Since the Xiaomi 1S has been on the market for over a year, it was high time to give this model a proper test as well. Released in 2020, the Xiaomi scooter is one of the successors to the (now discontinued) Xiaomi M365.
Its simplicity, ease of use and competitive price have made the 1S a much-chosen e-scooter among adults in just one year.
But what should you expect from a Xiaomi scooter with an average price of less than £400? Is cheap also expensive, or is this the e-scooter that should be on your wish list? We take you through our in-depth review.
Long story short
The Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter 1S was presented on 22 April 2020. The scooter is designed for adults and, due to its folding mechanism and weight of only 12.5, it can be used well with a car or public transport.
The frame does not have suspension, but the pneumatic tyres provide light cushioning for uneven road surfaces.
The 250W motor gives the scooter a maximum speed of 25 km/h. Under ideal conditions, you have a range of 30 kilometres on a full battery. The front and rear of the scooter are equipped with lights, with the rear light also serving as a brake light.
Via the Mi Home app, you connect the 1S to your smartphone to view stats and make updates. With an average price tag of less than £400, the Xiaomi 1S is one of the cheapest e-scooters on the market.
The main pluses and minuses of the Xiaomi 1S
| Plus points | Minuses |
| + Range of 30 kilometres on a full battery | – An empty battery takes 5.5 hours to fully charge |
| + Equipped with two sturdy 8.5″ pneumatic tyres | – The rear wing is not sturdy enough to rest a foot on |
| + Easy to lift with a total weight of 12.5 kg | |
| + Sharply priced with an average price tag of less than £400 | |
| + Folded up within 3 seconds to take with you on public transport |
Unboxing
Upon delivery of the Xiaomi 1S, in addition to the scooter itself, you get the following items included:
- 1x charger
- 5x screws
- 1x manual
- 1x spare tyre
- 1x extension piece for valve
- 1x T-hand screwdriver
First time on the road
Before you can take your first ride, you need to secure the handlebars. You secure it with the supplied T-hand screwdriver and screws. Within a minute, the two screws on the front and back of the handlebars are secured and the scooter is almost ready to be used.
If you switch on the scooter for the first time, you will hear it beep and see lights flashing on the display. By connecting to the scooter via the Mi Home app, you can register and activate the 1S. Here, you will also be shown an instructional video on how to use the vehicle safely. After completing these steps, you are ready to hit the road.
Please note that on delivery, the battery is usually more than 50% fully charged. Nevertheless, to preserve the battery’s capacity, it is recommended to fully charge the battery before its first use.
Tyres and ride comfort
The 1S features two 8.5″ wheels with 4mm profile. While other brands still sometimes switch between pneumatic and solid tyres, Xiaomi has stuck to air-filled tyres for years.
Although you run the risk of punctures with pneumatic tyres, this type of tyre is undoubtedly our preferred choice. You can ride over gravel just fine without every pebble causing vibrations in the handlebars. Nevertheless, we do not recommend using the Xiaomi 1S as a true off-road scooter.
The tyres have a small bicycle valve. You can connect a normal bicycle pump or an electric pump to this valve. Upon delivery of the scooter, you will also receive an extension piece which you can put on the valve to make pumping up easier.
As tyre pressure also affects riding comfort, maximum speed and range, it is advisable to keep it at the right level at all times. The ideal tyre pressure of the Xiaomi 1S is between 3-3.5 bar (43-50 PSI).
Acceleration and top speed
The Xiaomi 1S works with a well-known kick-start. This means you take off with one foot after which you can accelerate. This start system ensures that you cannot unintentionally shoot away from standstill.
The scooter has a maximum construction speed of 25 km/h. In the centre of the display is a button that allows you to switch between three modes:
- Pedestrian mode: up to 6 km/h
- Drive mode: up to a maximum of 20 km/h
- Sport mode: up to a maximum of 25 km/h
In Sport mode, we reached maximum speed after 6 seconds during our test. Keep in mind that using the scooter in Sport mode drains the battery substantially faster than driving in Drive mode.
The braking system
The brakes on the Xiaomi 1S consist of E-ABS brakes at the front and disc brakes at the rear. E-ABS stands for ‘Electronic Anti-Braking System, which prevents the front wheel from locking while braking. Good for your safety.
You operate the brakes with the handbrake on the left side of the handlebars. We have to say that the braking system works fine for a scooter costing less than £400. During our brake test, we clocked a braking distance of 1.39 seconds at a speed of 20 km/h.
The range
If there is one thing we have learned about e-scooters over the years, it is that the range in the booklet regularly differs from the actual range.
Under ideal conditions, the Xiaomi 1S has a range of 30 kilometres, according to the manufacturer. Whether you actually achieve these kilometres depends (mainly, but not only) on:
- Tyre pressure
- The speed at which you drive
- The weight at which the scooter is loaded
For instance, in ‘Sport mode’ (up to 25 km/h) we were able to cover about 22 kilometres, where in ‘Drive mode’ it was just under 30 kilometres. So if you want to cover the maximum number of kilometres on a full battery, use mainly second gear.
That leaves the question: how does the Xiaomi 1S perform against other Xiaomi models when it comes to range? Here are the differences:
| Model | Range | Average price |
| Xiaomi Pro 2 | 45 kilometres | £462 |
| Xiaomi 1S | 30 kilometres | £299 |
| Xiaomi Scooter 3 | 30 kilometres | £425 |
| Xiaomi Essential | 20 kilometres | £292 |
Doing the math on the price-to-actile range ratio, the 1S is the cheapest Xiaomi scooter per kilometre. This makes this model a very interesting choice when choosing Xiaomi.
Charging
The Xiaomi 1S features a 280 Wh NE1003-H Lithium ion battery. You can fully charge an empty battery within 5.5 hours. Xiaomi guarantees 500 charges with more than 70% power retention.
The charging port is located on the front left side of the deck. The connector is covered with a red, magnetic, rubber which should prevent dirt in the contact.
There is a light on the charger that indicates when the scooter is fully charged. To maintain the battery, it is advisable not to completely empty the battery every time you ride, but to charge it when it is still 20-30% full.
Portability and weight
The Xiaomi 1S one of the lightest adult e-scooters currently available. This makes the scooter extremely suitable for use with public transport. When folded, the 1S has dimensions of 108 x 43 x 49 cm. This also makes it possible to transport the scooter in the boot of a car.
To fold the scooter, perform the following two operations:
- Pull up and fold back the lever at the bottom of the steering tube
- Fold back the handlebars until they engage with the rear wheel
After a few practices, you can fold the scooter within seconds. In our opinion, folding the 1S is smoother than we experienced while reviewing the Xiaomi Scooter 3. Once folded, you can lift the scooter with you by the handlebar tube.
The handlebar and dashboard
The handlebar and dashboard are straightforward and leave little to the imagination. The (non-adjustable) handlebars are 43 centimetres wide and 114 centimetres high. With the left thumb you can operate the bell and with the right thumb you accelerate.
Tip: the right side of the handlebar leaves just enough room for a smartphone holder. Ideal if you occasionally want to use the navigation on your phone:
In the centre of the display is the function button. The following functions can be operated with it:
| Operation | Function |
| 1x press | Switch on the scooter |
| Press once when the scooter is switched on | Lighting on / off |
| Press 2x when the scooter is switched on | Changing gears |
| Press and hold for 3 seconds | Switch off the scooter |
The lighting
You are highly visible to fellow road users in the dark thanks to the bright LED lights at the front and rear. The rear light also works as a brake light. If you press the hand brake, the rear light will flash. Both wheels are also equipped with reflectors for a bit of extra visibility.
The deck
Since the success of the Xiaomi M365, Xiaomi has hardly deviated from its classic, black-and-grey, design. So too with the Xiaomi 1S. The deck is covered with a contrasting light-grey coating with a non-slip profile.
At 56 cm long and 14 cm wide, there is enough room to accommodate both feet. The deck is connected to the rear mudguard at the back. This wing is also the attachment point where the handlebars fold against, when you fold the scooter.
Good to know: the rear mudguard is definitely not meant to put your foot on it, nor does it serve as a foot brake. If you do, there is a good chance that it will break off after a few times.
Mi Home app
With the Mi Home app, you can connect the Xiaomi 1S to your smartphone via bluetooth. In the app, you can view data such as battery level, mileage and range at the current battery percentage.
You also get to see maintenance notifications via the app and can download firmware updates here. In addition, you can lock the scooter in the app. This locks the motor. While this is a nice functionality, you still need a lock to properly secure your scooter against theft.
The Mi Home app can be downloaded for Android and IOS here:
Technical specifications Xiaomi 1S
| Specs | Xiaomi 1S |
| Maximum speed | 25 km/h |
| Range | 30 km |
| Number of speed modes | 3 |
| Weight | 12,5 kg |
| Load weight | 100 kg |
| Charging time | 5,5 hours |
| Wheel size | 8,5″ |
| Tyre type | Pneumatic tyres |
| Power | 250W (500W max. output) |
| Battery | 280 Wh |
| Dimensions unfolded | 108 x 43 x 114 cm |
| Dimensions folded | 108 x 43 x 49 cm |
| Maximum slope | 14% |
| Braking system | Hand brake (front E-ABS brakes, rear disc brakes) |
| Standard | Yes |
| Lighting | Yes |
| Brake light | Yes |
| Reflectors | Yes |
| Waterproof | IP54 |
The final verdict
The Xiaomi 1S can call itself one of the lightest and cheapest e-scooters currently available. We can therefore conclude that this model is a very suitable choice for most adults. Its light weight, easy handling and above all its affordability make it one of the best options in the mid-range segment.
