NIU MQI GT EVO (2022 - on) Review

Highlights

  • Niu’s most powerful model so far
  • Tonnes of tech and security built in
  • 60-mile range and 5-hour charge time

At a glance

Owners' reliability rating: 3 out of 5 (3/5)
Annual servicing cost: £80
Power: 7 bhp
Seat height: Medium (32.1 in / 816 mm)
Weight: Low (282 lbs / 128 kg)

Prices

New £4,099
Used N/A

Overall rating

Next up: Ride & brakes
3 out of 5 (3/5)

The Niu MQi GT Evo is the sportiest scooter yet from the Chinese firm and boasts 125-equivalent performance for a 125-equivalent price.

If electric bikes fail to stir the soul like their internally combusted counterparts then the pragmatic inner-city runabout market ought to be a natural stomping ground for them. When was the last time you pursed your lips and rubbed your thighs for a petrol twist-and-go, after all?

As a tool for the job of getting you to work or college, the Niu works just fine. The twin batteries are good for around 60 miles of city riding, which is more than enough for most daily commutes, and then you can either plug the bike in for 5 hours or remove the batteries and take them inside to a 3-pin plug.

Niu MQi GT Evo on the road

The batteries do inhibit practicality a bit as they take up the vast majority of the space under the seat, but Niu will sell you a top box to get around this if it’s a dealbreaker.

Sadly, another aspect of UK city living that all scooter owners must consider is crime, but the Niu has you covered there too with an incredible raft of security features included as standard.

If you're sold on the concept of electric power, your riding is never for pleasure and 90% of it takes place within the confines of a city, the Niu should definitely be on your radar. If not, there are better options to choose from.

Ride quality & brakes

Next up: Engine
2 out of 5 (2/5)

The Niu is nimble enough around town with its skinny, 14" wheels and CST tyres and has the turning circle of a shopping trolley. For zipping around in traffic and up and down inner-city pavements I have no complaints. The linked brakes are also more than powerful enough for a small scooter.

The issues come when you start to apply a little more lean-angle. With a 69mph top speed, it may be tempting to see what the GT Evo is capable of in the bends but unfortunately the centre stand grounds out almost immediately. When you are riding such a quiet bike, the sound of steel on asphalt comes as a real shock.

And I'm not talking about pushing the bike out of its comfort zone with heroic and unrealistc lean angles here, even slow speed cornering in the city centre can ground you out. Whether this is the result of design or an underpowered spring on the stand, it's not good enough.

Niu MQi GT Evo front

Engine

Next up: Reliability
3 out of 5 (3/5)

The GT Evo’s 5kW motor (equivalent to about 6.7bhp) means it's plenty fast enough to keep up with town traffic and in Sport mode will cope with short blasts in national speed limits, too.

Unlike a conventional twist-and-go 125 - where you rev the engine and wait for the CVT to feed power to the rear wheel – the Niu jumps straight off the line as soon as you’re ready. I found that I left it in Sport mode most of the time but I can see that using the less powerful modes would make sense in heavily congested 30mph or 20mph zones.

The one-button cruise control system is a nice touch too and makes it easier to stick to the speed limits on longer urban stretches.

Once you are out on the open road, the GT Evo whirrs up to around 50mph in no time and then climbs steadily but without imperative to a top speed of around 70mph depending on the conditions. It’s certainly fast enough to keep up with its petrol rivals.

Niu MQi GT Evo rear

Reliability & build quality

Next up: Value
4 out of 5 (4/5)

Niu are a Chinese firm but they’re a long way from building knock-off versions of existing western or Japanese models. The GT Evo feels nicely put together with cool, modern styling and impressive, customisable TFT dash.

Not only that, but the Niu comes with its own Sim card which allows it to update its own software overnight (if left outside) and give you live GPS positioning and journey tracking through a mobile phone.

The keyless system is a little clunky while you’re getting used to it but works well once you are. You can change the keyless settings in the app too.

Obviously only time will tell when it comes to reliability but with few moving parts to worry about, next to no servicing and a two-year warranty, it’s difficult to see what could go wrong.

Niu MQi GT Evo headlight

Value vs rivals

Next up: Equipment
3 out of 5 (3/5)

Here’s the rub: the Niu costs £4099 with the revised Government electric vehicle grant and that’s £550 more than a Honda PCX. That means you could buy a new PCX, helmet, gloves, jacket, lock, VED and insurance (provided you live outside London) for the price of the GT Evo alone.

The Niu can have as many gadgets and gizmos as it likes, but while it’s cheaper and easier to buy a petrol scooter, the majority of riders will.

In terms of electric competition, the GT Evo is almost £1000 cheaper than the slightly slower Super Soco CPx, which costs £4999 for a dual battery version. It’s £2300 cheaper than the 125-equivalent version of the Vespa Elettrica, too, so if you’re sprcifically looking for an electric scooter in this category, the Niu represents the cheaper end of the market.

Niu MQi GT Evo left side on the road

Equipment

4 out of 5 (4/5)

As I touched on above, the Niu’s electronic spec is mightily impressive. From the app you are able to customise almost everything from the TFT display to the way the keyless ignition works (you can set it so you jump on and ride away or have to push a button on the fob to ‘start it up’.

You also get – as standard – an alarm that sounds if you move the scooter without the key and sends a notification to your phone (with customisable sensitivity), real-time vehicle location and tracking, customisable TFT dash and tyre pressure monitors. Find me a £20,000 superbike that comes fitted with all that lot!

I have to knock a star off for the lack of storage, though, especially as other electric scooters manage to have space for helmets or shopping as-well-as the batteries.

Niu MQi GT Evo colours available

Specs

Engine size -
Engine type Niu V Motor
Frame type Tubular steel
Fuel capacity -
Seat height 816mm
Bike weight 128kg
Front suspension Telescopic forks, non-adjustable
Rear suspension Twin shock, non-adjustable
Front brake 220mm Hydraulic Disc – CBS
Rear brake 180mm Hydraulic Disc - CBS
Front tyre size 90/90-14
Rear tyre size 110/80-14

Mpg, costs & insurance

Average fuel consumption -
Annual road tax -
Annual service cost £80
New price £4,099
Used price -
Insurance group -
How much to insure?
Warranty term Two years

Top speed & performance

Max power 7 bhp
Max torque -
Top speed 69 mph
1/4 mile acceleration -
Tank range 60 miles

Model history & versions

Model history

None.

Other versions

The MQi GT Evo is closely related to the less-powerful NQi GTS Pro.

Owners' reviews for the NIU MQI GT EVO (2022 - on)

1 owner has reviewed their NIU MQI GT EVO (2022 - on) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.

Review your NIU MQI GT EVO (2022 - on)

Summary of owners' reviews

Overall rating: 4 out of 5 (4/5)
Ride quality & brakes: 5 out of 5 (5/5)
Engine: 5 out of 5 (5/5)
Reliability & build quality: 3 out of 5 (3/5)
Value vs rivals: 4 out of 5 (4/5)
Equipment: 4 out of 5 (4/5)
Annual servicing cost: £80
4 out of 5 Great at what it’s intended for - the urban commute
20 June 2022 by MarleyBobsleigh

Year: 2022

Annual servicing cost: £75

Perfect urban commuter with plenty of zip and range for that kind of use. Solidly built and a lovely, configurable TFT dash. Cruise control surprisingly useable and useful on city roads. No engine/motor braking so be aware of that but holds speed really well when releasing the throttle so that helps with range. App integration is good but buggy, as is the alarm, which goes off randomly, often in the night, for no reason yet fails to when shaking the bike vigorously. Supplied CST tyres are poor and soft. Seat is high and wide but comfortable. On urban commuting I’m hitting the 50-60 miles of range from a full charge (but over shorter journeys). Can’t comment on range on a single, longer run with speeds over 40mph.

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

Comfortable seat, lots of foot space and decent pillion comfort. Small wheels so you will feel road bumps but perfectly acceptable in urban use. Not tried on faster roads. Brakes seem decent but not tested in emergency scenarios. Yet.

Engine 5 out of 5

Three modes but you’ll settle on the highest powered Sport mode very quickly after adjusting to the bike. Useable in mid-powered mode but noticeable lag in acceleration that leaves you embarrassed at the lights alongside the thirty, petrol-powered, food delivery scooters alongside you. Very nippy in Sport mode. Throttle-free coasting is good and useful for range management. Close to silent (try not to think of an old milk float when you hear the quiet motor noise while riding though). Big reason for buying electric in London and not wanting to add another noisy 125cc scooter into the mix.

Reliability & build quality 3 out of 5

No major problems but the issue with phantom alarm triggers is a real issue if you (a) like to sleep, (b) don’t want to fall out with neighbours and (c) don’t like worrying that your bike is being nicked while you are parked up. App is buggy, keyless fob very occasionally fails to turn the bike on or off, tyres supplied are poor. Beware of rear punctures on bikes with rear wheel electric motors as they add complexity to the repair and many tyre shops and standard motorbike garages won’t touch them as a result.

Value vs rivals 4 out of 5

Don’t actually know the servicing cost yet. An hours labour from the supplier is £75. Think it is costing me less than 30p per hundred miles to charge. Possibly way less. Whatever. It’s peanuts. Possibly more to buy than an equivalent spec petrol scooter so taking a star off.

Equipment 4 out of 5

A good all round package let down by the CST tyres. Bluetooth tyre pressure monitors are useful addition but also buggy. Under seat storage is limited but fits a Pragmasis 16mm protector chain, round lock and short DIB D-lock. So a backpack or rear box needed for anything else.

Buying experience: Bought from dealer for list price. Replaced tyres after three punctures on day one at a cost of just over £200 with fitting.

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