NIU launches new lighter, stronger carbon fiber electric scooters
NIU, the Beijing-based power player in the electric scooter market, has just released a pair of new electric scooters. Unlike the moped-style rides that the company is most famous for, these are standing scooters. Meet the NIU KQi Air and KQi Air X.
Crafted of a carbon fiber frame, the KQi Air X tips the scales at just 25.8 lb (11.7 kg). For a ride that can hit 20 mph (32 km/h), that’s pretty impressive.
Or at least, it’s impressive for Americans. If you’re in Europe then you’ll have a lower 25 km/h speed limit. And if you’re in Germany, you’ve got a double foul with an even lower 20 km/h limit (that’s 12 mph in screamin’ eagle freedom units). Well, at least you can enjoy your extra long range!
The scooters have a maximum range of between 28-31 miles (45-50 km), depending which spec sheet or website page you believe. That’s thanks to the relatively large 451 Wh LG battery. But of course you’re only going to get that awesome range if you’re sticking to slower speeds. So ride like a German if you want to go far, apparently.
Both the KQi Air and KQi Air X have a 350W motor rated for 700W of peak power and can climb a maximum grade of 20%. They ride on 9.5×2.3″ tires, feature front disc brakes and rear regenerative braking, a half-twist throttle, and both front and rear LED lighting. The front headlight is NIU’s signature halo light, and there are also turn signals built into the handlebar ends.
The scooters feature “5 hour fast charging”, which sounds like an oxymoron to me.
“Hey Jimmy, can you come out and ride?”
“Sorry fellas, I’ll have to meet you in five hours when my fast charger is done.”
To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with a 5-hour recharge time. That’s pretty standard and most people simply charge overnight anyway. But let’s not play fast and loose with the word “fast”. Or “loose”, while we’re at it.
The NIU app, which works across NIU’s various models of standing scooters, seated scooters, bikes and motorcycles, allows riders to access features like NFC smart unlocking, ride stats, Bluetooth connectivity, over-the-air updates, and more. I use the NIU app for my own electric scooter (the seated variety) and it’s both slick and effective – not gimmicky.
As far as I can tell, the main difference between the two scooters unveiled today is that the non-X version is 0.4 pounds (180 grams) heavier, and also comes with a red or white on black colorway. The ever-so-slightly lighter KQi Air X benefits from an entirely carbon fiber frame (as opposed to a carbon and magnesium/aluminum frame), and comes in a gold on black colorway.
Oh, and there’s a price difference too. The KQi Air has an MSRP of US $1,399 while the KQi Air X comes in at US $1,799. It looks like there will be an early-bird promotion when pre-orders open on September 19, dropping the price to just US $949.
Electrek’s Take
Oh. My. God. A half-twist throttle! There’s a lot to like here but I’m nerding out over perhaps the simplest feature of the entire scooter. There are four main types of throttles out there in the scooter world (full-twist, half-twist, thumb, index finger), but there’s only one correct throttle: half-twist.
Half twist throttles are simply superior. They allow you to keep all five fingers securely wrapped around the handle bar, aren’t effected by rough terrain that would have your thumb bouncing up and down on a thumb throttle, and offer the most control (twisting the hand is a much finer motor skill than wagging a thumb). And unlike full-twist throttles, they don’t have the danger of accidentally catching the bar end on an obstacle and activating the throttle. This is a hill I’m prepared to die on, and so I’m glad to see a half-twist throttle here.
Much of the rest of the scooter is also impressive to me. I love the lightweight design, and anyone who regularly carries their scooter up more than two or three steps will appreciate.
The only downside is the price. You get a lot here (NIU’s app connectivity is second to none, in my opinion), but damn those are some expensive prices. Especially when you’re not getting any suspension either, you better really love the NIU ecosystem.
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British Columbia got its first 400 kW DC fast charger last week at Canadian C-store chain On The Run, but that’s not the good part. As part of a limited time offer, these chargers are FREE!
The Canadian convenience store chain just took the wraps off its new, ABB-developed, 400 kW chargers earlier this month, but they’re already planning to bring the ultra-fast 400 kW dispensers to at least four more locations in BC this spring, and have them online just in time for the summer road trip season – something On The Run hopes its customers will appreciate.
“The A400 charger delivers an enhanced customer experience, with reliability and performance from a 32-inch screen to higher power charging sessions and power sharing,” reads the company’s official announcement, via LinkedIn. “Download the Journie Rewards app to start the charge – free for a limited time.”
On The Run’s new 400 kW ABB DC fast chargers are compatible with CCS and CHAdeMO plugs, and can accommodate Tesla and other NACS-equipped vehicles with an adapter. That said, the company seems to imply that Tesla drivers in particular will have a maximum charging speed of “just” 50 kW, which feel hilarious (given the current state of affairs between Tesla and the Canadian government), but probably isn’t.
In addition to the ABB A400 400 kW units shown here, On The Run locations also employ the ABB Terra 184 dispensers rated at 180 kW. On The Run plans similar deployments at the four BC locations mentioned above, as well as two more each in Quebec and Ontario slated to go live towards the end of this year.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla’s controversial CEO Elon Musk once mocked 350 kW charging speed as being “for a child’s toy,” despite the fact that, nearly nine years later, his own cars and Superchargers can barely make it to 325 kW while others have sailed right on past. I made fun of that fact on the Quick Charge episode shown, above – and, while I do think it’s funny and relevant, the much more relevant piece of news here is that companies like BP Pulse, Revel, and Wallbox are actively deploying 400 kW solutions, today (while others hit the same mark as far back as 2017).
It’s just a fact: Tesla has fallen way behind.
SOURCE | IMAGES: On The Run, via Electric Autonomy.
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Terawatt Infrastructure‘s first medium- and heavy-duty electric charging truck stop in California is now online, in Rancho Dominguez.
Located 12 miles north of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the private Rancho Dominguez site, which is shared among multiple fleets, will support electric trucking fleet operations in and out of the largest container ports in the US.
First customers include Dreaded Trucking, Hight Logistics, PepsiCo, Quick Container Drayage, Southern Counties Express, Tradelink Transport, and WestCoast Trucking & Warehousing.
Terawatt’s electric charging truck stop features 20 pull-through and bobtail DC fast charging stalls with a capacity of 7 megawatts (MW), enabling charging for up to 125 trucks per day using a simple reservations system. Terawatt’s site features a proprietary charge management system, in-house technicians, 24/7 customer service, and onsite parts management.
“This launch underscores growing collaboration between enterprises, shippers, carriers, and charging infrastructure providers to advance sustainable technologies across logistics and transportation operations, especially in the medium and heavy-duty sectors,” said Neha Palmer, CEO and cofounder of Terawatt. Palmer added that the company will bring another charging site online in Rialto, California, in June.
Terawatt joined some of the world’s largest shippers and carriers in September 2024 to launch the I-10 Consortium heavy-duty EV operations pilot, the “first-ever US over-the-road electrified corridor.” Terawatt is providing charging infrastructure, including software, operations, and maintenance support at six of its owned charging hubs along the I-10 corridor.
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In its most aggressive attack against offshore wind yet, the Trump administration halted the $5 billion Empire Wind 1, already under construction off New York’s coast.
Norwegian developer Equinor announced yesterday that it received notice from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) ordering Empire Wind 1 to halt all activities on the outer continental shelf until BOEM has completed its review. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum posted this tweet yesterday:
Burgum gave no indication of what insufficiencies there were in the approval process for the fully permitted offshore wind project, despite Trump’s recent declaration of a national energy emergency that speeds up permitting processes.
The commercial lease for the 810-megawatt (MW) Empire Wind 1’s federal offshore wind area was signed in March 2017 during the first Trump administration. It was approved by the Biden administration in November 2023 and began construction in 2024.
The project is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Empire Wind 1, which was due to come online in 2027, has the potential to power 500,000 New York homes.
“Halting construction of fully permitted energy projects is the literal opposite of an energy abundance agenda,” said American Clean Power Association CEO Jason Grumet in a statement. “We encourage the administration to quickly address perceived inadequacies in the prior permit approvals so that this project can complete construction and bring much-needed power to the grid.”
As Electrek reported, Equinor secured $3 billion to finance Empire Wind 1 in January. The total amount drawn under the project finance term loan facility as of March 31 was around $1.5 billion.
As of March 31, Empire Wind has a gross book value of around $2.5 billion, including South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (pictured above), which was expected to become the US’s largest dedicated port facility for offshore wind.
In response to BOEM’s stop work order, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued the following statement:
Every single day, I’m working to make energy more affordable, reliable and abundant in New York and the federal government should be supporting those efforts rather than undermining them. Empire Wind 1 is already employing hundreds of New Yorkers, including 1,000 good-paying union jobs as part of a growing sector that has already spurred significant economic development and private investment throughout the state and beyond.
As Governor, I will not allow this federal overreach to stand. I will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs, affordable energy and New York’s economic future.
Equinor says it’s considering appealing BOEM’s order.
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