Taking a step into the English Electric Motor Co. I was greeted with my steed for the day a NIU NGT, a rather funky-looking electric scooter sporting an amazing EEMC full vinyl wrap!

Before today I had never ridden an electric scooter before and I was slightly apprehensive about how silent this scooter would be. However, in this review I'm looking to answer one question - could I be converted to enjoy life on an electric scooter?

So let's get into it, shall we...

When it comes to styling quite honestly I like the minimal yet slightly sporty looks of the NIU NGT.

I appreciate it might not be for everyone, but I was quite impressed. The large circular LED light at the front is probably the biggest controversial point when it comes to the looks of the NGT, but I think it fits in well with the futuristic and sleek body shape of this scooter.

The small yet sporty windscreen (if you can call it that) looks great along with those exposed front forks.  When it comes to available colourways, you have your three options… white & red, black & red, and black & white – though, I had the black and purple livery of the English Electric Motor Co, which we all loved and it really is a shame that such a livery isn’t available as standard!

The NIU NGT is powered by an in-rear wheel 3000w Bosch motor, which offers pretty decent acceleration! Packing three modes: E-save for those slow congested journeys around towns and cities that will see you restricted to 15mph, Dynamic for those times you don’t want to go above 30mph and then there is the mode I used for 98% of the time - Sport.

Sport is the go-to mode and the one I’d probably just keep in all the time if I had one. Max speed and acceleration for Sport mode is a lot of fun, giving spritely acceleration and will see you comfortably hit 45mph. Sadly, though there isn’t really much beyond 45mph, but then again, the NGT is really designed for that.

It is an urban scooter at heart, and it offers pretty good performance for that. From a standing start, it does pick up well, and to 40mph you definitely won’t have too much hassle keeping up with other vehicles on the road.

When it comes to the battery, NIU packs some big names in the technology market, so you'll get some major reassurances in what they have to offer.

Power is supplied from two removable 60v high-performance Panasonic batteries, with a charge time of just three and a half hours. The stated range is up to 60 miles, and I believe that to be accurate if used in the more reserved modes. Do expect this figure to drop slightly if you have the NGT in sport mode (mode three) for most of the time, though I would still expect around 40ish miles in mode three! I don’t think many 125cc or equivalent machines do regular 40+ mile journeys in one day.

Onto braking and the NGT has 220mm front dual-piston disc brakes and 180mm dual-piston disc on the rear, as you’d expect for this category bike it uses a combined braking system.  The brakes give decent enough stopping power which led me to have no concerns here.

In an ideal world, it would have been great to have ABS, but this really isn’t common on 125cc (and equivalent) bikes. The NGT even has EBS (Energy Recovery System) so it converts energy from braking into battery power!

Suspension is provided by hydraulic shocks at the front and rear. Clearly, this scooter is more designed with inner cities and towns in mind, than the rough rural lanes of the Norfolk and Suffolk countryside that we used for testing.

The suspension though did a respectable job considering the abuse it took from us. With relatively small wheels and on bumpy roads you expect the journey to be a bit rough at times and it is (though quite good fun too if you are that way inclined), get onto the smoother roads and expect to see the NGT scoot about on and provide you with a pleasant smooth journey. It includes a typical scooter seat so is also comfortable.

When it comes to dashboards on small scooters, the NIU NGT is right up there for me. Packing a full-colour smart display, the dash is great and matches perfectly with the aesthetics.

The display gives a lot of information but is shown nicely and clearly, so reading it on the go is easy - even for first-time riders. Displaying speed, rider mode, battery life, clock, power output, and the normal dashboard symbols, this dash really does give you all the information you need.

Although we didn’t test it at the time due to restraints, the NIU also connects to its own app, where you can check riding history, power stats, previous locations, vehicle diagnostics, anti-theft alerts, and much more!

Onto the switch gear and all is nice and solid with no concerns. There were a few nice little features here, the indicators are auto-off, and there is a USB charging port and cruise control - not a bad spec for a little electric scooter is it?

The Niu NGT weighs in at 105kg, making it an extremely light machine.

However for me, the battery just below the seat makes it feel slightly more top-heavy than usual and makes handling very different to your standard scooter.

At the time of writing if you throw in the current UK Government grant and a new NGT could be yours for £3,196. It's not cheap but remember servicing should be quite minimal as it includes far fewer parts and it will cost about 1p a mile on electricity, oh and don’t forget it will be zero annual road tax too! Overall there is money to be saved over time with the NGT.    

Sitting on this electrical beast, you do notice it is a small little thing even for me at a mighty 5’ 6” tall (or should that be small?). Surprisingly though, there was ample leg room, even Alex at 6’ 4” got on fine during a jolly buzz around the local roads, though not sure if it would manage to be a daily ride for him, knees were still pretty high and near handlebars, so could potentially start to get uncomfortable.

When on the road and riding you instantly expect to hear that typical pea shooter scooter exhaust sound but there was only a very small whine omitting from the electric components of the NIU NGT. I started off in mode one, but within a few yards of starting my journey, I soon rifled my way to mode three to enjoy the benefits of that 3000w motor, plus I didn’t fancy doing 15/30mph on national speed limit country lanes!

Overall, if you take the whole ‘electric power’ out of the equation and the NGT gives a typical scooter ride - very easy to throw around bends, small and easy to filter, and has that good general scooter feeling to it.

Riding the NIU NGT was a fun experience for me, I was concerned about the lack of noise, which admittedly I still have apprehensions about (I like people to hear where I am), but apart from that the NGT gives a fun and enjoyable ride primed for urban commutes.

Acceleration as already mentioned is pretty dandy to around 40mph and will surprise a few people with just how quick it is. Slightly gutting that it max’s out at 45mph though. Being capable of just 45mph restricts this one from being purely an urban scooter for me. Maybe one day soon we’ll see a version capable of 60-65mph with a decent battery life to match the increased performance.

Packing decent spec, respectable charge time, and a motor that offers quick acceleration I expect to see the NGT do well, it still provides a typical fun scooter ride while being extremely economical. Shame you hit a wall at 45mph, but then again, the NGT isn’t for faster roads.

If the NGT isn't for you then make sure to check out our top 10 best electric scooters and mopeds. With a variety of different options all ranging in price and styling, we're sure there will be something on there that will tick all your boxes! 

• Affordable to buy and run 
• Stylish is a standout feature
• Packing some pretty decent spec

• Could be a bit smoother 
• Wish it had a little more power 

I hope you enjoyed my full road test review of the new Niu NGT (2019-onwards) electric scooter!

If you have your very own Niu NGT, or perhaps another electric scoot you need to insure - make sure to get an Electric Motorcycle & Moped insurance quote direct with Lexham!

Motor	3000w Bosch
Battery	2 x 60v Panasonic lithium batteries
Brakes	Front and rear disc
Seat height	780mm
Weight	105kg
Price (at the time of writing)	£3,196 (including grant)