With a large body, 10in wheels and a massive 40-mile range, the Max G30 seems perfect on paper
The Ninebot Max G30 offers an impressive 40-mile range, a smooth ride and a selection of smaller design elements that make it a great all-round electric scooter, but at 18kg, it's certainly not as portable as other options available in 2020.
Price When Reviewed
- $699.99
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.
Pricing And Availability
Our review sample was provided by GearBest, which coincidentally has the cheapest prices for the Ninebot Max G30 at the time of writing. If you don’t mind importing from overseas, you can grab the Ninebot Max G30 from GearBest for £550/$699. The stock is in Poland according to the site, so you shouldn’t be waiting as long as you’d be if it was coming from mainland China.
If you’d rather buy the Ninebot Max G30 from a retailer in the UK, you can head directly to the Segway website, but be warned; it’s £729, £179 more expensive than buying from GearBest. If you’re looking for the lowest price from a UK retailer, we’d recommend Pure Scooters at £699.99. Those in the US have fewer options, limited to Amazon ($799.99) and GearBest ($699.99).
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.
But while it’s a powerhouse of a scooter, at 18kg, the Max G30 is certainly not portable. You can fold it down when not in use, but the overall weight and size of the scooter means it’s a bit of a pain to lug around on things like buses and trains - especially during the London rush hour, as we experienced first hand.
If you’re looking for a scooter to supplement your existing journey and not replace it entirely, we’re not sure the bulky, heavy G30 Max is the best solution for you. If that’s what you’re after, you can always take a look at our selection of the best electric scooters for more inspiration.
Incredible Long-Distance Performance
Riding an electric scooter is an incredibly fun, enjoyable experience, and everyone that had a go with the Max G30 wanted to take it home. It’s not hard to see why either; with a 350W motor powering the experience, the Max G30 is a nippy electric scooter capable of providing quick acceleration and a stable ride regardless of road quality, and it can handle relatively steep hills with ease too.
Double-pressing the power button allows you to change the drive mode of the scooter, and in turn, the characteristics. Drive mode is the standard experience, offering decent acceleration with great range, and is the ideal for most people on the daily commute.
You’ve also got Sport mode that, while not increasing the overall speed, offers incredible acceleration that leaves most of the competition in the dust. Of course, the downside is that you won’t get the promised long-range in Sport mode, but that’s remedied with the Eco mode. As the name suggests, Eco mode is more eco-friendly than the other two modes, offering slower acceleration speeds in return for longer range; if you’re looking to hit the 40-mile range on offer from the Max G30, chances are you’ll achieve it in Eco mode.
Regardless of the mode you choose, the Max G30 provides a smooth, enjoyable riding experience both on and off-road thanks to the chunky 10in wheels. It’s admittedly not perfect when it comes to difficult elements like muddy grass, but that’s not what the scooter was designed for. If you want true off-roading capabilities, we’d recommend buying a BMX instead.
You’ve also got a regenerative braking system that both slows the scooter down and provides a little bit of extra charge for the battery, and with brakes on both wheels, the scooter is very quick to stop in an emergency situation. Just don’t be tempted to put your foot on the back wheel to slow down like with a push scooter, as it’ll likely damage the wheel cover rather than decrease your speed.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean it’ll charge any quicker than the competition, as the Max G30 takes around six hours to go from flat-to-full. We recommend topping it up every couple of days rather than waiting for it to completely discharge, but it’s really down to personal preference.
Verdict
The Ninebot Max G30 is a phenomenal electric scooter with impressive acceleration and a 40-mile range, but it’s not for everyone. Yes, the Max G30 undoubtedly offers one of the best electric scooter experiences available right now thanks to the large 10in tyres that help reduce shock when riding along, and the three driving modes offer different levels of power to suit your journey, but at 18kg, it’s certainly not portable.
If you’re looking to completely ditch public transport for your daily commute then the Max G30 is a solid option, but the weight and heft make it difficult to take on trains and buses - less than ideal if you’re looking to bridge the gap between your the various modes of transport you currently use.
Specs
- 25km/h (15.5 mph) top speed
- 20% climb angle
- 15300mAh battery
- IPX5 water resistance
- 10in tyres
- Integrated twist bell
- Electronic rear brake, front drum brake
- Front, brake and reflector lights
- 3 ride modes (Eco, Drive, Sport)
- Up to 65km (40.4 mile) range
- 350W motor
- 18Kg
- 6hr charge time
- Cruise control via app
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