Inokim Light 2 Electric Scooter Review

Designed for the urban environment, the Inokim Light 2 is a premium ultra-portable electric scooter with a top speed of 21 mph and a range of 15-20 miles. 

The Inokim Light 2 stands out as a solid ultra-portable electric scooter designed to withstand daily use and abuse in the urban environment. Designed and constructed by the legendary Nimrod Sapir, who has been in the scooter-making business since 2009, the Light 2 incorporates a premium design with lots of specs, making it a reliable and long-lasting commuter scooter.

The Light 2 excels in regards to safety, quality, design, portability, and craftsmanship. It’s no surprise that the scooter has established itself as one of the best high-end, lightweight commuter-scooters, building a devoted following among high-end scooter enthusiasts. 

Inokim Light 2 – The Lowdown

We can confidently say that Inokim is the godfather when it comes to modern electric scooters. Known predominantly for its build quality, the company is yet to deliver an electric scooter that does not break new heights in the tech mobility space. As Inokim calls it- Urban Freedom- it requires alternative transport industries to design and release solutions that give commuters the same reliability, comfort, and confidence that cars have been providing since the days of Karl Benz.

On that note, we introduce the Inokim Light 2 Electric Scooter. This revolutionary scooter shows us that you can have it all in a scooter without obliterating your bank account. It’s a one-of-a-kind, ultraportable, high-performance e-scooter, embodied in one of the most aesthetically pleasing body frames in the market. The scooter is effortless to use and ride, incorporating modern features such as an easy locking slot and thumb-style throttle for easy commutes and smooth acceleration.

For an easy £857,03/ $1200, you get excellent performance, top-notch ride comfort, uncompromised safety, and build quality only seen in ultra-performing scooters. These Inokim scooters come neck to neck with famous models, the likes of Uscooters Booster GT, the legendary Xiaomi M365, and the Tesla of electric scooters, the Unagi One. Being compared to any one of these scooters is no mean feat and solidifies the Light 2’s position amongst other premium offerings in the scooting community. 

Does Inokim Light 2 live up to the hype, and is it worth the price? Let’s dig into this Inokim Light 2 review. 

Inokim Light 2 Specifications

Inokim Light 2 Cons

 Lacks a suspension despite the high price range 

 Minimal off-road functionality 

Pneumatic tyres are susceptible to punctures

 Not waterproof

Inokim Light 2 Summary

The Inokim Light 2 electric scooter is an improved model of the previously bestselling Inokim Light. It features an impressive build quality with a sleek design incorporating lots of modern specs, including an easy locking slot, thumb throttle, display and cruise control. The scooter’s vibrant colours indeed turn heads with the high-quality materials used in the construction, guaranteeing durability. 

The Light 2 delivers a decent performance in urban environments, fitted with a 350W rear wheel motor that propels the scooter to a top speed of 21.7 mph (35 km/h) and provides optimal traction and hill climbing. The Lithium-Ion, 36V, 10.4Ah battery delivers a decent range of between 18.6-28 mph (30 -45 km,  and charges entirely in under 5 hours, which is still very impressive. 

The Light 2 is well concerned with riders’ safety, implementing high-end safety features like dual drum brakes, spacious deck, high-quality construction materials, a lock on the folding mechanism, and decent lighting for safety during night riding. What’s more, the smooth and consistent acceleration coupled with the low centre-of-gravity assures top-notch safety for both novice and experienced riders.

The Inokim Light 2 meets its ultra-portable tag with a fully folding frame, foldable handlebars and lightweight design-weighs only 13.7Kgs. With this scooter, you can seamlessly fold it up and effortlessly walk up a flight of stairs to your flat or office-as cool as you like. The stem design also makes it easy to haul on one hand, and that’s just super convenient. The scooter stem is also height-adjustable, allowing riders to curate their desired riding stance.

 Overall, the Light 2 is an excellent all-rounder scooter from a premium scooter brand. It offers decent performance in the urban environment and is unrivalled in regards to build quality, craftsmanship, safety and portability. It’s perfect for speed lovers and urban riding allowing riders to pack it down and carry. However, despite the high price point, the Light 2 lacks essential features such as a suspension system and waterproof rating. 

Performance Overview

We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again- the Inokim Light 2 is a scooter built for performance. The scooter is equipped with a 350 W continuous motor that propels the scooter to a manufacturer-cited top speed of 21.7 mph (35 Km/h). A real-world test conducted on a relatively flat track by a rider weighing 165 lbs shows the scooter only reaching 20.7 mph (33.3 km/h). The scooter accelerates leisurely, going from 0-15 mph (0-24 km/h) in 5.7 secs, which is a little slower than other scooters in its category.

In addition, the Inokim Light 2 has a robust battery that powered the scooter through a real-world range of 16 miles (25.7 km), which is the best-in-class in the ultraportable scooter category. Another best-in-class badge would go to the scooter’s amazing braking power. The scooter’s dual mechanical brakes can bring the scooter from a 15mph speed to a complete stop with a braking distance of 11.9 ft (3.6m), which is excellent for any scooter category.

The scooter is not really designed for hilly areas, and a test on a 10% hill grade, with a rider weighing 165 lbs, showed the scooter conquer a 200 ft (61m) climb in 19 secs, and only achieved a top speed of 7.2 mph.  The hill climb is also dependent on the state of battery charge, but compared to other scooters at its price range, this performance could be better. In summary, the Light 2 delivers a stellar performance in urban environments, providing an outstanding balance between speed, range, safety and portability.

Top Speed & Acceleration

Fitted with a 350W gearless rear motor, the Inokim Light 2 boasts a manufacturer-cited top speed of 21.7 mph or 35 km/h. At this speed, the Light 2 is faster than most other electric scooters in its class. Its top speed is well above the average single motor scooter speed, and you can be sure to get around the city, campus or just around your neighbourhood in no time. 

Besides its decent top speed, the Light 2 also comes with an impressive, smooth acceleration. The scooter accelerates from 0 to 24 km/h in just 5.7 seconds and 0 to 32 km/h in just 13.9 seconds. Unlike most other scooters with a jerky acceleration that can easily throw you off, the Light 2 acceleration is rather slick, thanks to the kick-to-start mechanism. With this lack of a zero-start, you must kick the scooter to a certain speed before the motor kicks in to propel the scooter. This makes the scooter’s acceleration safe and conserves energy for an even extended range. 

Like most electric scooters designed for the urban environment, the Inokim electric scooters are not excellent hill climbers- you don’t find intense climbs in cities anyway. Nonetheless, the Light 2 still offers decent hill-climbing of up to 10% gradeability at an average speed of 7.2 mph (11.6 km/h).

Controls & Display

The Inokim Light 2 has relatively simple controls allowing for ease of use. The cockpit features brake levers on either side of the handlebar. On the right handlebar, you’ll find the speed control throttle with a thumb throttle LCD display. The LCD display informs riders of vital metrics of the scooter, including battery status, travel speed, cruise control, speed mode and distance travelled. The LCD is programmed to save settings, so you don’t have to re-adjust your mode every time you power the scooter on and off.

The thumb throttle coupled with the cruise control feature means that you won’t suffer fatigue riding the scooter-no need to hold the accelerator down for long periods.

Battery Life & Range 

The Inokim Light 2 is fitted with a 36V 10.4AH lithium-ion battery, customized with LG cells, which offers a decent range of 18.6-28 miles (30-45 km) depending on the speed, rider’s weight and terrain. The range is pretty remarkable and places the Light 2 well above the average range for scooters in its class. 

The 375 wh battery charge speed is above average and has approximately 5.33 miles range added for every hour it’s charged, with a total charge time of 4 to 5 hours. This is not the best charge time, especially since it’s the same time required to charge fully by beasts such as the Rion RE90 that packs a larger battery size- 96.6 V 45AH battery. 

The Light 2 requires a standard battery charger of input: 100-240V/output: 42V 2A for efficient charging. Users can check their battery charging status from the LCD display embedded on the handlebars. 

The scooter’s battery offers a lifetime of 500-1000 plus charge cycles. To put this in context, you should expect the battery to last for more than three years when properly maintained and looked after.

Motor Configuration

The Inokim Light 2 is fitted with a 350W gearless motor in the rear wheel. The motor churns out 600W max power output and 15N.M max. torque output, allowing riders to experience seamless acceleration and climb smooth inclines with ease during their commutes. The rider can switch between three-speed modes, each providing varied speed and degrees of power.

In mode 3, riders reach max. speed at full throttle, whereas mode 2 cuts the top speed to 70% at full throttle. Mode 1 limits the speed to under 6.2 mph (10km/h)-perfect for novice riders and environments with speed restrictions. The 350W motor is just sufficient for experienced and beginners riders alike. 

Construction & Build Quality

For scooter lovers, the name “Inokim” resonates with unmatched quality. Their scooters are usually on the pricier side, but their prices are always more than justified with their impeccable build quality. Inokim has done an excellent job on the Light 2 with the award-winning design.

The scooter is constructed with high-end Aluminum 6061 T6, which is sturdy, lightweight and durable enough to withstand daily abuse. One thing that amazes Light 2 riders is that you hardly see any open welding on the construction. It almost seems like the scooter has been curved off a solid aluminium block. The fenders are ideally placed with great attention to the slightest of details and are incomparable with the plastic fenders found on regular e scooters. 

Instead of the traditional tubular stem, the Inokim Light 2 features an elongated stem with a remarkable blade design. The stem design comes in handy to resist bending moments and irons out the infamous steering column wobble seen in most eScooters. The wires are internally routed for a visually appealing finish. 

Inokim deserves all the credit for the Light 2’s build quality. As such, few portable and lightweight scooters come close to the same level of quality as this one.

Suspension

Unfortunately, the Light 2 isn’t fitted with a suspension system, hindering the overall ride quality comfort. This isn’t very pleasant considering the high price point. However, the major difference between this scooter and other scooters in the range is that it comes with dual air-filled tires. They accommodate for the lack of damping by absorbing some of the vibrations on bumpier roads.

Ride Quality

Despite the lack of suspension, the Inokim scooter still manages to offer an averagely smooth ride, thanks to the two large pneumatic tyres that provide sound dampening, providing smooth rides. In addition, the scooter’s roomy deck gives riders tons of space to comfortably place their legs and enjoy the ride with no strains. Besides, the deck offers exceptionally low clearance for maximum stability with no wobbling even at high speeds. The run of grip tape further supports a comfortable stand while cruising.

The handlebars are ergonomically designed, featuring hard foam grips that ensure that the rider’s hands are firmly held in position. However, due to the lack of suspension, it goes without saying that the Light 2 doesn’t offer any off-roading capability. It’s, therefore, best to stick to tarred roads, even surfaces and sidewalks to experience a smooth and comfortable ride.

Braking

The Light 2 features rear and front drum brakes controlled by levers intuitively placed on the handlebars for easy operation. The scooter is among the very few electric scooters with dual drum brakes.  The brakes have excellent stopping power at any speed mode.

While most people consider drum brakes to be old technology and very often go for disc brakes with ABS support, drum brakes are still very efficient and require minimal maintenance. What’s more, unlike disc brakes, which lose braking power in wet conditions or when matched against curbs and rocks, drum brakes are durable and will serve you for a long time.  Additionally, disk brakes mean higher prices for your scooter as they are more expensive.

Thanks to the drum brakes, the Light 2 has an impressive short braking distance of just 3.6 meters from 15 mph (24Km/h). This ranks it among the best ultraportable eScooters in terms of efficient and precise braking. 

Portability

The Inokim Light 2 is unrivalled in portability- it’s pretty much in a league of its own. Weighing just 30 lbs. or 13.7 Kg, the Light 2 is amazingly light and can easily be carried over a distance or up a few flights of stairs before feeling its weight intensity.

Further contributing to its effortless portability is its innovative folding mechanism encompassing a retractable stem, folding handlebars and a cut-out for slipping a U-lock through. This makes it extra compact when folded, unlike most scooters that only fold near the stem’s bottom, making it less compact. 

Once folded, the Light 2 turns into a compact size measuring 94-centimeter long by 25-centimeter wide. The package can fit in tight spaces such as your car boot or beside you on a commuter bus or train. In addition, you can place it in a neat carry bag accessory to make it your certified travel partner in streamlining your last-mile commute.

Water Resistance

Regrettably, the Light 2 is not water-resistant. This is quite a throw in value considering the high price point. With this in mind, you’ll want to avoid riding the scooter under rainy or wet conditions or exposing the electric components to water when washing. 

Lights

The Inokim Light 2 is fitted with both front and rear lights. The lights are integrated with an ambient sensor to power on automatically at night or in low light conditions-a very cool feature that will undoubtedly impress you.

The lights are of good quality providing optimum brightness with a nice touch of modern refinement. Sadly though, the front light is mounted relatively low, limiting its effectiveness. For enhanced visibility, you’ll want to mount an extra headlight higher on the stem. The scooter is also fitted with reflectors to maximize visibility during nighttime riding.

Tyres

The Light 2 is fitted with dual 8.5″ x 2″ pneumatic tyres. These air-filled tires are supple, providing excellent traction in all riding conditions and absorb impact for a smooth and safe riding experience. However, they are susceptible to the risk of punctures and require a high level of maintenance for optimum functionality. 

Deck

The Light 2 features a spacious drop deck that puts much of the scooter and battery weight below the wheel axles with 5.7-centimetres of ground clearance. This enhances the stability of the scooter by giving it a low centre of gravity. However, the downside of this is that you can find yourself scrapping on the bumps and curbs quite often. 

The lowered deck offers 18.3’’ x 7’’ (46.4 cm x 17.8 cm) of standing space- more than enough to comfortably hold your legs. Besides, it’s covered with a rough grip tape to enable riders to firmly plant their legs and remain stable and safe even at high speeds. 

Reliability, Warranty & Customer Support

The Light 2 is indeed reliable for the rider’s daily commuting tasks. It’s designed for daily use in urban environments and offers just the needed performance. It’s truly versatile and reliable, and you can use it to streamline your last-mile commute, run errands and have some fun riding it in your neighbourhood. Whatever you decide to do with it, the Light 2 is a genuinely reliable travel companion. The scooter also includes the option of attaching a seat if you wish to cruise in added comfort.

Inokim offers one year warranty on all purchases, offering riders a quality guarantee. The company also provides outstanding customer support with perks such as free shipping and a full refund on returns within 15 days.

Maintenance

Designed for urban riding, the Inokim scooters require minimal maintenance. Unlike mechanical & hydraulic brakes that occasionally need tuning, Light 2 drum brakes require minimal maintenance. The scooter’s pneumatic (air-filled) tyres are susceptible to puncture, but this is rare in smooth urban terrains. Even so, they are easier & cheaper to replace compared to solid tyres when damaged, and thanks to the split rim design, the process is hassle-free.

For longevity and optimum performance, the Light 2 requires general maintenance practices such as charging the battery to full before storing the scooter at room temperatures, regular cleaning to remove dust and charging the scooter using the recommended charger to avoid undercharging or overcharging, which reduces its lifespan, let alone cause it to blow. Ensure you follow the maintenance guidelines listed by the manufacturer in the user manual.

Known Issues

There’s hardly any known issue associated with the Light 2-everything seems to work perfectly. However, one issue reported by most Light 2 users is faulty controls. All the same, this shouldn’t be a concern if you buy it from a reputable dealer. Besides, the scooter comes with a one year warranty, and you can seek support should you experience faulty controls.

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

Definitely! While the Light 2 doesn’t come cheap, its excellent build quality, decent performance, fantastic range and top speed, short charge time, sleek award-winning design, high safety levels, and outstanding portability justifies the high price range. Of course, some buyers may argue that the lack of a suspension, almost average display and lack of waterproofing is a throw-in value, and they may be right.

However, in spite of these downsides, the Light 2 prides itself as a high-end smaller, lighter, safe and ultra-portable eScooter for all your daily commutes. For this reason, the scooter is worth buying if you’re considering a versatile and reliable scooter for your urban commutes. 

Inokim Resource

Inokim Website