Ninebot Segway ES2 & ES4 Review

Review Summary

ES2 Specification Score

ES4 Specification Score

Note: All scores are derived directly from scooter specifications using consistent formula. This enables objective comparisons between products.

ES2 & ES4 Specifications

Note: Fixed color coding rules are applied consistently across all products to ensure objective assessment of specifications.

Who SHOULD buy? ES2 is a good entry scooter level for a first time buyer who wants guarantee avoiding punctures (whilst accepting a slight sacrifice in ride quality). Buy if you want an option to upgrade to the ES4 later without having to buy an entirely new scooter!

Who should NOT buy? If you will regularly be going over rough hard ground the solid rubber tyres are a little bit jarring compared to pneumatic.

ES2 & ES4 Overview

For those who are not familiar, Ninebot-Segway, (often shortened to Ninebot), is a close cousin of the Xiaomi (the huge Chinese mobile phone manufacturer and maker of global best seller Xiaomi M365 scooter). Xiaomi partly owns Ninebot-Segway and the two companies collaborate in the manufacture of electric scooters, under different brands. Segway (a familiar brand Europe and North America) was acquired by Ninebot, making them one of the world’s biggest electric scooter manufacturers. This scale and brand recognition brings buyers a certain amount of reassurance. The Ninebot ES range of scooters have been on the market since 2017 and remain popular entry level scooters which have stood the test of time.

Upgrade with additional battery: Ability to upgrade by purchasing an additional battery is a major feature of the ES range. This is a clever design which offers excellent flexibility, but it also leads to confusing naming conventions! The ES1 becomes the ES3 after a battery upgrade and the ES2 becomes the ES4 after a battery upgrade. There are options to buy upgraded ES3 or ES4 as a bundle when first purchasing the scooter, or to simply upgrade later by buying the extra battery separately.

Used as hire scooters demonstrated durable build: Many people were first introduced to the ES2 whilst using one on a holiday as some cities are use this model as a hire scooter. This is a positive indication that these scooters are built to withstand heavy use with limited maintenance.

Design

Sleek looks: The ES2 offers a sleek design which is arguably more modern than its famous cousin the M365 –  this is high praise . The fundamentals of the ES2 design is mirrored throughout all the scooters in the ES range. It’s under the deck lighting gives an even more space age look.

Battery in the stem: One key design feature is that the battery is in the front stem (rather than the more common location under the base plate). This gives a sleeker deck and slightly more ground clearance but does slightly compromise stability by placing weight higher up in the scooter, as well as placing limitations on battery size.  This is why the upgraded battery on the ES4 sticks out slightly from the stem.

Solid tyres are another key element of the ES scooter range which eliminates the risk of punctures (a big issue with some electric scooters as they can be hard to fix). Many will choose from the Ninebot ‘ES range’ of scooters for this reason, but there is a price to pay in ride comfort.

Another feature about the ES range is they can be used as a normal kick scooter when switched off (as there is no drag from the motor). This may appeal in scenarios where the scooter runs out of battery or if the rider simply chooses to propel themselves without using the motor for some of their journey to get some exercise.

Performance is where the extra battery on the ES4 makes a significant difference by delivering a noticeable increase in top speed and range.

Speed: ES2 top speed of 15.5 mph is respectable and a very welcome improvement on the rather slow ES1. But if you feel it’s not enough, the optional extra battery upgrade to the ES4 gives a superior 18.5 mph speed. This is great but it is at the edge of how fast you would want to go without larger wheels or more substantial suspension.

Range: The ES2 claimed range of 15.5 miles falls to more like 10 in real world conditions depending upon your weight and riding style. Some reports have been as low as 8 miles so it is important to bear that in mind. So if you plan on doing any round trips that are further than this – consider the the upgraded ES4 which claims a 28 mile range with real world range just under 20 miles.

Power: 300 W motor on both ES2 and ES4 is a welcome improvement from the lower entry level ES1 helping to make up hill riding slightly less sluggish. It is suitable for shallow hills but will still see significant loss of speed on anything steep.

Max Load: 100 kg max load will be more than adequate for most users and scenarios. This is in line with the majority of electric scooters

Wheels: The ES2 has 8″ front wheel and 7.5″ rear wheels. Both have solid tyres which means you don’t have to worry about punctures – but solid rubber tyres do compromise ride quality and this wheel size is slightly smaller than the average.

Suspension: The ES2 has front and rear shock absorption (the ES1 only has shock absorption on the front). This provides some cushioning from bumps but there isn’t nearly enough travel in the suspension compared to more substantial suspension systems on some scooters. So despite the basic suspensions the actual ride quality still does not quite match the feel of pneumatic tyres on its competitor the M365. But ride quality isn’t far off, making it a good compromise if avoiding punctures is a priority.

Other: Whilst it has a sturdy frame it is still quite a small scooter with limited room on the deck. Most riders will adjust to this, placing one food in front of the other whilst riding (which is better for stability anyway), but if you ave very large feet the small deck may bother you.

Weight: At 12.5kg the ES2 remains relatively light, and suitable for carrying short distances. There is a slight compromise in portability of the ES4 due to the extra 1.5 kg of weight from the extra battery.

Folding size: The compact and simple folding design remains a selling point for the ES2. However, it does not have the folding handlebars and retracting stem design characteristic of some ultra compact scooters. The ES4 does add a little bit of bulk around the stem but this makes no difference to the length, width or height size envelope – so should does really make a difference to storage options.

Capacity: A modest capacity of 187 Wh helps keep the overall cost of the ES2 down whilst enabling a respectable range. But the ES4 sees a doubling of this capacity to 374 Wh. These benefits are mainly seen in the scooter range.

Charging: It takes a total of 3.5 hours to fully charge the ES2, and 7 hours to charge the ES4. This equates to adding about 4.4 miles of range for every hour of charge for the ES2. Slightly lower 4 mile range per hour is added when charging the ES4. This is because the ES4 goes faster and is unable to get quite the same range for an equivalent capacity as the slower ES2.

Lights: The ES2 has an integrated front light which is bright enough, for visability as well as also has multiple brake lights on the rear. But the most notable lights feature is a slightly space age under-glow lighting which illuminates under the scooter deck (the colour and patter of this can be changes via the app settings). This is a cool feature for some – a gimmick for others, but either way it contributes to visibility.

Display: Display indicates speed, battery power and your driving mode. Cruise control works by holding throttle at a specific speed for a period of time after which the scooter will retain this speed when the throttle is released.

Bluetooth: Enables you to lock scooter, and control various settings, update firmware, adjust the under-deck lighting and adjust the sensitivity of the electronic brake.

Brakes: The ES2 like the ES1, mainly relies on electronic regenerative brakes activated by a thumb lever on the left which is very similar to the throttle on the right of the handlebars. This takes some getting used to but otherwise perform well enough. Putting too much pressure on the electronic brake can feel unstable which is particularly noticeable when first riding but becomes soon becomes intuitive. There is an additional brake on the rear which involves putting your foot on the rear fender to press against the back wheel. Regular kick-scooter riders may be familiar with this type of braking system but it generally it is not well suited to faster and heavier electric scooters and is often seen as a fallback option.

Conclusion

The choice between the ES2 and the ES4 depends on your circumstances – but what the combination really offers is flexibility. Having the ES4 is is particularly useful if you only occasionally go on longer trips, but generally just use it to short distances locally. But the price of the ES4 does start to put you into competition with scooters that may be an overall improved package. But if you are used to the design of the ES models then the upgrade is an excellent way of sticking with what you know but improving performance.