Until now, NIU had only offered one high-speed GT version scooter, the NQi-GT. Now, the company’s MQi-series electric scooters are getting their own high-speed version known as the NIU MQi-GT.
The NIU MQi-series has long been the middleweight offering in NIU’s lineup.
It was a step up from the UQi-series but paled in comparison to the larger and more powerful NQi-GT electric scooter.
But that all appears to be changing.
The new NIU MQi-GT takes on a new design that doesn’t just upgrade the aesthetics but also increases the size of the scooter while adding a faster and more powerful motor.
The scooter now features a 3,100W Bosch hub motor that looks likely to be the same as or similar to the NQi-GT’s motor.
It helps boost the top speed of the scooter to 70 km/h (44 mph), an improvement over the previous MQi’s 45 km/h (28 mph) top speed.
The MQi-GT also gets larger 14″ wheels that more easily roll over obstacles and across potholes. Riding two-up is easier now with a seat that is 30% longer than the NQi-series’ seat.
And there’s even an optional wrap-around bumper to protect the scooter’s panels — a nice feature for anyone who likes to play bumper cars when parking or has a habit of occasionally dropping the scooter (I’ll admit that I’ve knocked mine over while charging on an incline once).
The scooter is powered by a pair of 4th Generation NIU 48V and 31Ah battery packs, each packing nearly 1.5 kWh of capacity. Together, they provide a range of up to 80 km (50 miles) and have a recharge time of 4.5 hours.
The MQi-GT appears to be launching only in the EU for now, where it carries an MSRP of €3,399 (approximately US$4,130). However, NIU is offering a discount for the launch month, bringing the price down to just €2,999 (approximately US$3,650).
The launch follows a banner year for NIU, whose stock price has risen by around 400% in the last 12 months. The company just posted its Q4 2020 financial reports, closing out the year with more positive news regarding increased sales and production.
Electrek’s Take
As a NIU NQi-GT Pro owner, I think I might have scooter envy.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my NIU. But this new NIU looks pretty awesome. It doesn’t have the same range as my NQi-GT Pro, which is rated for 140 km, but reliably gives me around 100 km when ridden hard. But it comes in at a lower price and has some interesting upgrades.
I can see this being an incredibly popular option in crowded European cities. The nimble scooter will be large enough to easily carry two adults, but small enough for densely populated areas. And the starting price brings it in well under the more expensive NIU NQi-GT. For riders that don’t need the NQ-GT’s extreme range, that sounds like a great tradeoff.
Now, I just want to know when we’ll get see the new scooter in the rest of the international markets.
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