side reflectors and bar-end turn signals with a hazard mode.

Read the marketing with care. NIU's US copy pitches it "from city to off-road", but its own manual limits riding to flat pavement, curbs no higher than 0.4 in (1 cm) and gaps no wider than 1.2 in (3 cm). Folded with the bars down it measures 45.4 x 7.2 x 19.9 inches, narrow enough for a car trunk or a hallway, and at 38.8 lb it is a manageable carry for most adults. The rider limit is 265 lb, and NIU's age floor is 14.

NIU states the KQi 100F is UL 2272 certified, and the manual carries a UL mark for the KQi 100P and 100F, but neither NIU nor the Amazon listing names a certificate or file number, and we could not verify it in a certifier's directory. UL 2272 is the fire and electrical safety standard for scooters, and since September 16, 2023, New York City's Local Law 39 has required e-scooters sold there to be certified to it (NYC DCWP). If your building asks for proof, ask NIU for the certificate before you buy.

No CPSC or SaferProducts recall found for the NIU KQi 100F or any NIU kick scooter as of October 25, 2026 (CPSC recalls). Our electric scooter safety guide explains how to check a listing's claim.

• NIU KQi2 Pro ($199.99 at our last check): the same 300 W rated, 600 W peak motor and 17.4 mph, a bigger 365 Wh battery and 10-inch tubeless tires, but no suspension, no turn signals and no folding bar. ERideHero measured 19.8 miles on it against 11.38 on the 100F at the same pace. NIU's US store tags it OLD.
• NIU KQi 300P ($749): twice the battery (486.7 Wh), a 450 W rated motor, 20 mph, 10.5-inch tubeless tires, a hydraulic fork and disc brakes front and rear, at about 46 lb. The pick if your commute is longer or hillier.
• Hiboy S2 ($299.98): a cheaper, bigger-battery budget scooter with solid 8.5-inch tires and rear suspension, no turn signals.

Buy the KQi 100F if your trip is flat, under about 10 miles round trip, and you have to store or carry the scooter: the folding bar, front suspension and turn signals are hard to find together at this weight. The 2-year warranty covers the battery, motor, frame and controller.

Skip it if your route has steep hills, you weigh over about 220 lb and ride hills, or you need more than 10 miles each way. The KQi 300P or a 400 to 500 Wh scooter from our best electric scooters for commuting guide will serve you better. Skip it too if your building needs a UL 2272 certificate number, since NIU has not published one.