Xiaomi M365 Review: Is It Still a Good Buy in 2020?

Review Summary

Xiaomi M365 Specification Score

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

Xiaomi M365 Specification

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

Who SHOULD buy? This is a good choice for the average buyer looking for a basic but good all-round scooter. It is a safe choice for a first electric scooter at an excellent price and well suited for most uses.

Who should NOT buy? If you’re particularly heavy or will regularly go up hills you will want something more powerful. If it is essential you avoid punctures then try alternatives with solid tyres. 

Alternative Scooters to M365

It’s hard to find a worthy alternative to the M365 in it’s price range. In the UK and Europe the Pure Air is probably the best alternative which is available from Pure Electric.

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Xiaomi M365 Overview

This Xiaomi M365 review is not just another about any scooter. The M365 is THE yard stick against which all other electric scooters are compared. It has been the dominant electric scooter since its first release back in 2017. Of course, there are faster, longer range and even smoother riding scooters. But at this price point it is extremely hard to beat.

M365 Clones: You may have come across nearly identical scooters from other manufacturers, sometimes for a lower price than the M365. But be warned, to undercut the price of the M365 there will be compromises somewhere; usually the battery but also other materials or components. Some replicas are a genuinely high standard, but you know where you stand with the original M365.

Design

The design is modern, stylish, understated and sleeker than many alternatives that have come before and since. It’s a winner of a Red Dot design award which is like the Oscar of the design world. The design platform has proven so successful that subsequent models like the Xiamoi Pro and the Ninebot-Segway Max use an almost identical design.

Colour options: Because of how popularity of this scooter there are now a wide range of colour and paint design options to give it a bit more individuality and personality. Some of these styles include an urban cammo design and a safari design.

Durability

Adoption by Bird for ride sharing: Overall the M365 has proven itself as highly durable, but it is not without its problems. Its adoption by many ride sharing companies such as Bird, is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, images of these scooters broken and littering the streets paints a picture of a flimsy throw away item. On the other hand, its design and selection for the global leading ride sharing services means a lot of thought has gone into making something so reliable.

M365 susceptibility to punctures: One known issue with the M365 is its susceptibility to punctures. This is primarily a problem because puncture repair is difficult due to the force required to remove and replace the outer tyre on wheels that are very small compared to a bike. There is an option to change to solid tyres but our view is that this should be a last resort, because this delivers a much harder ride as well as impacting speed, range and grip. Another puncture prevention strategy is using inner tube fillers like Slime and there are options to buy this with tubes already filled. There are an array of alternative solid tyres, but despite some claims, none deliver the ride of old fashioned air filled tyres.

Speed: The M365 easily reaches its advertised top speed of 16 mph. When the battery is fully charges it even exceeds this. The throttle is surprisingly responsive despite being less powerful than some competitors and it is common for first time users to be surprised by its acceleration. However, be warned, both speed and responsiveness will reduce as the battery drains. This is a common characteristic among electric scooters. Performance in the M365 can begin to drop very slightly after about 20% battery usage. After 50% battery the loss of top speed will be a little more noticeable (to about 15 mph). Acceleration and top speed will continue to gradually reduce falling to about 12 mph at very low battery.

Range: 18 mile range is excellent for a scooter at this price point. As with practically every scooter on the market, the real world range will be about 25-35% lower than the manufacturers claimed range. This is the case for the M365 where you can expect closer to 12 miles, depending upon your weight and riding style. 

Power:  The motor is rated at 250W but can deliver max output of up to 500W. This does deliver very respectable acceleration, but if you are heavy or regularly ride up hills this power may not be enough. For everyday use in flat environment it had sufficient power.

Wheels: Ride quality is something you become accustomed to and once you move to a scooter with improved ride it is very difficult to go back. The Xiaomi has 8.5 inch wheels with pneumatic tyres which does deliver a very decent smooth ride, especially when compared to options with solid wheels such as the Ninebot-Segway ES range. However, without suspension it still means potholes or similarly sized holes need to be avoided at all costs. Whilst The Xiaomi M365 feels like a significant step up from a solid wheeled scooter, it is still way behind high end scooters with larger wheels and dual suspension.

Folding compaction: The folding mechanism is a simple design enabling quick compaction. When folded front stem can be used as a handle to carry the scooter.  For most users this level of compaction will be fine for placing in the back of cars and taking on some forms of public transport, but there are certainly more compact scooters on the market.

Weight: Weighing 12.5kg means carrying over short distances or up stairs on occasions is possible without too much trouble, but you would not want to carry any significant distances.

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Capacity: The M365 battery has a reasonable battery capacity at 280Wh, which is very good for the scooter price point.

Charge Time: This relatively disappointing at about 5.5 hrs, equating to 3.3 miles range added for every hour of charge.  This is a slow charging rate compared most electric scooter products on the market

Display: There is no in built display on the M365 but there is a battery power level indicator in the form of four small LEDs on centre of the handlebars. This shows available battery power at an accuracy of 8 increments which is perfectly adequate (each LED is first lit, then flashes as battery power reduces before that LED switches off).

Lights: The front light is integrated into the top centre of the handlebars (unlike some scooters whose light is mounted lower down) and it is surprisingly bright. It has a rear light on the rear fender and it is a nice touch that the rear light flashes when the scooter is breaking.

Brakes: The brakes are high quality for an entry level scooter with a rear disc brake which deliver plenty of braking power. The scooter also can also be slowed down by the motor when releasing the throttle – which also acts as an energy return system to the battery. The degree to which the motor slows the scooter can be adjusted in the scooter app.

Bluetooth: The Bluetooth enables the scooter to connect to an app on the users phone. This is a great addition, allowing you to turn your mobile phone into a display for speed, to change settings, enable cruise control and check battery levels more accurately. There is a scooter lock option which disables the scooter, but it is no substitute for a real lock.

Consensus from Owners

Most independent reviews acknowledge the M365 as an icon of the electric scooter world. However, we were surprised to see at the time of writing this that the amazon.com reviewers only gave the product 3.3 out of 5. Closer inspection revealed there was a large chunk of 1 star reviews disproportionately penalising the scooter for well known and generally resolvable issues.

Punctures was the main complaint: The most common issue was puncture and subsequent tyre change challenges. Another occasional issue is battery loss of power – which is most often caused by breakage of a connection on the battery. We can see that for people without time or tools for DIY, or access to a service centre, these could present a real pain by putting their scooter out of action. However, the rapid growth in outlets willing and able to service these scooters means this is becoming much less of an issue. But that does depend on where you live. So this is a cautionary tale for any electric scooter owner.