Ninebot Max G30 electric scooter review

While still technically illegal in the UK, electric scooters have become the transport of choice for city-dwellers looking to ditch public transport for something more eco-friendly and, let’s be honest, a lot more fun. The Ninebox Max G30 indicates a turning point in the blossoming market, offering better range, bigger tyres and quicker acceleration than most other scooters available right now.

The question is; is the Max G30 too big? Half of the appeal of electric scooters is portability, after all. We’ve spent a couple of months whizzing around on the Ninebot Max G30, and here’s what we think. 

Bigger than your average scooter

Like most electric scooters available in 2020, the Ninebot Max G30 is certainly not designed for children, and that’s apparent not only with the tall, bulky design but the impressively fast acceleration on offer too. And while the Max G30 looks a lot like most other electric scooters you see whizzing through city streets, just about every aspect of the Max G30 has been maxed out, from the tyres to the build to the built-in battery. 

We don’t think that’s a bad thing; the Max G30 was designed to give the maximum performance possible from an electric scooter, and by all intents and purposes, that’s what Ninebot parent company Segway has done. 

The headline feature of the Max G30 is that it houses a 15,300mAh battery (551Wh) that offers an incredible 60km range - around 40 miles - depending on the mode you use and your weight. That’s around 15-20 miles more than what you’ll get from the competition, and should suit slightly longer city commutes.

It reaches top speeds of 15.5mph, and while that may not sound like much, it certainly feels fast when you’re riding along the road at max speed. It also has the benefit of being compliant with the proposed 15.5mph limit on electric scooters in the UK - if they’re legalised, anyway. 

The tyres are another area where the Max G30 is maxed out. Most electric scooters on the market come with standard 8in tyres to help keep things smooth on bumpy surfaces, but they don’t offer much in terms of grip if you venture off the tarmacked path. The Max G30, on the other hand, comes with larger 10in wheels that offer improved grip as well as improved shock absorption, being able to soften the impact of bumps on the road as you’re riding along. 

The tyres aren’t solid like other scooters, meaning you’ll have to pump them up from time-to-time, and there’s also a risk that you could puncture the tyre altogether, but a built-in jelly layer should protect the tyres from minor punctures. We’ve not had any issues with the tyres in the two months we’ve been using the scooter, and we’ve been thoroughly putting it through its paces. 

You’ll also find a large colour display built into the handlebars that shows not only the current speed in km/h but the selected driving mode, remaining battery, Bluetooth connectivity status and even error messages in cases where something has gone wrong. It’s both bigger and better-placed than other electric scooters, making it easy to quickly glance at when riding along.