autoevolution
 

NIU Is Cool Chinese Smart eScooter That Costs Under $1000

There might be a ton of electric scooters out there said to revolutionize the way we can travel in congested cities. But if they cost as much as a midsize motorcycle, there’s no way this will take off. There is, however, one Chinese company that looks to have the answer.
NIU N1S Civic 13 photos
Photo: NIU
NIU N1S CivicNIU N1S CivicNIU N1S CivicNIU N1S CivicNIU N1S CivicNIU N1S CivicNIU N1S CivicNIU N1S CivicNIU N1S CivicNIU N1S CivicNIU N1S CivicNIU N1S Civic
Meet the NIU smart scooter - a low-cost, short-range electric two-wheeler that offers you eco freedom and mobility all for about $800, allegedly. That’s even cheaper than some electric bicycles.

“The goal we set for ourselves was to find the solution to the problem of city traffic,” Niu Technology co-founder Token Hu said. “After a lot of research about the situation in China, US, and Europe, we don’t think electric cars can solve the problem. There are enough cars on the road already.”

“We thought about the last mile problem when we first started thinking about the product, but when we were doing our research, we found it’s not only the last mile. Every day people travel to work, meetings, grab a coffee, or meet friends, the average distance is 3-6 kilometers. Everyone does about that distance. So we asked ourselves, what kind of vehicle can conveniently travel that distance?”

And that’s how the NIU scooter came to life. It was first shown to the public on June 1, 2015 in China. Two weeks later, the company launched the largest crowd funding pre-sale in the country, with preorders reaching nearly $11,000,000 in fifteen days.

Last year, the company went global and launched an updated international version of the scooter, known as the NIU N1S Civic. This model comes with a larger electric motor that can generate as much as 2.4 kW (3.2 HP). It also comes with a larger battery and can achieve a top speed of 45 km/h (28 mph).

What’s more interesting is that the 29 Ah battery only weighs 10 kg (22 lb) and can easily be detached to take it with you in your home or office for recharging. This also means you can have more than one, each offering a maximum range of 80 km (50 miles).

Pair all these features with the low price and you get yourself one of the most attractive personal mobility vehicles.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories