NIU KQi 200F launched as new smart electric scooter with folding handlebars
NIU, one of the world’s leading smart electric scooter and micromobility companies, has just launched a new lightweight commuter option, the NIU KQi 200F. Designed for riders who need a balance between portability and performance, the new model introduces folding handlebars – following up on a feature introduced late last year to NIU’s popular KQi scooter line.
The NIU KQi 200F stands out immediately for its compactness. Thanks to the foldable handlebars and stem, it can easily fit into tight spaces like office corners, public transit, or the trunk of a car.
While nearly all electric scooters can fold at the stem, wide scooter handlebars still tend to stick out and limit storage options. With folding handlebars, the KQi 200F’s widest component is likely its deck, measuring just 6.9 inches (17.5 cm) at its widest, making it ultra slim and easier to stuff into tight spaces.
Under the hood, the KQi 200F carries a 48V 7.8Ah battery that provides 365Wh of stored capacity. That’s enough for up to 33.6 miles (54 km) of range on a single charge. The scooter is powered by a 350W rear hub motor, which peaks at 700W with 22 Nm of torque, giving it enough oomph to tackle hills and achieve a top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h).
The motor offers a significant boost compared to NIU’s KQi2 Pro scooter, including 7% more speed, 33% better hill climbing, 17% more power, and 38% more torque. The battery also offers 35% more range.
Weighing in at 44 pounds (20 kg), it’s not the lightest scooter on the market, but it’s a reasonable weight given the scooter’s relatively high performance compared to more basic scooters. NIU also rates the KQi 200F for riders up to 265 pounds (120 kg).
The KQi 200F comes with 10 x 2.3-inch pneumatic tires, which should offer a smoother ride than the smaller or solid tires found on many ultra-portable scooters. The front suspension fork also helps contribute to that smoother ride. The scooter includes dual-wheel braking with a front disc brake combined with rear regenerative braking for enhanced stopping power. NIU claims a stopping distance of just 14 feet (4.2 meters) at moderate speeds.
The scooter also includes a bright LED headlight, taillight, and integrated side lighting for nighttime safety, along with handlebar-mounted turn signals to increase the chances of cars actually seeing and correctly interpreting the turn signal lights.
On the tech side, the scooter connects to the NIU app via Bluetooth, allowing riders to lock the scooter remotely, customize riding modes, track rides, and monitor battery health. An LED dashboard display on the handlebars shows speed, battery level, and riding mode at a glance. And for customization on the hardware side, NIU offers multiple grip tape options allowing riders to play with the scooter’s aesthetics (though the scooter still only comes in a single color that I like to call NIU Gray).
The KQi 200F is priced at $799, but carries a $100 discount for $699 during its launch, positioning it competitively against other mid-range electric scooters. In addition to competitive pricing, NIU is banking on its reputation as a major smart scooter company (known for both standing and seated scooters) to differentiate itself in the increasingly crowded market.
For those unfamiliar with NIU, the company was founded in 2014 and quickly made a name for itself, producing connected electric mopeds and scooters for urban commuters. In fact, we recently took a trip to the company’s factory to get a peek behind the scenes at how they produce millions of these smart e-scooters.
NIU now operates in over 50 countries and has sold millions of vehicles worldwide. In the US, NIU is best known for its standing electric scooters and expanding line of commuter e-mopeds or seated e-scooters, but in Europe and Asia, their seated e-scooters dominate their lineup.
Electrek’s Take
By offering folding handlebars on the KQi 200F, NIU seems to be targeting city dwellers who may have limited storage space or need to mix scooter commuting with public transportation. It’s an interesting move, especially as demand for last-mile solutions continues to grow and cities worldwide encourage alternatives to car ownership.
NIU has long been known for its tech-focused scooters, and so in addition to getting what appears to be a nicely-performing ride, I think a big part of the value here is the connectivity that NIU builds into these things. I’ve got a NIU KQi 200F with my name on it that I’m excited to get testing with shortly, so I’ll be sure to come back and let you guys know what I think.
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Environment
Podcast: China reaches EV tipping point, Tesla retreats, some slack with tax credit, and more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss China reaching the EV tipping point, Tesla’s retreat in Europe, EV buyers receiving some tax credit relief, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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Cadillac is back and selling a surprising number of electric vehicles in the US. With a full lineup of electric SUVs, Cadillac now claims to be the leading luxury EV brand in the US. Can it keep it up even after the $7,500 federal tax credit expires?
After launching seven new electric vehicles this year, GM claimed that Cadillac became the leading luxury EV brand by market share. However, that doesn’t include Tesla due to its “pricing structure.”
Cadillac is coming off its best first-half sales since 2008, selling more vehicles across all 50 states. Nearly one in four Cadillacs sold in the US this year were EVs.
GM’s luxury brand is now selling more electric vehicles than some of its biggest rivals, including Porsche, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Rivian, and Volvo.
According to the latest data from Cox Automotive, Cadillac sold over 11,700 EVs in Q2, up 62% compared to last year. Through the first six months of the year, it has sold nearly 20,000 electric vehicles. In comparison, Porsche has sold almost 7,200 EVs in the US, Mercedes sold about 8,000, and Audi has sold just over 11,500.
With an electric SUV in nearly every segment, including the entry-level Optiq, a midsize Lyriq, a three-row Vistiq, and the even larger Escalade IQ and IQL models, Cadillac is seeing an influx of buyers from other brands.
Cadillac prepares for the EV tax credit to expire
Around 70% of Cadillac’s EV buyers are from other brands, according to GM, and about 10% are former Tesla drivers. With big policy changes coming under the Trump administration, Cadillac, like the entire industry, will likely face some hurdles.
The administration already raised tariffs on imported vehicles and other auto parts, and at the end of September, the $7,500 federal EV tax credit is set to expire.
In response to the changes, many automakers are shifting back to hybrid and gas-powered vehicles. Cadillac is no exception.
“They’ll have to have both for a number of years now,” according to Sam Fiorani, the vice president of AutoForecast Solutions. Fiorani explained (via The New York Times) that “The gas-powered vehicles make the money, and the EVs bring them a new market.”
Cadillac was initially expected to have an all-EV lineup by the end of the decade. Thanks to the policy changes, Cadillac could continue offering hybrid and ICE vehicles for several more years.
Fiorani said that although GM planned to retire the gas-powered Escalade, it’s now due for a refresh that will be sold “well into the next decade.”
Earlier this year, Cadillac’s global vice president, John Roth, said during a media briefing that the company was in a better position than most with the policy changes.
All Cadillac vehicles are built in the US, except the Optiq, which is built in Mexico. According to Roth, the policy changes will have “very limited impact, if you will, on the Cadillac brand.” If anything, Roth said, it could be an opportunity for the luxury automaker.
If you’re looking to get ahead of the $7,500 EV tax credit expiration, we can help you get started. Check out our links below to find Cadillac’s electric SUVs in your area.
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Australia Post is advancing its commitment to achieve Net Zero emissions across its operations by 2050 with the introduction of 36 new Mercedes-Benz eVito electric vans, expanding its existing fleet of over 5,000 EVs already in active service.
With an efficient 60 kWh battery and 85 kW (about 115 hp) electric motor, Mercedes’ eVito electric van is ideally suited to the sort of stop-and-go work of a delivery vehicle. What’s more the company’s factory upfit program, Merceds-Benz Vans Courier Solutions, makes it easier than ever for delivery and contractor fleets to spec out their vans exactly the way they need them.
And, even though the eVito’s 60 kWh battery is rated to “just” 261 km (162 miles), the sort of low-speed, high-regen duty cycle Australia Post is going to be putting it through should mean drivers see much better real world range than that — which is precisely the sort of information this 36 van pilot is meant to uncover.
“This is our largest electric van trial to date,” explains Australia Post Chief Sustainability Officer, Richard Pittard. “It’s a meaningful step forward as we continue building a modern, sustainable delivery network that meets the evolving needs of our customers while reducing our environmental impact.”
Australia Post currently operates more than 3,600 three-wheeled electric delivery vehicles (EDVs), 1,500 e-bikes, nearly 200 UBCO DUTY electric motorcycles, and several Mitsubishi eFUSO electric box vans at its larger logistics centers.
The new eVito vans, once deployed at scale, will operate primarily in highly populated metro areas, where their positive impact on local air quality will be felt by the greatest number of people, and their respiratory health, as well.
Electrek’s Take
This kind of deployment should be exciting to EV enthusiasts for a number of tried-and-true reasons, but this one is particularly exciting to Americans because we have an Administration actively pretending that electric postal vehicles aren’t ready for prime time. The success of programs like this one from Australia Post are just more egg in the face of these anti-EV clowns, and few things make me happier.
You can check out the official Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia eVito specs and measurements in the detailed brochure, below, then scroll on down to the comments and let us know what you think of MB’s baby Sprinter.
Mercedes eVito Specs
SOURCE | IMAGES: Australia Post.
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