DThis Niu will soon have to endure complaints. Therefore, one important statement in advance: The MQi GT, the new top model from the Chinese manufacturer, is a capable, smart and friendly vehicle. Young people turn to him.
But you shouldn’t get the idea of using it for the most part outside of built-up areas or of wanting to regularly tackle longer distances as a commuter. That’s not his thing, although, unlike the majority of electric scooters, it is designed for a top speed of 70 km / h.
You therefore need an A1 driver’s license (16+), unless you are content with the version of the MQi GT that is throttled to 45 km / h, for which the driver’s license is sufficient. Both have the same price, 3400 euros, and are therefore quite cheap. In contrast to the slower Niu, the faster Niu is allowed to go on highways or motorways. It remains to be seen whether this is advisable. We got a queasy feeling every time we were on the driveway to the autobahn. With a top speed of 70 km / h you are actually out of place there. The “throttle grip” always on the stop, continuous full power – and yet driven, chased, too lame even for trucks.
Country roads and federal highways don’t feel any better, they are always uncomfortable when cars and trucks cannot overtake and almost push themselves into the back seat. In addition, the Niu already misses the target of 70 km / h on slight inclines. With continuous full current, the energy supply melts between the fingers, as it is with electric vehicles. Another important observation: the more urban, the better.
Driving report
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Niu MQi GT
In the turmoil of the city, the 70-thing Niu is in its element. Here he feels right at home and, in contrast to all the 45 km / h crutches, scores with competitiveness. The way he scurries through the city, almost silently, has an almost ghostly lightness to it. No whirring, no yowling, you hardly hear anything from the drive and you feel as if you are under an acoustic cloak. The engine noise of the four-wheelers and the rolling noise of their tires are all the more noticeable.
With the MQi GT, Niu now has a full-blown scooter in its range. Those who find other models too petite will be happy about the more generous space here, which in return means that small people have to check whether they can cope with the seat height of 816 millimeters and the rather generous step length. A vehicle weight of 112 kilograms shouldn’t be a problem for anyone, although the center of gravity is quite high because the two removable batteries, each weighing a good ten kilograms, are located directly below the seat cushion.
Range of a good 70 kilometers
Its capacity is given in the data sheet as 1488 Wh twice, and the range is a good 70 kilometers. That is an honest, realistic value. During our commuter trips, half outside and half in town, the energy storage devices emptied to 31 to 34 percent over a distance of a good 50 kilometers, for example. You don’t want to let the level drop much lower, because the 48-volt system switches to the emergency mode called E-Save when it is still 15 percent full. From then on, the Niu crawls on at just 25 km / h, and the driver finally feels like a traffic obstacle, like a donkey cart that has accidentally got onto the racing track.
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