Reid E4 Plus E-Scooter Review

An Improvement From Its Predecessor With a Top Speed of 15.5 mph and a range of 17.4 miles.

The Reid E4 Plus proves itself to be quite an improvement from the Reid E4 electric scooter. Even if it keeps some of its predecessor’s key specs and features, there are several notable differences you may fancy in this upgrade. 

This e-scooter has been further enhanced, with Australian company Reid Motors managing to bring some more edge to the competition. Of course, it’s more expensive — but Reid keeps true in giving you back what you pay for and maybe even a little bit more. 

Reid E4 Plus – The Lowdown

This upgraded entry-level electric scooter features a 350W battery powered by a 30 cell, 36 V 7.5 Ah battery. Ironically enough, its specs are the same as the Reid E4, with a 15-degree climbing range, a 15.5 mph maximum speed, and a 17.4 mi mileage per single charge. On top of that, the Reid E4 Plus e-scooter weighs a bit heavier. Sitting at 32 lbs, it may give some people trouble in carrying it around or through several flights of stairs.

The wheels have been upgraded, offering 10” puncture-proof tyres. The old brake system was also included along with the addition of a rear foot brake. Its battery charge times have lengthened by an hour, but nothing’s keeping the Reid E4 Plus electric scooter from keeping its sleek and dashing aesthetic that the Reid E4 was known for. Moreover, it still comes with the Reid eMobility App,  making it a well-upgraded entry-level scooter that offers premium looks and mid-tier functionalities.

To know more about what the Reid E4 Plus has in store for you, read on.

Reid E4 Plus Specifications

Reid E4 Plus Cons

The display isn’t glare resistant

More expensive than competitors

A bit too heavy to carry around

The battery could have an improved lifespan

The app still isn’t user friendly

Summary

The Reid E4 is mostly compared to the Xiaomi M365. But after a few test drives and a matter of breaking in, people are convinced that this is the far superior electric scooter. Boasting a better motor, bigger tyres, better lighting, and an integrated rear suspension, the Reid E4 Plus electric scooter is definitely a far cry from the Reid E4 — making sure that shelling out extra money is definitely worth it.

Still, it still hasn’t managed to perfect and round out the edges that people have been raving from the Reid E4, ultimately making it an e-scooter that’s a great choice but still not the best.

Performance Overview

The Reid E4 Plus is quite a step up from the Reid E4, with a price too steep for some. Currently tagged at £599 (around $830), this scooter manages to pull through with several improvements from its predecessor — ultimately still giving Xiaomi and the M365 a run for its money.

It may not be the best e-scooter out there when it comes to its price and specs, but it manages to pull through with the things that make it unique. Reid Motors didn’t try too hard to redesign this electric scooter, as what they did was more of a slight upgrade that improves the ride but not necessarily takes it to another level. Nonetheless, it’s still a scooter you may drool over for, and paying for its asking price definitely feels like a stalemate.

In terms of specs, it still pretty much has most of what the E4 offered  —  a 15.5 mph maximum speed, 17.4 mi maximum mileage in a single charge, 15-degree climbing range, high-grade aluminium frame, a mobile app, and an IPX4 water rating. What the Reid E4 Plus manages to improve upon are the following:

• the motor (adding 100W more)
• the lighting system (adding a glowing coloured LED light under the deck)
• the brake system (with the inclusion of a more accessible rear brake)
• the tyres (adding 1.5 inches more to it)

The only downside to all this is the added weight, with the e-scooter being 3.1 lbs heavier than its predecessor.

This surely won’t stop you from wanting a Reid E4 Plus, and the Reid E4 and Xiaomi M365 are far from overtaking it as competition. It undeniably has a hefty asking price— but even so, it still manages to bump into some problems. Some issues patrons have been asking for include better battery life, a lower and more competitive price, a dashboard with a backlight, and several improvements on the app. We’ll discuss more on this later, so keep on reading.

The Reid E4 Plus electric scooter offers an improved 350W battery that takes four to five hours to charge. Its climbing range is still at 15 degrees, and the max range a single charge could take you is at 28 km. Its speed tops at 15.5 mph, proving that the motor upgrade was more for acceleration than it is for power. Nonetheless, the Reid E4 Plus does a great job as an entry-level e-scooter.

Top Speed & Acceleration

The Reid E4’s top speeds vary per speed mode. The first speed mode can take you up to 6 mph, which is perfect for pushing the scooter around or carefully strolling through streets. The second one tops at 11 mph, perfect for busy roads, neighbourhoods with a lot of people outside, or trafficked streets. Lastly, there’s the third and fastest speed mode, which lets you zoom for 15.5 mph — a powerful speed to get you to any destination earlier than expected. 

Note that the road conditions, rider and gear weight, and weather conditions usually affect the numbers, so results would definitely vary for everyone.

With three different riding modes, the Reid E4 Plus also offers three levels of acceleration. This is indicated by the numbers 1-3 on the dashboard. The first level tops off at 6 mph (brisk walking speed); the second at 11 mph (fast enough for busy roads or areas with heavy traffic); and the third one, which is the fastest of them all, tops at 15.5 mph. 

With the 350W motor upgrade, you can expect yourself to get to top speeds faster. The only problem is that it also takes juice from your battery just as fast. Another caveat on its design is that the extended handlebars make it quite hard for you to switch between modes while riding, making it a price to pay for speed mode convenience.

Controls & Display

The cockpit on the Reid E4 Plus stays the same. It’s an integrated LED that offers a great view of the battery level, power mode (pedestrian, standard, or speed), a speedometer showing speeds in both kph and mph (another uncommon feature found on the Reid E4), and a Bluetooth status that shows if you’re connected to the Reid eMobility App.

The eMobility app is both Reid e-scooter’s strength and weakness since it offers an extended version of the cockpit yet still needing a UI re-do and several upgrades. Like the Reid E4, it acts as a duplicate of your cockpit, while also offering light control and colour choosing. It also features a social element called “Friends”, the long-awaited cruise control, a locking mechanism, and the option to choose what happens when the scooter starts up  — letting you choose if you want the throttle to work from a stationary position or from when you kick on it a bit. 

Battery Life & Range 

The Reid E4 Plus comes with the same battery as the Reid E4: a 36V, 7.5 Ah, 30-cell battery that manages to power the scooter for 17.4 mi of ride mileage in a single charge. 

This electric scooter could have used a better battery upon release, but instead asks for a longer charging time — with a full charge now requiring four to five hours long of waiting time.  Then again, the top mileage would vary depending on the road conditions, rider weight, and type of use (how much you throttle and what speed mode you’re in). 

The mileage offered by the Reid E4 Plus can’t really take you that far, but it’s enough to replace commutes. Once you get to your destination, you should start charging so you’d be done by the time you need to leave and it’s time to go home. Once you reach home, charge it again and it would probably be full and ready before bedtime, allowing for ease of use on yet another day.

Motor Configuration

The Reid E4 Plus boasts an upgraded 350W motor that manages to take the e-scooter at speeds of up to 15.5 mph and a 15-degree climbing range. Compared to the Reid E4, the added 100W has better performance in terms of acceleration, but it’s still as fast and as good. 

Construction & Build Quality

Made from high-grade aluminium and IPX4 water-rated parts, the  Reid E4 Plus electric scooter bumps up its weight to 32 lbs. Still, with a 220 lbs rider weight limit, it is quite a durable and sturdy companion on roads.  Almost every functionality is installed as an integrated part of its system and the wire work is cleaner this time around. 

Furthermore, its deck and lights look a lot better this time, especially that there’s the addition of under-deck lights for added appeal. The long handlebar is still there for better handling, and it still unscrews easily whenever needed be. 

The Reid E4 Plus folds just as well and locks into place when you need to carry it around, as it keeps a very luxurious aesthetic you would get from purchasing a premium scooter.  

From unboxing, you would only need to attach the scooter’s neck with the provided screws, charge the battery as needed, then you’re ready to zoom or scoot across your neighbourhood or city. It is very straightforward and as hassle-free as you’d want it to be — something Reid always offers when it comes to their products.

As far as the build quality goes, the Reid E4 Plus is considered well-made and durable. Even when it weighs a bit more than the E4, this e-scooter is still known to withstand relatively tough terrains and rougher roads with ease. Reid Motors definitely didn’t disappoint on this one, as they know quite well how people would try and power through with this electric scooter in almost every situation.

Suspension

The Reid E4 Plus incorporates the addition of an integrated rear suspension that takes care of every shock the e-scooter may run into. It manages to fix the most glaring problem from the Reid E4, especially that the scooter works super well with the cellular solid tyres. Admittedly, this is worth the  £100 markup, making one easily forget the Reid E4 exists. 

Ride Quality

Its ride quality is a lot better than the Reid E4, with its added rear suspension taking up most of what makes it comfortable. One common problem with the Reid E4 was how bumpy rides were. 

Thanks to the addition of a shock absorber on the backside of the Reid E4 Plus, this has quickly been alleviated. Its taller tyres also make up for a smoother ride, offering a faster-feeling disposition compared to its predecessor. 

Braking

The brake system of the Reid E4 Plus is also upgraded quite a bit, with the addition of a rear foot brake to the mechanical disc brake feature it still has. 

For the front, it features an electronic front brake with energy capture, making riding the Reid E4 Plus a bit more efficient than you would be used to in an electric scooter. Basically, its front brake makes use of the kinetic energy fabricated by your current speed. The brake would then take all this energy to put the wheels and the e-scooter to an immediate halt while taking the excess energy to go to the battery as reserve power. 

Portability

Weighing in at 32 lbs, some may say that the Reid E4 Plus is quite hard to carry around. But if you’re patient and strong enough, you’d find a way to manage and take it to a parking spot or several flights of stairs. 

Nonetheless, this electric scooter is still easy to fold. Plus, its handlebar grips unscrew as needed, and its locking mechanism on the neck works well when you fold it up. 

Water Resistance

The Reid E4 Plus is IPX4 rated for water resistance, which means it can take ample amounts of water thrown at it. Of course, this also means it’s not meant to be drowned in puddles or through the rain. So, it’s better that you steer the electric scooter away from such heavy downpour situations. 

Lights

This electric scooter offers integrated lighting that’s present both on the front and back of the scooter, along with reflectors on the wheels. It also has a pulsating strip of LED under the deck with controllable colour. Its headlights are still the four high beam LEDs from the Reid E4 with the surround colour LEDs that add a bit of ambience to the e-scooter’s path. Some may find it excessive but others get used to it very quickly.

Tyres

The Reid E4 Plus improves on the tyres, offering 10’ puncture-proof tyres with cellular solid technology that allows for a bit of giving as a sort of suspension. The skidding problem from its previous iteration still hasn’t been resolved. hence, we’re all still looking forward to seeing that be fixed. 

Deck

The deck on the Reid E4 Plus stays the same, only improving a bit on the rubber material’s grip. This is due to the fact that it accelerates faster, making up for a more sticky-feeling material needed. Still, anyone can comfortably stand on it and ride at speeds of 15.5 mph with no problem. It’s even IPX4 rated to make sure it’s not so easily affected by puddles or small amounts of water.

Reliability, Warranty & Customer Support

With regards to their customer service, Reid proves to be open and responsive to customer complaints, making sure everyone’s issues are resolved and properly dealt with. 

Maintenance

Aside from its tyres that would start to give at around 3000 km, another issue to look out for would be its battery that may die out too soon if not taken care of properly. With 30 individual cells powering the entire unit, wear, tear, and improper use may easily deplete the battery’s life. Thus, always proceed with caution when charging this e-scooter. 

Known Issues

The only known issues with the Reid E4 Plus scooter are its solid tyres that tend to skid at times. On top of that, its extra-long handlebar didn’t have some buttons adjusted accordingly to its extension, making it harder to reach.

Accessories

The Reid E4 Plus offers the same accessories as its predecessor. These include reflectors on the wheels, the bell built into one of its brake levers, a LED strip with controllable colour under the deck,  and its over-the-top surround colour LED on the high beam headlights.

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

Overall, the Reid E4 Plus electric scooter proves itself to be quite a satisfying ride, with only its price serving as a limiting factor. It may stand in question how there’s not much improvement from its predecessor. But hopefully, Reid Motors is leaving that out for another model in the future. 

Nonetheless, the Reid E4 Plus offers a premium feel to it that well matches the price it’s currently tagged with. This electric scooter is definitely far from being a letdown as every feature and inclusion make up for a thrilling ride. It ultimately does a great job of giving you an e-scooter experience that would leave you wanting more  — making you try and seek a more powerful electric scooter a little way down the road. 

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