Xiaomi’s three new electric scooters could be a hit in the UK

Xiaomi has revealed UK availability for the new Mi Smart Band 5, Mi 10 5G and Redmi Note 9, but it’s the three new electric scooters coming to the UK that’ll have many excited – especially considering the popularity of electric scooters around the world, and the changing attitude to e-scooter law in the UK. 

The new Mi Electric Scooter Pro 2 is near-identical to the original Electric Scooter Pro, so Xiaomi calling it “all-new” seems like a bit of a stretch, but still, with a claimed 45km range, 300W brushless motor, dual braking system and top speeds of 25km/h, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The original Mi Electric Scooter Pro was hugely popular around the world for a reason, after all.

You will find an improved 2W front-facing headlight to better illuminate dark journeys, the ability to tackle 20% incline slopes (compared to 12% on the original) and there are more reflectors to make you easier to spot on the road, but that’s not really enough to tempt owners of the first-gen Mi scooter to upgrade.

For those that are tempted, though, it’s available to buy right now from Halfords for £599. 

The more interesting option for many will be the Mi Electric Scooter 1S, which admittedly also looks near-identical to the original, but with a key difference: it’s lighter and more portable. That’s mainly due to the weight – at 12.5kg, it’s just shy of 2kg lighter than the Scooter Pro 2, and that’ll make a difference if you have to carry the electric scooter in and out of tube stations and the like.

There are trade-offs to be had, with a shorter 30km range and slightly less powerful 250W brushless motor, but that shouldn’t make too much of a difference if you’re only using the electric scooter as last-mile transport. The 1S isn’t available to buy just yet, but it’ll be available for £499 from Halfords in September. 

There’s also what we’d consider an entry-level electric scooter dubbed the Mi Electric Scooter Essential, and it’s £100 cheaper than the 1S at £399. It doesn’t go as far or as fast as the others in the electric scooter range, with a range of 20km and a top speed of 20km/h, but it offers a multifunctional dashboard and compatibility with smartphones, allowing access to handy features via the Mi Home app. 

It should also be lighter than the other Mi electric scooters, with a smaller battery and motor, making it the best option of the three for those that want to use a combination of public transport and an electric scooter on their daily commute.

It’s worth emphasising that despite changing attitudes to e-scooters in the UK, with various private hire e-scooter trials going on around the country, it’s still currently illegal for privately-owned scooters to be used on public roads and pathways. 

For more on e-scooters, take a look at our selection of the best electric scooters, and if you want something legal to ride in the UK right now, we recommend an electric bike.