Ninebot E22/E22E Review – The Next Step in the Ninebot Evolution

The Ninebot E22/E22E has a lot of wisdom and experience imbued in its design and build, as it has learned a ton from both the mistakes and the triumphs of some of the most popular electric scooters ever, the scooters from the celebrated Ninebot ES line. In fact, this scooter can be considered the direct successor of the Ninebot ES2, and an improved version of it.

Which means, it is an excellent budget scooter.

This will be the full review of the Ninebot E22/E22E. Read on to find out about all of its ups and downs.

Should you buy the Ninebot E22/E22E?

The Ninebot E22 is the next iteration in the Ninebot evolution, and this scooter continues in the same tradition, providing an excellent user experience to commuters, casual scooterists, students, young professionals, and pretty much anyone looking to navigate the hectic urban jungle with style and grace.

The scooter includes a lot of small improvements, probably most importantly the better and larger tires, the improved folding mechanism, and the faster charging time.

But the E22E is not just an improvement of the ES2. It’s a brilliant scooter on its own, and for a very affordable price, it is the perfect choice for beginners, first-time owners, commuters, casual riders, and anyone looking for a budget scooter of very good quality.

Before we continue, keep in mind that the Ninebot E22E is pretty much the same exact scooter as the Ninebot E22, except that the E22 doesn’t have regenerative braking but it has better water protection. The Ninebot E22E is sold in Europe, while the E22 is sold in other countries.

Buying

The best place to get the scooter from will usually be Amazon UK.

In the US and Canada, the E22E is available on Amazon and Segway as the Ninebot E22 (notice the lack of the “E” at the end, which stands for “Europe”), which is practically the same scooter but made for the US market.

Shipping

The Ninebot E22E is available in UK, and other countries in Europe. Shipping is free in the UK, and will usually be free in most European countries.

Warranty and return policies

Warranty periods for the Ninebot E22E are typically the same no matter where you buy the scooter from. They are as follows:

• one year on critical parts
• 6 months on the battery and charger
• 3 months on the wear-and-tear parts

If you do any significant modifications to the interior of the scooter, your warranty will be void. Also, the warranty doesn’t cover water damage.

After ordering, you can return the product for a period of 30 days. Also, if the scooter arrives damaged, you can get a refund or a replacement.

Basics

Using the Ninebot E22E is easy, and even beginners that have never touched an electric scooter will

To start using the scooter, you must download the Segway Ninebot app and connect it (more on that in the Apps section below).

Holding the power button turns the scooter on. This is a true kick-scooter, so you can’t start riding just by pressing the acceleration button, and you will have to kick off the ground a little to get going.

When the scooter is turned on, pressing the power button two times quickly changes the speed mode, while pressing it three times toggles both the lights on or off.

Unboxing and assembly

The scooter arrives in a branded box, with plenty of protective covering. Damage on arrival with this scooter is not common, and dead-on-arrival scooters are pretty rare.

The package includes:

• the scooter
• handlebars
• 3mm hex wrench
• battery charger
• bell
• screws
• user manual
• quickstart guide
• warranty card

The scooter arrives semi-assembled, but finishing the assembly yourself takes just a few minutes. You will have to install the handlebars inside the stem, and screw the screws.

Before you start riding, make sure to check that the brake works, and that all the screws are tightened.

Folding and unfolding

The Ninebot E22E folds nicely into a compact little package.

The folding latch is situated where the deck and the stem meet, and it should be pressed with your foot while you stabilize the handlebars. That unlocks the scooter’s stem and you can then fold it. The hook on the stem should connect and “click” with the small frame on the rear fender.

To unfold, you just need to push the rear fender down and disconnect the hook from it, and then lift the stem until the scooter locks back into position.

User manual

The user manual is clearly written and full of helpful illustrations.

While you don’t necessarily have to read the manual, I recommend doing so, as you will not only learn a lot about your scooter and what to do in various situations that you may encounter, but also the manual may have some hidden details that are specific to the exact version of your scooter.

The Ninebot brand and scooter line

Over the last few years, Ninebot continued to release model after model of strong budget options, further entrenching themselves as one of the best brands for affordable, everyman scooters.

With the electric scooter revolution in full swing, the Ninebot brand is at its bleeding edge, and their scooters can be found literally everywhere, from the colds of Canada to the beaches of Australia, from the tourist visiting a big city and trying on a Lime or a Bird scooter for the first time, to the modern young professional or entrepreneur trying to save both time and money by improving the commute.

There’s no doubt about it – Ninebot is one of the most successful scooter brands in history (if not the most successful), and you don’t get that title without deserving it through sweat and blood.

Design and engineering

The scooter maintains the evergreen Ninebot scooter look and feel, with a few improvements in the overall build.

Build quality and lifespan

As this is an upgrade of the Ninebot ES1/ES2 scooter, it comes with the same proven durability and toughness, even with some more robust elements and design choices. Since the battery is in the stem, the deck is lighter, more flexible, and gives it a better ground clearance, but as a result, the scooter is a bit more front-heavy in general, and the center of gravity is higher.

The scooter’s quality far exceeds its price, and while in some ways this is still a budget scooter, the lifespan, features, and fine engineering bring a lot of additional value and make the Ninebot E22E more than just another run-of-the-mill budget scooter.

User experience and ride quality

Usually, solid-tire scooters don’t provide the smoothest rides. That is only half true for the Ninebot E22E, as its tires are bigger than what we can typically find in solid-tire scooters, and the rides will be more stable. Also, the technology of the tires itself is slightly better than what’s found in other budget scooters.

The stem of the scooter is very thick and robust, and that further improves the ride stability as it eliminates handlebar vibration.

Overall, ride quality is pretty good. It would have been even better if the scooter included suspension, but that would probably increase its price significantly.

Performance

Keeping up with the established tradition of the previous models, the Ninebot E22/E22E provides balanced but stable performance.

Motor and power

The Ninebot E22E has a single hub BLDC motor, with 300 Watts of power.

The motor is in the front, which is better for traction.

The official specs do not specify whether 300 Watts is the real or the peak motor power. Judging from the rest of the specs, I’d say that’s the peak power level, and I’d estimate the real power to be around 250 Watts.

Speed and acceleration

Officially, the Ninebot E22E has a top speed of 12.4 mph / 20 kmh.

Unofficially, some owners have managed to develop higher speeds than that (one lighter owner reports 13.5 mph / 22 kmh), while heavier riders report that the scooter mostly achieves the official top speed but is a few mph / kmh short at times.

Adding the second battery will increase the speed by a little, usually by 3 mph / 5 kmh, making the top speed around 15.5 mph / 25 kmh.

Climbing

The Ninebot E22E has an official climbing angle of 8.5° / 15%.

Unofficially, users have reported that the scooter climbs ok, although it might struggle on some steeper hills, especially if the battery is not full.

The fact that the motor is in the front wheel helps with climbing, and also the larger wheel diameter will provide more torque, so the scooter will still climb better than most budget options.

If you live somewhere with a lot of hills, you will probably want to add the extra battery as well, as that will improve the climbing capabilities of this scooter by a lot.

Weight limit

The Ninebot E22E can carry up to 220 lbs / 100 kg.

Owners that are close or slightly over that weight limit generally report a slight decrease in performance, including top speed, range, and climbing angle.

A friend of mine that is well over the weight limit told me that the scooter performed better than he expected (he’s 275 lbs / 125 kg), but still, it was noticeable that the scooter struggled a lot unless the battery was 100% full. So, heavier adults may want to look at other scooters with bigger weight limits.

Battery and charging

The 184 Wh, 36 V battery is situated in the stem of the scooter. The battery is managed by the Smart Battery Management System, which protects it from overheating, short circuits, over-current, over-discharge and over-charge. It’s still good form to not leave the scooter charging for too long after the battery is full.

Charging the scooter fully takes 3.5 hours with just the original battery, and somewhere around 6-7 hours with the extra battery. Charging the scooter during off-peak hours costs just 1 cent in the US, 5 pence in the UK, and 3 cents in the EU on average, while charging during peak hours costs 3 cents in the US, 6 pence in the UK, and 5 cents in the EU.

The charging port is on the stem itself, which is always good news as it is one of the most vulnerable parts of the scooter and it should be as far away from the dust, dirt, mud, and water as possible. It is protected by a rubber cap attached to the stem, which further increases the ingress protection.

Extra battery

It’s also possible to add an additional battery, which is a true gamechanger and improves everything about the scooter. The scooter comes prepared to have the second battery easily mounted at the stem, and doing so will increase the range by two times, and also improve the speed and the climb angle.

Range

With just the original battery, the advertised range of the Ninebot E22E is 13.7 mi / 22 km, and independent user tests largely confirm this range, with just a few exceptions.

Adding the extra battery will literally double the range, taking it up to 28 mi / 45 km. For many owners, especially ones with longer commutes, the extra battery will be a no-brainer.

You should be aware that as with most other scooters, the range may start to decrease as the battery gets older and wears out.

Features

One of the strongest sides of the Ninebot E22/E22E is its wealth of features, all of which are well-designed and executed.

Brakes and safety

The Ninebot E22E has two braking systems, which results in good braking redundancy.

The front brake is electronic, which means it stops the motor directly, and using it regenerates the battery a bit as well. The rear brake is the fender itself, which you press with your foot.

When using both brakes, braking with the Ninebot E22E is quick and safe, yet pretty smooth overall. The scooter achieves a small braking distance even when riding at full speed.

Tires

The dual-density tires are solid and made from synthetic rubber, which means one thing – no flats, ever! Even though they are solid, the tires still provide good traction.

The tire diameter is 9 inches, which is somewhat unusual for solid tires and slightly bigger than the typical 8.5 inches. The bigger tire diameter improves the ride quality and stability, but also increases the torque as well.

The scooter has no suspension, which would be strange for a solid-tire scooter, but the tires’ larger size and improved comfort somewhat eliminate the need for suspension. In fact, the tires are arguably one of the biggest improvements over the ES series, and they provide much more comfort while still being resistant to flats.

Weight, dimensions, and portability

The scooter weighs 29.8 lbs / 13.5 kg, which makes it a bit lighter than the typical commuter scooter (average weight is around 31-32 lbs / 14-14.5 kg).

When folded, the scooter’s dimensions are 44.9 x 16.5 x 14.2 in / 114 x 42 x 36 cm. That kind of folded dimensions and volume are typical for commuter scooters.

When folded, the scooter doesn’t have any unusual parts sticking out of it. The handlebars are not foldable, but they are not too wide either.

Overall, the scooter has very good portability. It will fit in car trunks and public transport easily. It can easily be carried by pretty much anyone using just one hand, as holding the scooter by the stem when it’s folded is fairly convenient.

Lights, reflective stickers, and riding at night

The main headlight is at the top of the stem, pointing downwards. While it’s not the strongest headlight out there, it will do a good job for a bit of night riding (although I’d recommend getting a stronger light if you plan on doing that).

The rear fender has a smaller red light that serves as a brake light and flashes when you engage the electronic brake.

The deck features 4 red reflective stickers, two on each side both at the front and the rear. There’s one on the rear of the fender as well to support the brake light.

The scooter also has an additional reflector at the bottom of the stem in the front, and two yellow reflectors on the sides.

Deck

The deck is thin and flexible, covered with a rubber anti-slip surface.

It is angled upwards in the front, which reduces the standing surface, although in general it might be a design net win as the overall stability of the scooter is better. Still, it will be comfortable for most adults.

Handlebars and cockpit

The handlebars are wide enough to enable good control and easy turning, yet not too wide to compromise portability. They are covered by protective rubber sleeves to improve grip.

The cockpit of the Ninebot E22E is nicely condensed in the center of the handlebars.

The left side hosts the brake thumb throttle button with small red stickers on it, and the bell which is very easily accessible and relatively loud (pedestrians will hear it from afar, but drivers in closed vehicles may not). The bell might ring unintentionally if you hit a bigger bump or a pothole.

The right side of the handlebar has only the acceleration thumb throttle button, featuring small green stickers.

The center of the cockpit, which is the top of the stem cylinder, is where the digital screen and the power button live.

Screen

The screen shows:

• current speed
• battery level
• speed mode
• bluetooth status
• error codes if something is wrong

The screen is pretty bright and has a good level of contrast, so it’s easy to read even on sunny days.

Waterproofing and IP rating

The official ingress protection rating of the Ninebot E22E is IPX4, which means the scooter can be subjected to water splashes from all angles and not suffer any damage.

Can you ride the Ninebot E22E in the rain?

Riding the Ninebot E22E in the rain is not recommended and should be avoided. However, the scooter is sufficiently well-protected from water damage, and most likely a short ride through some rain will not damage it. Be aware that the warranty does not cover water damage.

Accessories and customizations

The only truly must-have accessory for this scooter, as with any scooter, is the helmet. I recommend a half-helmet for the Ninebot E22E, as a bike helmet may not be sufficiently safe, and in some places, it may be required by law that you wear a helmet with a stronger protection standard. See my guide on the best scooter helmets to find the right pick for your circumstances.

While there are not many accessories of after-market customizations exclusive to the Ninebot E22E, the scooter will support all the accessories for the Ninebot ES scooters, as it’s designed in a very similar way.

The best accessory for the Ninebot E22E will be the seat bundle, which includes the seat and the frame needed to support it. The frame is easy to install, and the seat can then be added or removed as you need it.

Also, because of its standard design, many of the generic accessories for scooters will easily fit it.

Locking and security

The scooter can be locked through the app, which is one of my personal favorite features of the app. When locked, the scooter’s front wheel can’t move at all, which pretty much renders the scooter useless for a potential thief.

Still, that doesn’t stop someone from stealing the scooter anyway, so I suggest getting a good budget lock for your scooter to make sure it never gets stolen. The best element to put the lock through is the rear wheel.

Cleaning and maintenance

It is best to use a soft, wet cloth to wipe and clean the frame of the scooter. Use a toothbrush with some toothpaste to remove hardened dirt, but be careful not to scratch the surface.

As the scooter comes with solid tires, you don’t need to worry about tire maintenance at all, although you should perform a quick visual inspection periodically to see if maybe they’re worn out too much. Their performance and control will also be indicators of the possible need for replacement.

Besides cleaning, maintenance for this scooter will include making sure all the screws, nuts, and bolts are tightly screwed, and that all the brakes are functional and strong enough. Optionally, you can use some Loctite for the screws as well.

Apps

The Ninebot E22E has bluetooth connectivity and can connect with the official Segway Ninebot app, available for both iOS and Android. Don’t let the mediocre user reviews fool you – the app is quite good and full of features. Bluetooth connection is very difficult to get right and a small part of users can’t connect their scooters to the app, which results in negative feedback. The good news is, that’s not the case for the majority of users, and also, every new release of the apps is fixing some of the issues.

The app can show you a lot of information, and lets you control some settings of the scooter. Its features include:

• locking the scooter
• speed status, both current and average
• mileage status, both current trip and overall
• ride time
• cruise control status and settings
• motor brake and energy recovery level
• scooter temperature
• light status

I recommend also checking out the Universal Scooter Helper App by EScooterNerds, designed to work together with the Ninebot app. It provides extra features such as calculators, resources, guides, hacks, checklists, etc. The app is available for iOS and Android.

Ninebot E22E vs other electric scooters

The Ninebot E22E is often compared to other popular scooters, often even with other Ninebot scooters.

Ninebot E22E vs Ninebot E22

The Ninebot E22 and the Ninebot E22E are essentially the same scooter, and the only few differences are in the details depending on where the scooter is sold.

The Ninebot E22 is geared more towards the North American market, where scooter laws are not as strict. The Ninebot E22E is primarily made for the European market (hence the additional “E” at the end), and that’s why it features some extra reflective elements to make it street-legal.

The Ninebot E22 will not have regenerative braking, but it will have a better water protection standard of IPX5 (kinda strange, given that the UK and Europe arguably have more rain than the US as a whole).

Ninebot E22E vs Ninebot ES2

Comparing the Ninebot ES2 and the Ninebot E22E is like comparing the same athlete, but one version of the athlete in its prime, while the other one in its sunset years.

Of course, the Ninebot E22E will be a superior scooter in most regard. While their specs are very similar on paper, and the scooters cost about the same, the Ninebot E22E is almost like a literal upgrade to the Ninebot ES2, it has learned the most from its mistakes, and will provide better quality overall.

Still, that doesn’t mean that the Ninebot ES2 is not a good scooter, and with a slight advantage in performance (without including both their extra batteries), the ES2 is still a great commuter choice. You can learn more about the Ninebot ES2 in the full review here.

Ninebot E22E vs Ninebot ES4

To be able to compare these two scooters, we’ll have to look at the E22E with its extra battery, as the Ninebot ES4 is essentially the Ninebot ES2 but with the extra battery.

Both scooters will provide similar performances, with the Ninebot ES4 being a bit faster and more performant, while the E22E being lighter, more portable, and with fewer quality issues.

You can find out more in the Ninebot ES4 review.

Ninebot E22E vs Ninebot Max

The Ninebot E22E will have a better price on its side, a shorter charge time, a lighter weight while providing the same weight limit, as well as being more portable in general. Plus, the solid tires will never go flat, which eliminates one major potential headache with the Ninebot Max.

The Ninebot Max has almost three times the range of the Ninebot E22/E22E, which is one of its biggest advantages in this comparison. Also, the Ninebot Max is faster, climbs better, has better water protection, and bigger tires that will provide a more comfortable ride since they are pneumatic. If these advantages sound important to you, check out my detailed Ninebot Max review.

Ninebot E22E vs Ninebot E25E

The Ninebot E25E is basically a more performant version of the E22E, where you pay about $150 – $200 more.

The scooters look practically the same. While the motors are exactly the same, the battery of the E25E is more powerful, and that’s the main reason for its better performance, most notably the bigger range (about 2 mi / 3 km more), and the faster speed (3 mph / 5 kmh more).

The charge time of the E25E will be a bit longer too, and the scooter will weigh about 2 lbs / 1 kg more.

The E25E can also support an extra battery, although it’s not the same as the one for the E22E.

Probably the only true advantage the E25E has, that one feature that’s lacking in the E22E, is the spring shock absorber in the front.

All in all, I’m not sure the E25E does enough to justify such a large price difference. It may be a good deal overall if you’re after a better scooter for commuting, but the E22E may still be a better choice for beginners. If the E25E sounds like something that might fit your needs better, you can check our my detailed Ninebot E25E review.

Ninebot E22E vs Ninebot E45E

The Ninebot E45E (full review here) is pretty much the same scooter as the E25E, with the extra battery already included in the scooter. For the comparison to be fairer here, we’d have to look at the Ninebot E22E with its extra battery as well.

In that case, that’s pretty much the same as comparing the E22E and the E25E.

Ninebot E22E vs Ninebot E22D

The Ninebot E22E and E22D are almost the same scooter. They perform exactly the same.

The differences are minor and only in two noticeable areas.

First, the Ninebot E22E has cruise control, while the E22D doesn’t.

Second, the E22D has a holder for the license plate, while the E22E doesn’t.

Those are the only differences.

Ninebot E22E vs Ninebot ES2L

The Ninebot ES2L is practically the same scooter as the Ninebot ES2, but with its speed limited to abide by the laws in the Nordic countries in Europe.

Ninebot E22E vs Xiaomi M365

This is probably the most interesting comparison, and the one that might be the biggest challenge to the Ninebot E22E.

I believe the choice comes down to the tires and the tire type your use case requires. If you live somewhere with poor roads, where cyclists and other scooterists have reported lots of flats, or maybe you have noticed that yourself, then the Ninebot E22E will be the better choice. Otherwise, the Xiaomi M365 might make more sense (you might be interested in my complete Xiaomi M365 review if that’s the case for you).

Ninebot E22E vs Xiaomi M365 Pro

In my opinion, I believe that the Ninebot E22E should have its second battery to be able to compete with the proven Xiaomi M365 Pro. Otherwise, the range of the Xiaomi M365 Pro is far too great for the Ninebot E22E to be able to compete.

The Xiaomi M365 Pro also has a better motor, although surprisingly, their top speeds and other performance aspects are quite similar, and the Xiaomi’s advantage doesn’t really translate into concrete wins.

You can see the full Xiaomi M365 Pro review if you want to find out more.

Ninebot E22E vs Xiaomi 1S

The Xiaomi 1S clearly has performance on its side, although not by that big of a margin. Interestingly, the Xiaomi 1S weighs less.

The Ninebot E22E might be better value for beginners and budget shoppers overall, as it doesn’t lag behind the Xiaomi 1S in performance that much, while providing the same level of quality and being immune to flats.

Check out my complete Xiaomi 1S review if you’re curious about it.

Ninebot E22E vs Xiaomi Essential

The Ninebot E22E has slightly bigger tires, and its tires will never go flat. It is also a bit faster, accelerates better, and will climb better despite the fact that the Xiaomi Essential has a more powerful motor.

The Xiaomi Essential, on the other hand, will provide more comfortable rides because of the pneumatic tires, and will come with a disk brake on the rear wheel which the E22E doesn’t include. If that sounds more like what you may need, see my complete Xiaomi Essential review.

Issues, tradeoffs, and downsides

The biggest tradeoff the Ninebot E22E comes with is obviously the solid tires. Their upsides are that they’ll never go flat, and also that they basically require no maintenance. The cost of that is reduced ride comfort and stability.

Another potential tradeoff may be that the initial performances of the scooter before you add the second battery are somewhat mediocre. The extra battery activates the Hulk mode of the scooter, practically doubling its range and increasing every aspect of its performance, but you will have to pay a bit more to get that.

We can probably say that there’s still the small possibility of the app not providing the smoothest experience, as the overall rating on both app stores, while improving with time, is still not brilliant.

The scooter has learned a lot from the Ninebot ES series and has fixed the majority of the issues that owners have complained about. There are not any major issues or common defects left, and the Ninebot E22E is a very solid scooter overall.

User reviews and customer satisfaction

The Ninebot E22E hasn’t been around for that long yet, but it’s garnering some brilliant user reviews, and its owners are delighted by its quality, features, and performance.

On pretty much every online store where reviews are visible (and not easy to manipulate), the scooter has shining reviews. The best examples are the two Amazon store listings, both on the international and the UK sites, where the scooter has incredibly high ratings out of hundreds of reviews. That kind of customer satisfaction is very hard for any product to achieve, let alone a product that’s as prone to defects as an electric scooter.

Frequently asked questions

Here is what people also ask about the Ninebot E22/E22E.

Is there a speed hack for the Ninebot E22/E22E?

There were a couple of users that reportedly found a speed hack for unlocking the speed limit on the Ninebot E22 series, and making the scooter go up to 19 mph / 30 kmh. However, it seems that Segway found a way to protect their software from these hacks and keep the speed stable and limited to the official amount. I wouldn’t recommend trying any of them out as they might damage the scooter beyond repair and void its warranty.

Can you ride the Ninebot E22/E22E in the rain?

The Ninebot E22/E22E has an IPX4 rating, which is good enough for smaller water splashes like light raindrops, but I wouldn’t recommend exposing the scooter to wet weather too often. It also cannot be submerged or washed down with a water hose.

Does Ninebot E22/E22E have regenerative braking?

Yes, the Ninebot E22/E22E series comes with regenerative braking which returns about 10%-20% of the battery capacity back to it if you were to max it out. This translates to about 1 mi / 1.6 km extra range on a full battery, which isn’t a lot, but can do wonders on busy days.

Can the Ninebot E22/E22E go uphill?

The official clibming angle of the Ninebot E22/E22E is around 8.5° / 15%, but it gets even lower as the battery drains out. The scooter can handle small ramps along the road, but don’t expect it to go up steep hills.

Who should buy the Ninebot E22/E22E?

Since the scooter is not too powerful, and yet comes at a very affordable price, it will be perfect for beginners, first-time owners, and anyone that’s looking for the next level after using ride-sharing scooters.

The scooter is robust, stable, and durable, and requires almost no maintenance. With 9-inch solid tires, the scooter will never suffer flats and will be able to handle a lot of abuse and poor road infrastructure.

What makes this scooter truly versatile is the option to add a second battery. If you only need a little range and have short commutes, you can save yourself a few hundred dollars and just get the original version. On the other hand, if you want longer rides, you can decide whether adding the extra battery is a worthwhile investment based on your usual trip distance, and you will also get better performance overall.

In summary, the Ninebot E22E carries the torch and follows in the proud tradition of its predecessor, providing smooth and fun rides to suit most commuters and hobby scooterists.

Specifications

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