Xiaomi Electric Scooter 6 Ultra review: a fabulous scooter that will spoil you with comfort

The Ultra designation at Xiaomi no longer just means a phone with a better camera. It’s worn by the SU7 Ultra sports car, flagship phones, and this yellow machine, which I had with me for a few days and managed to ride up several proper hills. The Electric Scooter 6 Ultra is the pinnacle of the new sixth generation of scooters and differs from its predecessors in one fundamental way — for the first first time, it’s not urban commuting with an ambitious label, but a machine built with the serious intention of going off-road. For 19,990 CZK, you get a piece of a scooter that Xiaomi has not offered before. Whether that’s good depends on what you want it for.

A robust machine that is heavy

The first thing that comes to mind when lifting the scooter is whether you even want to carry it anywhere. 33.7 kilograms is a weight that will deter you from any idea of carrying the machine up to the third floor without an elevator. For comparison, a typical urban scooter weighs half that. Xiaomi doesn’t hide this — it targets riders who park the scooter downstairs and only go back up for the keys.

However, that weight has its logic. On the road, the 6 Ultra behaves calmly and confidently; even during faster rides, it shows no sign of the nervousness you’d find in lighter machines. The footboard measures 490 × 195 millimeters, allowing you to stand comfortably even during long commutes, and a maximum load capacity of 140 kilograms places the machine among those that can carry practically anyone. The ground clearance has increased to 172 millimeters, which in practice means you can simply ride over a curb or a low step instead of having to dismount.

The catch is in the materials. Most of the visible yellow elements, including the bottom covers and turn signals, are made of soft plastic that merely encases the metal frame. However, the very nature of the scooter tempts you to venture with it into places where there’s a risk of falling or scraping against a stone. And in such a case, it’s precisely that plastic that will take the damage. It’s a bit of a contradiction in itself — the machine entices you off-road with a construction that off-road conditions can easily mark.

Extreme performance that is not without flaws

The nominal motor power is 500 W, peaking at 1200 W, and the torque climbs up to 45 Nm. In Boost mode, the scooter accelerates from 8 to 24 km/h in 2.4 seconds, and that initial kick-off will truly surprise you — a solid press of the throttle catapults you forward so much that it’s worth holding on tight. The maximum speed is, of course, legally capped at 25 km/h, and no setting will unlock it for you, but unlike weaker models, the 6 Ultra maintains it in almost any situation.

The manufacturer states it can tackle inclines of up to 25%, and on typical city hills, the machine truly pulls where other scooters give up and require assistance by kicking. However, here we encounter the first real limitation not found in the specifications. During long and steep climbs, the motor noticeably overheats. If you push the scooter up a steep hill for an extended period, it will start to slightly overheat and consequently discharge faster. It’s not a disaster, but it’s good to know that the 6 Ultra is built more for undulating terrain and longer routes than for repeated assaults on the steepest slopes.

The motor’s power is kept in check by several systems. Both wheels feature disc brakes supplemented by electronic E-ABS, which monitors wheel lock-up and shortens braking distance. Traction is managed by the TCS system, which monitors wheel slip and adjusts motor power if necessary — a welcome safeguard when you encounter wet or slippery surfaces. It’s convenient that some settings, including TCS activation, can be controlled directly on the display, so you don’t have to reach for your phone.

Wheels and suspension are the biggest draw

If the 6 Ultra has one thing for which you’ll forgive its weight, it’s riding comfort. The scooter stands on 12-inch off-road tubeless wheels with a width of 3 inches, which by themselves absorb the vast majority of common irregularities. Cobblestones, rough asphalt, stone slabs, or unexpected potholes — the machine handles all of this without punishing you with harsh jolts to the handlebars.

However, the main difference from the rest of the series is the suspension. While cheaper models rely on classic springs, the Ultra features double swingarms at both the front and rear, complemented by elastomer damping elements. It’s a solution you’d typically expect on larger machines, and it works great on rough surfaces. Instead of hard impacts, you’ll feel only a soft sway, and even a longer ride on a dirt road remains surprisingly tolerable. On smooth asphalt, it might be an unnecessary luxury, but as soon as the surface gets rough, you’ll appreciate every millimeter of travel.

Range looks great until you start climbing

Power is provided by a battery with a capacity of 585 Wh, which the manufacturer advertises with a range of up to 75 kilometers. However, here it’s necessary to stick to reality. This figure applies under ideal conditions at a speed of 15 km/h on flat terrain. If you ride at full speed of 25 km/h, you’ll get 55 kilometers according to the specifications, and as soon as you add hills, the range drops even faster. In practice, for spirited riding on undulating terrain, expect closer to half of the advertised value. For a daily commute to and from work, it’s more than enough, but an all-day trip to the mountains could be a problem.

A bigger weakness is charging. The standard charger included in the package will replenish the energy from zero to one hundred percent in about 10.5 hours, which is unpleasantly long for a machine that tempts frequent riding. The solution is the Xiaomi Electric Scooter Fast Charger 2, which shortens the time to 3 hours and 20 minutes and adds about 30 kilometers of range for an hour in the socket. The catch? It’s sold separately and not found in the package. For a scooter costing twenty thousand, I would expect reasonable charging to be included directly, not as an optional extra.

The battery is monitored by a BMS system that tracks temperature and condition, preventing overcharging. Furthermore, the entire machine meets IPX6 protection, so it can withstand splashing water, and an unexpected shower won’t harm it. The manufacturer does not recommend riding directly in the rain, but it doesn’t mean you have to panic at the first cloud.

Your phone will find the scooter, but you won’t see the speed on it

Všechny důležité údaje máte před očima na barevném 3″ TFT displeji, který zobrazuje aktuální rychlost, zvolený režim, zbývající dojezd i čas. Displej je čitelný, jen není nijak přizpůsobitelný a není úplně nejjasnější. Řídítka mají mírně zakřivený ergonomický tvar a nově na nich najdete i tlačítko pro ovládání směrovek. Plyn obsloužíte buď páčkou pod palcem, nebo otočnou rukojetí — záleží na tom, co je vám bližší.

More interesting is the array of smart features. The scooter communicates with the Xiaomi Home app, where you can adjust settings, monitor battery status, and remotely lock the machine. However, the real gem is the support for Apple Find My — you can locate a parked scooter on the map just like AirPods or an iPhone, which is a welcome safeguard against thieves. It’s a bit amusing that a manufacturer of Android phones relies on Apple’s ecosystem, but it works, and for a machine costing twenty thousand, theft protection makes a lot of sense.

Who it makes sense for

The Xiaomi Electric Scooter 6 Ultra is the best scooter the company has ever built, and at the same time, a machine with a clearly defined audience. It suits a more demanding rider who appreciates comfort on long and rough routes, needs high load capacity, and doesn’t mind not being able to carry the scooter anywhere. Conversely, I would dissuade anyone who would daily drag it up stairs or fold it into the trunk of a small car — 33.7 kilograms truly makes its weight felt.

For its price, it offers a lot of value and, in terms of price/equipment ratio, undercuts many premium models from competitors. However, if one looks beyond the yellow sheen, two things are good to know beforehand: the motor gets winded and overheats on steep hills, and you have to pay extra for reasonable charging. If these don’t bother you and you’re looking for a machine that isn’t afraid of off-road terrain, it’s hard to find a better option in the Czech Republic right now.

Editor’s rating: 91 %

Would you trade a lightweight urban scooter for such an off-road behemoth?