Xiaomi M365 Pro Review [Personal Review After Years Of Ownership]

Last Updated on October 25, 2022 by Matt

The Xiaomi M365 Pro electric scooter is one of the most beloved electric scooters of all time.

And there is a reason for its popularity worldwide – it is truly an amazing scooter!

I’ve owned the Xiaomi M365 Pro for about a year now. This scooter fits me and my needs perfectly. After all this time, I know pretty much everything about this scooter, both the good and the bad.

Let’s dive a bit more in-depth and examine everything about this scooter superstar.

Unboxing

The product comes nicely packaged, and almost fully assembled.

When first unpacking your scooter, you will notice several parts. Naturally, the biggest and the most important one is the scooter itself.

There’s also the handlebar, which you will need to put in place. There are five screws and a small screwdriver included in the package.

The setup is quite simple, you just screw two screws on each side of the bar.

A power charger and a plug come in the package too. The package also includes a hose needed to pump the tires.

The user instructions manual is also included, and the instructions for assembling the scooter are pretty detailed and clear.

Other documents that come along are the legal statement, warranty notice and maintenance card. Make sure your warranty notice is included, as missing it might make it difficult to get your warranty if you need it.

After putting all of the parts together, you can enjoy removing the sticky plastic protective layers, as you usually do with a lovely brand-new product.

The end result is a beautiful looking, shiny new electric scooter.

Price

Expect to pay around $550, getting a lower price would be surprising. The price you get in online stores will depend on your country, shipping, and whether you want a warranty included.

Frequently asked questions and what to know

How fast does the Xiaomi M365 Pro go?

Out of the box, I was able to reach the maximum advertised top speed of 15.5 mph / 25 kmh on a flat road, and even go faster when going downhill. However, by installing the custom firmware, I managed to increase the speed limit to 22 mi / 35 kmh. I weigh around 180 lbs / 82 kg.

Keep in mind that installing the custom firmware may be considered modifying the product by Xiaomi and may result in your warranty being lapsed.

When driving downhill, if going faster than 25 km/h, the scooter will power off the engine, and only power it back on when the speed is within 15.5 mph / 25 kmh.

How much range does the Xiaomi M365 Pro have?

When I first got the scooter and tested the range, it managed to travel 30.01 mi / 48.44 km on a single battery charge before the battery completely died. That was a bit more than the official range of 28 mi / 45 km. Today, after 3 years of constant riding and more than 6000 mi / 10000 km covered, my Xiaomi M365 Pro can travel about 18 mi / 29 km on a full battery charge.

How much does the Xiaomi M365 Pro weigh?

According to my measurements, the Xiaomi M365 weighs 31 lbs / 14.2 kg.

Is the Xiaomi M365 Pro waterproof?

The Xiaomi M365 Pro is water-resistant, but not completely waterproof. It has an ingress protection standard of IP54, which means it is protected from water splashing from any angle.

However, it is not recommended to drive it in rain or snow, and even puddles of water. This is the official Xiaomi recommendation.

Can you ride the Xiaomi M365 Pro in the rain?

Personally, I’ve driven it both through rain and snow many times, and went through somewhat deep puddles of water too, and haven’t noticed any issues.

But those were necessary instances or emergencies, and as the manual says and Xiaomi recommends, I would suggest avoiding that.

How long does a Xiaomi M365 Pro scooter last?

I’ve had my Xiaomi M365 Pro for around 3 years now, and I can’t notice any serious issues yet, except the battery range being reduced, which is to be expected. You can expect a great lifespan out of this scooter.

How do I clean my Xiaomi M365 Pro?

As mentioned, M365 Pro comes with an IP54 waterproof standard, which means water will not damage it. You can safely wash it with a cloth, either with water or with a water and toothpaste mix.

Always power off your scooter before cleaning it.

Do not use alcoholic or acidic substances for cleaning, as that might damage the materials.

How much does it cost to charge Xiaomi M365 Pro?

That depends on the cost of electricity in your region, but it’s easy to calculate if you know the cost.

The scooter’s battery works at 474 Watt hours, or 0.474 kilowatt-hours. Multiply that by the average cost of a kilowatt-hour in your country, and you get the average price for the charge.

For example, in the UK, a kilowatt-hour costs 13 pence, so a full charge will be 0.13 * 0.474 = 0.06 pounds, or 6 pence. In the US, a kilowatt-hour costs around 12 cents, and a full charge costs 0.12 * 0.474 = 0.057 dollars.

Everyday use and user experience

The Xiaomi M365 Pro is intended for urban use by a lot of owner categories. It can handle the most typical use cases, like commuting, short to medium trips, hobby rides, exploring, etc.

It is a medium-priced product that quickly became popular because of the great balance between affordability and solid quality.

It typically comes with a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer, but this can vary based on the reseller, so make sure you double-check it.

It is very convenient for town rides, getting to and from work or school, and short trips to locales in your medium vicinity.

The big, robust design provides a really smooth and stable ride.

While it is not advised for the scooter to be used on wet surfaces, I found that it handled them well.

Since the scooter doesn’t have any suspension or shock absorbers, it is not a good choice for rough or rugged terrain. It handles the common small bumps and holes very well, the ones you typically see in an urban area. However, when on dirt trails or rocky roads, the experience is not very pleasant. It is best for you and the scooter that those kinds of terrains are avoided.

The scooter has no zero start mode and must be started by kicking. After powering it on by pressing the power button, you simply kick and slide for a few meters while holding the throttle, and off you go. It is a very easy process and beginners can master it quickly.

While driving, the scoter produces a silent, constant buzzing sound.

When folded, the scooter easily fits in most car trunks.

Design, look and feel

The Xiaomi M365 Pro is a well designed, elegant, beautiful transport device. It gives off the impression of a durable yet great looking piece of machinery. It is obvious that a lot of attention to detail has gone into the design.

The color combination of matte black base with dark red details makes it look modern and stylish.

Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think that the Xiaomi M365 Pro looks amazing. Much of public opinion has been the same.

Features and technical details

The material used for the frame is an aerospace-grade aluminum alloy.

The Xiaomi M365 Pro has a very low center of gravity, which makes it safe, comfortable, and well resistant to damage.

It may be needless to say, but the scooter is foldable.

The motor is in the front wheel, which makes M365 Pro a front wheel drive.

The battery is placed in an aluminum casing below the foot deck.

The braking system uses two braking mechanisms, one in the front (motor braking) and one in the back (mechanical disk braking) wheel. They are activated by a single lever on the left handlebar. The power level of the brakes can be adjusted using a 4 mm Allen key, with the maximum level being pretty strong.

The tires are air-filled and provide a smooth, comfortable ride. Some users online have reported a few flats. Personally, I had no such issues, but you should be aware that flats may happen.

The scooter has LED lights on both the front and the back, with the back ones serving as brake lights.

There is a LED display screen between the handlebars that shows you all kinds of useful information, including:

• current speed
• battery level
• driving mode
• lights status
• bluetooth status
• error codes

Pressing the power button turns the scooter on, while holding it for 3 seconds turns it off.

When the scooter is on, pressing the power button toggles the headlight, and double pressing it switches the driving mode.

When the scooter is successfully connected to the app on your phone, the bluetooth icon will light up.

The battery level has 5 bars, each representing about 20% of the battery.

If there is a wrench icon on the screen, that means that the scooter has detected some error.

The driving mode, simply put, is a limitation on the allowed speed.

There are three modes:

• Eco mode or Power Saver mode, limited to 6 km/h / 3.7 m/h, used for learning to drive, getting the feel of the scooter, and parking. This mode drains the battery the least.
• Driving or Standard mode, limited to 15 km/h / 9 m/h, the most frequently used mode, for regular city rides.
• Sport or Speed mode, limited to 25 km/h / 15.5 m/h, used for achieving the maximum speed, useful for driving uphill. This mode drains the battery the quickest.

The foot deck has protruding bumps which give your feet traction and make it easier not to slip. The handles also have similar but smaller bumps for improved grip.

The scooter also has a bell which you can use for signaling people to get out of your way while you are being amazingly cool on your cool scooter.

Battery life and range

The specs advertise a maximum range of 45 kilometers / 28 miles in ideal conditions.

Naturally, we wouldn’t be nerds if we didn’t test things like this ourselves.

Over the weekend, I charged the scooter fully, and took it to a road around a lake near my city where very few people ever go. There are not a lot of turns, and the road has very little ups and downs, which is as close to ideal conditions as I could get. A friend of mine brought me and followed me around with a car, so that he can pick me and my scooter up when the battery ran out.

I turned on the distance measuring app on my phone and started driving. I tried to drive with approximately 18 km/h since it is the optimal speed for battery life, and thus probably the optimal speed for maximum range.

After 3 hours and 12 minutes, the battery died. My range test resulted in 48.44 kilometers / 30.01 miles covered, as measured by the distance measuring app.

Not bad Xiaomi, not bad at all. I can confirm that the range specs are true and can even be a bit better.

I should note though, that at the time I was weighing 180 lb / 82 kg, which is something that affects the experiment. Lighter people can expect even longer ranges, and heavier people can expect shorter ones.

Keep in mind, that the standard-issue batteries in most scooters (this one included) are lithium-ion ones, and they tend to lose capacity over time.

You’ve probably noticed this with your phone or laptop too.

So, you can expect to see a reduction of 20% over 1000 charges. Battery technology is improving, and we might see this number improved in the future, but for now it is a fact of life.

If range is important to you, calculate this loss of capacity.

Climbing and going uphill

The scooter goes uphill without any issues. The motor is powerful enough to easily handle pretty steep inclines. Except for the steepest of hills, there is barely any difference in the speed, and the sound and effort the engine makes.

My neighborhood is made up of a few hills and valleys. Even going to the market means going up and down, not to mention going outside of my neighborhood. That was a great test for the M365 Pro’s ability to handle hills, and I must say it passed it with great ease.

I’ve only had trouble climbing the steepest of hills. On the steepest hill I could find in my city, the Xiaomi M365 Pro stopped moving after 20 meters. The hill was around 30-35 degrees.

Brake sensitivity and adjustments

The brakes are pretty strong out of the box.

But a lot of users (myself included) may want to get even sharper and more responsive brakes.

Luckily, adjusting the brakes is not difficult at all.

There are two basic ways to do this.

The simplest one, for small adjustments, is to loosen up the small screw on the rear wheel.

If the screw is too tight, use an 8mm wrench key to start, and you can use your hands later.

You will immediately see the cable getting tighter or looser.

Don’t forget to do a brake test after you’re done.

Try turning the wheel manually. If the brakes are touching the wheel even when you’re not pressing the brake lever, you’ve tightened the brakes too much.

A more advanced way to adjust the brakes is to follow the instructions in the manual.

Using the Allen key that comes along with your scooter, first loosen up the caliper as shown.

If you need the brakes to be stronger, push the caliper closer to the front of the scooter. If you need to loosen the brakes up, push it to the back.

Then just hold it there and tighten it back.

Again, do a brake test and make sure that you didn’t tighten the brakes too much.

The wheel shouldn’t touch the braking pads when the lever is not pressed, and when you turn the wheel manually there should be no sound or friction.

Finally, make sure you’re satisfied with the brake sensitivity.

There is another more advanced way to adjust the brakes as well, shown in this video.

Specifications, measurements and dimensions

M365 Pro is not the smallest or most portable scooter out there. That’s one of the tradeoffs you make if you need more power and stability.

The weight of the Xiaomi M365 Pro is 31 lbs / 14.2 kg. For some people, that may seem like a lot. Personally, I think it’s a great feature, since it will provide more stable, safer rides.

The maximum weight it can carry is 100 kg / 220 lb. If more than 100 kg is put on the scooter, the tires might get more pressure and the footboard may bend or break.

The maximum speed that the Xiaomi M365 Pro can achieve is 25 km/h / 15 m/h, but you can install custom firmware that allows it to go up to 35 km/h / 21 m/h.

I managed to achieve maximum speeds of 16 km/h in the eco mode, 20 km/h in the drive mode, and 26 km/h in the sport mode.

Going faster than 26 km/h is only possible downhill. Even then the scooter slows you down by cutting down the power, and the only real acceleration you get is by the inertia. The power will come back when your speed is reduced to 25 km/h or lower.

Phone apps

The primary app of choice for the M365 Pro is the Mi Home app (available for Android and iPhone).

The app enables you to monitor the status and the details about your scooter, lock the scooter remotely, and upgrade the scooter’s firmware.

After downloading the app or scanning the QR code in your manual, you add your scooter by using bluetooth. You then set your password, and you are ready to use the app.

There is another useful app, called m365 Tools, which provides details about your scooter too but doesn’t require you to create an account
(Android only for now, seems there’s no iPhone equivalent for it.)

A quick research led me to a popular iPhone app called M365 Plus. However I didn’t have an iPhone handy so I couldn’t check it out.

As a supplement to the official Xiaomi apps, I recommend also checking out the Universal Scooter App by EScooterNerds. The app will come with 30+ additional features like useful checklists, guides, hacks, tools, and other useful resources for owning and managing your scooter better. You can find it available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Gear and accessories

I never ride my Xiaomi M365 Pro without a proper helmet (see my guide on the best electric scooter helmets to find out my recommendations).

The helmet is the only must-have accessory for any electric scooter, but there are quite a few other ones that really help make your scooter more useful or more fun. And when it comes to the Xiaomi M365 Pro, we are in luck, as the scooter is incredibly popular and we can choose from hundreds of different accessory choices. In fact, the vast majority of electric scooter accessories are made to fit exactly this model.

I recommend checking out my guide on the best electric scooter accessories, as literally every single one of the items there will fit the Xiaomi M365 Pro perfectly. I’ve customized my scooter differently as time goes by, but in general, I recommend the scooter trunk at the front, the hook, the turn signal vest, and the carry handle or the carry strap as must-haves.

Also, a lot of people will find the seat and the wall mount very useful. The seat for the Xiaomi M365 Pro in particular is probably one of the most valuable accessories for busy adults.

While many scooterists also add a phone mount to their scooters, I’ve found that it can quite often distract me from the ride, and I only add it occasionally when I know I will need it. Don’t get me wrong – it can be an incredibly useful tool, just remember to stay alert while riding at all times if you choose to add it.

The scooter’s motor and functionality can be locked through the app, which is something I always do whenever I leave my scooter outside. Still, unless the scooter is properly locked, anyone could still simply lift it and carry it away, and that’s why I always lock my scooter with a good scooter lock.

I’ve used a U-lock for a long time, but I’ve switched to cuff locks in the last year, and I have to say, I’ve never looked back. Check out my guide on the best electric scooter locks to find out my best picks and when each of them might be the best choice for your exact scooter and situation.

Availability

For a while back in 2019, the Xiaomi M365 Pro were not available in many western countries, such as the USA and the UK.

That is no longer an issue, as Xiaomi officially released the new model in the US a few months ago.

At that time, it was already available in most of Europe, and in many Asian and South American countries as well.

Xiaomi M365 standard vs Xiaomi M365 Pro

The overall experience of the new model is better than the old one.

I wouldn’t go as far as describing it as much better, since the old model had a very decent drive as well. But the driving experience is improved without a doubt.

The new model seems a bit more sensitive to the input that the driver provides.

Since the new model is heavier, it adds to the balance and stability of the ride.

I tried the new model on some of the same bumpy roads I’ve tried the older one, and there was a definite improvement in stability, and less shaking and rocking.

Because of the improved power levels, the new model had even less trouble going uphill, and it could develop higher speeds in lower times.

The new model also has smoother handle control, that provided better turning.

I didn’t notice any difference with navigating wet or slippery surfaces.

Since the days I was testing the new model were fairly cold, I couldn’t notice if it produced more or less heat.

The most notable visual difference with the previous model is the size itself.

The older model was a bit smaller and lighter.

On the new model, the width is 45 cm / 17.7 inches in length, while the old model has it at 40 cm / 15.75 inches.

The width of the deck is a little different as well. The foot area on the new model is 15 cm / 6 inches, and the old model’s one is 14 cm / 5.5 inches.

The heights are also different. The new model stands tall at 118 cm / 46.5 inches, beating the old model which was 108 cm / 42.5 inches tall.

Another noticeable difference is the color, especially on the foot area and around the handles.

The newer model has a darker, blacker color, while the old one had a lighter grey one. Also, the new model has a very cool dark red color as a secondary theme, decorating the rims and labels on the wheels, the cable on the handlebar, the frame caps, the charging port, and some other small elements. Personally, I believe that the black/dark red combination is a very good choice.

There are slight differences in the coloring of the wheels, with the new model having some extra red decorations. Otherwise the wheels are the same.

A cool improvement in the new model comes in the charging port cap, which now has magnets that put it back in place. Some users have reported problems with keeping the cap closed in the standard model, and looks like Xiaomi have listened and addressed the issue.

The more important differences are the technical ones.

The size differences are mostly due to the larger battery.

Besides the obvious need for the battery to be bigger to deliver more power, it also came with a new aluminum casing that enclosed and protected the battery. And that’s a great tradeoff, because the slightly larger overall size is well worth it for the power improvements.

The battery in the new model has bigger capacity. While both the old and the new model have the same battery type (36 V Lithium li-on), the capacity of the old model was 7800 mA/h, while the new one has it at 12800 mA/h. The new battery can deliver 1000 Watts of power and 474 W/h of energy, while the old one could only do 700 Watts of power and 280 W/h of energy.

That results in a much bigger range and power for the new model. While the old one could go for 30 km / 18.5 miles, the new one can go up to 45 km / 28 miles.

That’s a very big improvement all around, both in power and range, and ultimately it meant longer, more carefree rides.

The difference was easily noticeable while driving uphill – the old model performed well, but the new model didn’t even blink.

The power chargers remain the same in the both models with input voltage of 100-240 V and a max or 2 A, and output voltage of 42 V and 1.7 A.

That might be a weird choice by Xiaomi. Enlarging the battery size and capacity without improving the charger would result in longer time to fully charge the battery.

My experience confirmed this. One of my friends had the old model, so we did some experimenting. Charging from empty to full took 5 hours and 8 minutes for the old model, and 8 hours and 12 minutes for the new model. We even switched the chargers one time and got almost the same results, which means the chargers are exactly the same.

Another difference is the display screen.

The screen can show your battery level while charging, the current speed, the driving mode (standard, power save, and sport modes), the bluetooth status, and some notifications. The old version’s screen only has 4 blinking lights that show the battery level. Looking at other data requires you to connect the scooter with the smartphone and the app for your scooter, which is not that convenient.

Another technical difference between the old and the new model are the brakes.

The new model has wider, more robust brakes, which results in a stronger, more sensitive braking mechanism. Given how the new model carries more horsepower, it is logical that it has stronger, more responsive brakes.

Also, few people complained about the previous model, stating that the brakes were not strong enough. Xiaomi have tried to address those concerns with an improved braking system.

I can confirm that the new model has better brakes to an extent, they simply respond faster and stop the scooter sooner, especially when set on the maximum level. This is one of the biggest issues when it comes to scooters in general, so it is an important improvement.

There are other few minor differences, but they are mostly not critical.

One of them is the folding being slightly smoother. The standard model had a somewhat lax folding joint that got a little loose after a few months. The new one seems much stronger and more stable, hasn’t budged at all.

The same app is used for both the old and the new model, that one being the MiHome app.

So, given all of this, is an upgrade worth it, given the increase in cost?

If you are a frequent user, it most definitely is. The range and power improvements are very well worth it.

If you still want to stick with the standard version, you can see the comprehensive Xiaomi M365 review.

Issues, problems, defects and faults

Personally, I had no issues. In electric scooter time, one year is quite a lot of time. To have no problems for an entire year really says something about this scooter’s quality.

However, I’ll be fully transparent and disclose all the possible issues that may occur.

I went through a lot of online reviews for the Xiaomi M365 Pro to learn what the public thinks.

Most of the user reviews were positive, with the users being very happy with their purchase.

Naturally, there were some that weren’t. A few common threads popped up.

One was that the battery wasn’t as strong as advertised. A few users here and there complained that the battery lasted a lot less than the company claimed it would.

Given my own personal experience, I would say this wasn’t a real issue.

One other complaint about the battery was that it’s impossible to charge it to 100%. Personally I didn’t notice this, but research led me to believe that this might indeed happen to some users. However, the issue goes away after several charges.

Another common one was that climbing hills on low battery was difficult.

This one is kinda right.

Usually I make sure I have a full battery as often as possible. But sometimes I’m forced to drive on low battery, and indeed, the performance seems to suffer a little. It’s not an issue I would consider a dealbreaker, since the performance hit is barely noticeable, but it does exist.

Lingering on from the previous model, there were still some reports about the breaks not being strong enough. However, there were only a handful of those. And in some cases, it turned out that some of those users haven’t set the maximum sensitivity levels for their brakes. There is a definite improvement over the standard model, and the brakes are pretty good when set to max.

The headlight was also an issue that Xiaomi has failed to address, according to user reports. Many users online didn’t think that the headlight was strong enough, which was also a common complaint about the standard model. I have to agree with this conclusion to some degree – the headlight could be a bit more powerful.

Weirdly enough, there were a few complaints about the new model not having improved waterproof abilities, even though it clearly does have them. The new model is IP54 waterproof, and an issue with the power charger cap falling off has been elegantly solved with a magnetic cap.

While a flat tire is not entirely the scooter’s fault, some users have chosen to give poor reviews because of flats.

As with any piece of technology, it is prone to breaking down over time and needs frequent care and maintenance. I wouldn’t say that there was an unusually large number of complaints about flat tires, so the tires are not really at fault.

One small issue, which I did agree with, was that the side stand was too short. This made the scooter incline to the side too much when standing, reducing its stability. If the little bar were just a bit longer, this would not have been an issue. Lots of users have either bought some helpful accessories or made them at home to improve this.

A handful of owners reported that the rear fender is unstable, and it moves a lot, which causes it to break over time. I haven’t noticed this myself, my rear fender has been stable, but also I haven’t had my scooter for that long.

Finally, a number of users reported not being able to complete the setup properly, with the app having bugs.

However, all of these complaints were several months old, and Xiaomi updates its apps frequently and is usually fast in fixing software issues. I didn’t read any recent complaints about this, which means that the bugs are likely fixed.

As you can see, all of the complaints and the most common issues refer to minor, non-critical faults, or only happen to a tiny, unfortunate minority of users. The scooter is generally a well-designed and crafted piece of machinery.

User reviews and what people around the world are saying

It would be pointless to try and list all of the positive reviews of the Xiaomi M365 Pro.

The public loves it.

The most beloved features are the stability, the power, and the beautiful look and feel the scooter has.

Verdict

Many have labeled the Xiaomi M365 Pro as one of the most versatile, popular, best value for money electric scooters ever.

And they are not wrong.

It is a very safe bet, especially if it’s the first scooter you will ever own.

Unless you have very specific needs, have a lower budget, or you really know what you’re doing, you can confidently go for the Xiaomi M365 Pro.

You will be the proud owner of an amazing electric scooter.

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