Review

ELECTRIC scooters are growing in popularity as a transport alternative in bustling cities. Often quicker (and cheaper in the long term) than public transport, and more agile than even the smallest car, e-scooters also benefit from being free of registration and insurance costs that are making other forms or urban transport prohibitive.

And while there is a lot of contention around the legality of e-bikes and e-scooters, there are those that fit within the constraints of the law, offering riders a legal, affordable, and enjoyable way to get to where they need to go.

Case in point, the Segway Ninebot E3 Pro. Priced from $1199 and backed by a 12-month warranty, the model fits all the criteria current laws require, while also being a little more grown-up in its application.

According to its manufacturer, the E3 Pro is “designed for adult riders who demand performance, comfort, and reliability”, and is equipped with a wide deck, intuitive controls, and responsive braking, as well as ‘SegRide’ elastomer dual suspension to ensure “a comfortable ride on all terrains”.

The E3 Pro arrives well packaged ensuring it is undamaged in transit, and once unpacked is a breeze to set up. Just four bolts and one electrical connector have the E3 Pro on its wheels and ready for the next step.

From here, a quick plug into the charger and a scan of a QR code is all it takes to pair the E3 Pro to your phone (via Bluetooth), providing not only a modicum of security, but access to one of the slickest apps in the business – one far better than even many high-end car manufacturers seem capable of delivering.

The Segway Mobility app is simple to set up and supports Apple FindMy location services (in case you forget where you parked). We updated the firmware quickly before our first ride, before adjusting the settings to our preference.

It is easy to pullover and do this quickly as required, something we found handy when adjusting the level of braking regeneration in varying terrains. You may also activate Guard Mode, change power and lighting settings, start speed, and even run diagnostics from the app as required.

Recharging from empty takes seven hours via the provided 240-volt adapter, the charging port located on the side of the deck above the front wheel, and not underneath as is often the case with electric kick scooters. This is great for those times when the underside of the scooter is wet after your daily commute.

Segway says a full charge is sufficient to travel 55km – though of course this depends on the accessories in use, speed travelled, weight of the rider, and the terrain encountered. In adverse conditions (steep hills, travelling at maximum speed, and with a heavy adult rider) we managed 18km.

The E3 Pro is equipped with a 368Wh battery as standard and is available optionally with a 184Wh external add-on (which attaches to the stem) to increase range up to 80km.

We sampled the E3 Pro in admittedly hilly terrain close to home and found larger inclines a challenge. The 36-volt / 800-watt motor held its own until a climb of 18 degrees or more was reached, the regenerative function (which is adjustable via the app) providing valuable regeneration on the downhill run.

On flat ground, acceleration is steady, and impeccably smooth. The E3 Pro gets up to its electronically limited top speed of 25km/h with very little fuss, the thumb throttle and simple push switch offering control over speed, cruise control (yes, you read that correctly!), lighting, and drive modes.

The E3 Pro is equipped with three drive modes: Eco, Drive, and Sport. We preferred the response in Drive or Sport when cruising around the suburbs, enjoying the off-the-mark acceleration offered when crossing intersections and the like.

We also found the ride quality a lot better than other scooters we have sampled. The elastomer suspension soaks up bumps and ruts very well, while the sticky 10-inch tubeless tyres offer an enjoyable level of grip for a bit of fun in the corners.

Lean with the scooter in the bends, and you’ll be surprised at how well the E3 Pro hangs on. The angle of the headstock helps to stabilise the E3 Pro when encountering mid-corner bumps, and feels impressively stable, even when it’s a little damp out.

If we were to be a touch picky, though, we’d have liked a slightly longer deck on which to place our feet. Though the E3 Pro already offers one of the longest decks in its segment, it could do with another 80-100mm to be truly comfortable to grown-up riders.

Our only other real criticism of the model is that friction braking (as opposed to regenerative braking) is carried out only via the front wheel. The action of the drum brake itself is strong and repeatable, but is heavily front biased, meaning you’ll need to counter hard stops by leaning back a little to prevent falling forward.

Impressively, the E3 Pro is fitted with standard (and switchable) traction control, which is remarkably clever in keeping the rear wheel from ‘spinning up’ when riding in the wet or over loose gravel etc.

Like many four-wheeled vehicles, the traction light is presented on the 3.0-inch instrument panel along with speed, range, state of charge, and indicator and light displays. The display is easy to read and remains so even in full sunlight.

The all-LED lighting is highly energy efficient and bright enough that you can both see and be seen. The 4-watt headlight illuminates around 15 metres ahead, while the tail/brake-light is visible from a considerable distance away.

Coloured under deck lighting (with 256 colours to choose from) is a bit of fun, but in the interests of conserving power was switched off after a couple of rides.

If you need a little more versatility from your electric kick scooter, you’ll be pleased to know you can option the E3 Pro with a bottle cage (drink bottle holder), rear-view mirror, stem bag, rear bag, and a handy rear-wheel cargo pack.

Segway builds the E3 Pro on a magnesium frame, providing not only strength, but lightness as well. It can carry up to 100kg of passenger and payload, the entire vehicle weighing just 17kg. It is easily folded to pop in your car, or for carrying up and down stairs.

The manufacturer says it tested the frame and suspension for over 400,000 cycles and a distance of 200,000km before launching the model to market.

And it’s the kind of figures that make hardened vehicle testers like us feel a little more comfortable in recommending the E3 Pro, given many competitors out there arrive with no R&D credentials whatsoever.

Couple this point with generally good ergonomics and a level of fit and finish that is extremely hard to fault and we think the Segway Ninebot E3 Pro is a terrific choice for buyers wanting a quality scooter for a reasonable price.