Hiboy NEX Electric Scooter Review

Released in 2021, the Hiboy NEX has quickly become a fan-favorite, boasting a top speed of 13 mph and a range of approximately 13 miles.

2021 has seen the release of numerous scooters, especially in the budget category, creating stiff competition among the different scooter brands. HiBoy has stepped up its range of budget entry-level electric scooters with the release of the Hiboy NEX Electric Scooter.

Powered by a 250W motor, the NEX features a stylish aesthetic design, excellent build quality, and plenty of features making it the ideal urban commuter scooter. The NEX is well suited for young teenagers and adults looking to streamline their commutes or explore their neighbourhoods on an electric scooter.

Let’s get right into this review. 

Hiboy NEX – The Lowdown

Hiboy is a personal mobility brand that’s taking the electric scooter market by storm. One thing you’ll have to appreciate about Hiboy is the diversity of its offerings. With four top-tier models, Hiboy has something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a high-end performance scooter, an off-road companion, a casual commuting scooter or a scooter for your young ones, Hiboy offers you the freedom of choice. Their electric scooters fall into four classes or models, if you will: the S2, Max, NEX and Titan. For today’s review, we look at their 2021 release in the NEX model; Hiboy NEX electric scooter.

The NEX  Electric Scooter (Hiboy) is one of the best electric scooters in the budget, entry-level category providing 13-mile range and 13 mph top speed. The scooter is ideal for teenagers, students, and urban commuters looking to beat the morning rush. Integrating the traditional foldable kick scooter format with a powerful motor, the NEX stands out with great build quality and above-average performance. Aesthetically, it is a step down from the S2 Lite, which comes with a little extra flair with its 4-tier lighting system, and is better suited for the more laid-back teenager. However, it does deliver a few extra miles on a single charge as compared to the S2 lite. It is an incredibly cost-effective scooter and is guaranteed to add a dose of fun to your casual commuting.

Read on to determine whether the scooter deserves the abundance of positive reviews it has received across multiple sites.

Hiboy NEX Specifications

Hiboy NEX Cons

 Acceleration is rather slow

No off-road functionality

Not water-resistant

 No suspension

Hiboy NEX Summary

HiBoy is known for making high-quality entry-level and high-end scooters. The NEX scooter’s fully foldable, lightweight design of just 25 lbs. (11.3Kg) makes it highly suitable for urban riders facilitating effortless transport and storage. It can be easily folded up and stored in compact spaces such as the trunk of a car or next to you in a bus or train.  The frame is constructed from aviation-grade aluminium alloy, which facilitates stability and robustness. Further, NEX’s elegant cordless design makes for great aesthetics.

You’ll find an intuitive LED display (centrally located) on the handlebars that allows riders to seamlessly check their speed, battery life, and more. The handlebars are well-designed and fitted with textured rubber grips providing enhanced riding control and comfort. The deck is spacious and textured with rubber matting for maximum riding stability. The scooter is sturdy enough to accommodate riders weighing up to 180 lbs. (81Kg) – a relatively average maximum weight that will still carry most teenagers and adults. However, it is always prudent to ensure that the max load capacity on your scooter is higher than you need to ensure optimal performance. The Apollo Air is a great alternative as it accommodates a higher payload of 218 lbs (99 kgs).

Performance-wise, the Hiboy NEX is powered by a 250W motor that propels it to a top speed of approximately 13 mph (20.9 Km/h) and conquers a manufacturer-cited 15% gradeability. The scooter integrates two-speed modes and cruise control, ensuring riders have complete control over the scooter based on their riding preference and experience. The 180Wh 36V 5Ah Lithium-Ion battery offers an impressive range of up to 13 miles (20.9). It takes about 4-6 hours to charge the battery fully.

The scooter offers a pretty comfortable riding experience on urban flat terrain. It performs dismally off-road and on bumpier terrain due to the lack of suspensions and small solid tires, providing minimal damping. Concerning safety and usability on roads, the NEX features a dual braking system encompassing an anti-lock electronic brake and rear fender foot brake. Additionally, the headlight offers a pretty impressive illumination distance, ensuring safety when riding at night.  Overall, the Hiboy is a fantastic scooter at its price range, providing decent performance (range and top speed), outstanding elegant design, good gradeability, and uncompromised safety. It’s no surprise that the scooter has gained immense popularity among teenagers and adults looking to streamline their commutes or just have fun riding in their neighbourhoods. However, its minimal off-road functionality and slow acceleration would make you want to consider another scooter.

Performance Overviev

The Hiboy NEX is a decent performer at its price range. It comes equipped with a rear-located, 250W brushless motor. The motor offers fast starts and stable rides, propelling the scooter to a top speed of 13 mph. The motor is powerful enough to enable the scooter to tackle intense climbs of up to 15%. For the range, a powerful lithium-Ion battery powers the scooter up to 13 miles on a single charge. Additionally, the scooter’s outstanding build quality can comfortably accommodate riders weighing up to 180 lbs. (81Kg).

The overall performance of the Hiboy NEX is surprisingly decent despite its low-rated motor, lack of suspension, and small solid tires. Nonetheless, the scooter delivers above-average performance in its class.

Top Speed & Acceleration

The Hiboy NEX electric scooter can comfortably attain a top speed of 13 mph, which is relatively impressive considering it’s designed with teenagers and novice riders in mind. Riders can seamlessly control their speeds when riding the scooter thanks to the integration of two-speed modes: Beginner and Advanced modes. With just one tap of the integrated power button, you can cap the top speed at 9mph (Beginner Mode) or attain the maximum speed at 13 mph (Advanced Mode).

A top speed of 13 mph puts the NEX at par with the more expensive and popular Segway ES2, Swagtron Swagger 7 and Reid E4. However, owing to the smaller motor, the NEX’s acceleration is relatively slow and can be jerky at times.

The Hiboy NEX can comfortably climb inclines of up to 15 degrees, per the manufacturer’s claim. It is a no-brainer that a 250 W motor will perform dismally on the gradeability front; thus, riders should be cautioned before deciding to take on extreme hill climbing challenges. Additionally, please note that hill climbing is greatly dependent on several aspects, such as the state of battery charge and the rider’s weight. It is also good to note that reviewers have called out the NEX as having one of the slowest climbing times.

Controls & Display

The Hiboy NEX controls and display are well laid out, giving riders complete control over the scooter. At either side of the handlebars, you’ll find thumb paddles: an accelerator and an electronic brake lever. The scooter integrates a one-button function, i.e. power button located on the display. The power button has several functions based on the number of times it’s pressed, ie.

• Switch between beginner mode and advanced mode by tapping the button once
• Double-tap to turn on/off the front and rear lights
• Three taps change the metric system, e.g., km/h to mph and vice versa.
• Five taps facilitate switching between the zero-start and kick start features.
• Seven taps will engage or disengage the cruise control specifications

The Hiboy NEX features an intuitive LED display that shows the essential scooter metrics, including current speed, riding mode, state of battery charge and the lights on/off indicator. The oblong-shaped LED display is pretty bright and easy to read, even in direct sunlight.

Battery Life & Range 

The Hiboy NEX electric scooter is fitted with a 180Wh 36V 5Ah Lithium-Ion battery placed below the deck. The battery offers an average range of about 13 miles (20.9) depending on the riding speed, terrain, rider weight, incline, and more.

The 13 miles range is on paper, and you should definitely expect a lower realistic range of about 10 miles under optimum conditions. For an extended range, you should consider riding on Beginner mode, which lowers performance but conserves battery. Compared to other budget, entry-level scooters, notably the Apollo Air (24 km) and Gotrax Apex (24 km).

The Hiboy NEX’s battery takes 4-6 hours to fully charge, in line with most scooters in its price range. You should expect your scooter’s battery to last for about 2-4 years or 500-1000plus charge cycles. To extend the battery life, use only the manufacturer recommended charger and charge the battery within the recommended time.

Motor Configuration

The Hiboy NEX is powered by a 250W motor fitted on the rear wheel. It is amazingly quiet and supports two riding modes: Beginner and Advanced, giving riders plenty of control over their preferred power and top speed.

Construction & Build Quality

HiBoy has traditionally excelled in constructing scooters with premium build quality. The NEX is a testament to this tradition, with its elegant, cordless design and premium build quality. The scooter is one of the most stylish scooters currently on the market, with a neat and finished polish. However, if you’re looking for colour options, you might want to go with the Hiboy S2 Lite, which comes in variations of baby pink, matte black and stone white.

The fully foldable frame is constructed from aluminium alloy, which makes the scooter lightweight and highly durable; thus, sustaining daily use and abuse. The scooter cannot easily bend, dent or twist guaranteeing maximum safety and durability. However, the attachable headlight sticks out of the stem, which leaves it susceptible to breakage should the scooter fall.

The stem and deck are constructed from steel and comfortably support riders weighing up to 180 lbs (81 kgs). The anti-slip deck offers plenty of standing room and is fitted with a kickstand for easy parking. In essence, the build quality is nothing short of impressive with a premium polished finish. You can be sure that this scooter will stand the test of time.

Suspension

Regrettably, the Hiboy NEX is not fitted with any suspension. The lack of a suspension coupled with small solid tyres means that this scooter has almost zero off-road capability. As such, it’s best to ride the scooter on smooth paved roads, pavements, or dedicated bike lanes.

Ride Quality

Like most entry-level scooters, the NEX’s ride quality is not what you’d call excellent. The spacious grippy deck and the ergonomic handlebars with textured rubber grips at both ends come in handy to ensure maximum control and comfort. However, the scooter’s small solid tyres and lack of a suspension comprises the overall ride quality.

The scooter lacks much-needed cushioning when going over bumps and cracks. To ensure comfort while riding this scooter, you’ll want to stick to smooth city terrains. All in all, for scooters retailing below £200, you shouldn’t expect an impressively comfortable ride experience.

Braking

The NEX integrates a double braking system featuring an anti-lock electronic brake and rear fender foot brake. The foot brakes function to slow down the scooter, while the e-brake comes in handy to stop the scooter completely. The brakes are amazingly responsive and guarantee safety while riding the scooter.

One thing to note about the NEX’s braking system is that it doesn’t integrate a mechanical brake. This means that you only rely on the rear foot brake and electronic brake to stop the scooter. You’ll want to use the electronic thumb brake in combination with the foot brake for best stopping results. Also, note that the electronic brake may weaken with time as the battery depletes. So, it’s better to use it simultaneously with the rear foot brake for enhanced braking power, especially in emergencies.

Portability

The Hiboy NEX is amazingly portable thanks to its two-second folding design and lightweight structure, i.e. 25 lbs. (11.3Kg). To fold the scooter, you simply need to release the latch at the bottom of the stem, bring the stem down towards the deck and lock it by pressing it into the rear fender. The hook on the back of the handlebars will securely lock the stem to the fender, allowing for ease in carrying. Once folded, the scooter is compact enough to fit in small spaces, including the boot of a car or next to you, in public transport.    

Water Resistance

Unfortunately, the Hiboy NEX is not IP-rated. To be on the safe side, you’ll want to avoid exposing the scooter to water, especially the electric components or even worse, ride it in the rain. However, most budget entry-level scooters are not water-resistant, and you may want to increase your budget if this feature is high on your priority list.

Lights

The Hiboy NEX electric scooter features dual lights: LED headlight and rear fender light. The built-in LED headlight is placed mid-stem to facilitate maximum visibility at night or in low light conditions.  The rear lights double up as brake lights to inform other road users of your presence or braking actions.

Later releases have an integrated headlight that is located high on the stem.

Tyres

The Hiboy Max comes with a set of 8.5″ honeycomb (solid) rubber tires that offer decent traction on standard urban terrains. However, the solid tyres are pretty stiff and provide minimal cushioning. This compromises the ride quality since you’ll have to endure impacts from bumps and rubbles. With such tyres, the Max is best to ride only on immaculate urban roads or smooth pavements.

The perforations (honeycomb design) was meant to increase the tyres’ capacity to absorb shock, but they perform dismally on this front. On the brighter side, though, the scooter’s tyres don’t require any maintenance as they don’t sustain punctures- one major advantage offered by this scooter over other budget scooters.  On the flip side, the 8.5” don’t offer sufficient ground clearance.

Deck

Like most Hiboy scooters, the NEX comes with a spacious deck covered in textured rubber matting. The rubber matting ensures sufficient rider stability when riding at higher speeds or in wet conditions.

Considering the NEX has been designed for teenagers, it’s slightly smaller in length and width than the average adult scooter. Nonetheless, it still offers sufficient room for riders to stand with their back foot perpendicular to the front comfortably: no awkward standing on the scooter when riding.

Reliability, Warranty & Customer Support

The Hiboy NEX is amazingly reliable for teenagers and novice adult riders. The ride quality is smooth and comfortable, provided riders stick to paved, non-bumpy roads. The scooter’s build quality is fantastic, and provided you stick to the maintenance routine, the scooter will serve you for a long time. What’s more, the scooter integrates two riding modes to match the needs of a wide spectrum of riders. It also offers riders the option to use it as a kick scooter should they run out of battery juice.

Like all HiBoy scooters, the NEX comes with a 12-months warranty and a 30-day return policy with a full refund. While the warranty only covers manufacturer defects, should you experience other problems, the replacement parts are readily available on Hiboy’s site and from Hiboy authorized dealers. HiBoy has very supportive customer service and will attend to your query within the business day.

Maintenance

The Hiboy NEX doesn’t require much maintenance thanks to its elegant cordless design, remarkable build quality, and solid rubber tyres that are not susceptible to punctures. However, for optimal functionality of the scooter, you’ll have to carry out some routine maintenance practices as laid out in the user manual, including:

• Clean the scooter regularly
• Don’t clean the scooter with corrosive detergents or other chemicals
• Charge the scooter before storing it for a long time
• Use only the recommended charger to charge your scooter.

Known Issues

Despite its decent performance, the NEX has some flaws.

• The major issue lies with cruise control. The cruise control feature engages automatically after 8 seconds, and the rider cannot use the mechanical brake to disengage. The only way to stop it is by using the electronic brake-you need to press the electronic brake and then the hand brake. Many users have reported this to be complicated. To avoid this unnecessary complication, you’ll want to turn the cruise control off via the App until you become familiar with the dual braking system.
• Another issue is that the taillight is only activated when using the electronic brake. Engaging the disc brake solely won’t notify other road users you’re braking, which is quite dangerous.
•  The suspension on the scooter is noisy and rattly, and not very effective.
• The locking clasp allows the stem to fold is quite rigid and takes an insane amount of effort to engage.

Is this Electric Scooter value for money and is it worth buying?

For teenagers and adults looking to streamline their commute, the NEX is a worthy buy. Priced under £200, the NEX offers great bang for bucks with a solid performance above other similar scooters designed for teenagers. Compared to the likes of Segway Ninebot E10 and E12, which are quite popular in the teenage category, the NEX offers a higher top speed and a prolonged range. It also comes with great additions, including cruise control, LED display and two riding modes. Even better, the elegant cordless design with a premium polished finish makes the NEX quite the head-turner.

Hiboy Resource

Hiboy Website