Aike T review: respectable if slightly flawed electric scooter
Aike T review in a sentence: a nicely designed scooter that performs well despite its chunky and overtly heavy feel.
The best electric scooter options are, perhaps surprisingly, quite plentiful. On paper, at least, the Aike T e-scooter looks like a great addition to the ranks. It’s nicely designed and doesn’t look like it’s going to deliver anything less than a comfy ride, thanks in the main to chunky air-filled tyres front and rear. There are a few other innovations along the way, so come with me as I take the Aike T e-scooter for a test ride.
Aike T review: price and availability
The Aike T e-scooter is available to buy right now. Hopefully, my experience with the couriers isn’t typical, and if you order one, you won’t get lumbered with a doorstep demand for ￡340 (approx. $441. AU$ 651) in customs duty, as I think it came to the UK from Estonia. That’s Brexit for you, folks.
Nevertheless, and bearing in mind this seems to be a start-up operation, so supplies are reasonably limited in terms of volume, the Aike T e-scooter starts at €999, or around ￡855/ $1,108/ AU$ 1,636, though bear in mind if you want it in the UK you will probably face similar duty charges to me. The company also offers an interesting subscription-based model on its website too.
Aike T review: design and features
Our T3 news piece a while back gave me some background on the Aike T e-scooter and the mindset behind it. This isn’t just another Chinese-built electric two-wheeler. Nope, the Aike T e-scooter is designed, manufactured and built in Europe, which is reasonably unusual in itself. In fact, the eye-catching design has been attracting attention, with the Aike T e-scooter being given the Gold German Design Award for 2023.
If you think the looks are a little chunky, then you’re correct. The Aike T e-scooter weighs 19kg, plus there’s a removable battery, which weighs 3.8 kg. Add it all together, and you’ve got a hefty beast, especially when it comes to getting out of the shipping box. Size-wise, the dimensions are as follows: 1,185 mm long, 510 mm wide, 200 mm standing deck width. Meanwhile, when folded, the Aike T e-scooter is 1,148 mm long, the standing deck height is 152 mm, and the ground clearance is 72 mm.
So, while it’s a chunky old thing, the Aike T e-scooter does feel well built with a set list of component parts that appear to be of a very good standard. That said, I was disappointed with the folding mechanism and locking lever, which only seemed to lock one way but never felt particularly tight. A design quirk? Bashed around during shipping? I’m not sure, but it could be much better to my mind seeing as this is central to safety and operability.
There are 10-inch tubeless, air-filled tyres, a mechanical drum brake, along with a regenerative electrical brake. There’s water resistance up to the standard of IPX5, and a double kickstand underneath means the scooter is super stable when it’s parked up. You get an outer USB-C port with 5V output for charging, too, so the battery can be replenished using any USB-C cable.
You can currently get the Aike T e-scooter in three different colours. We’ve been trying a green model, but the black and purple/blue versions look pretty slick too. Save for the logo above the front wheel, flourishes are thin on the ground with plenty of black trim pieces adding to the sophisticated look and feel of this electric two-wheeler.
Aike T review: performance
The Aike T e-scooter comes with a standard fare performance line-up, with a range of up to 40km (25 miles) and a maximum speed of 25 km/h (15.5mph), depending on where you are. The battery capacity is a 583.2Wh affair that delivers power to the 350W motor, which has a maximum power rating of up to 1000W, which again depends on where it’s being used.
Personally, the aluminium and steel Aike T e-scooter feels a bit too heavy, although because of that, it does sit on road surfaces a little better than some more rickety models on the market. Those chunky rubber tyres make a real difference, too, while the platform for your feet is sufficiently wide enough to help you feel nicely poised and balanced when you set off. Overall, the design is very impressive, but it’s a drag if you have to lift the thing at any point, thanks to the 22.8 kg total weight.
Equally, though, the Aike T e-scooter feels more than capable of taking lots of weight, up to 150kg apparently, which is enough for most rider requirements. Doubtless, the battery will suffer if you max it out, whereas Mister Average, like me, has found the Aike T e-scooter to be perfectly able to live up to the 40km/25miles range figure, just as long as you don’t go everywhere on the max throttle.
I quite like the way the Aike T e-scooter employs a smart lock concept to secure the two-wheeler when you park up. This, in essence, uses Internet of Things (IoT) technology to effectively disable the scooter when you’re not on it, which for something that is very stealable makes an awful lot of sense. As the owner, or person riding it, you can, of course, control everything using the supplementary app, and the good news is this works well and without fuss, though it took me a while to connect initially via Bluetooth pairing.
Aike T review: verdict
I’ve got mixed feelings about the Aike T e-scooter. Aside from all the shenanigans involved in simply getting it over to try, this electric two-wheeler is a bit too heavy for my liking. That’s good from a stability point of view, and it does help if you’re a chunkier type that would make a lighter machine feel inadequate. For me, though, it’s a bit too big and beefy, so I’m not sure I’d buy one for myself.
As for the rest of it, the Aike T e-scooter performs well enough and starts and stops admirably. When you’re on the go, those rubber tyres provide a comfy ride while the controls are responsive. The range is also satisfactory, while the security features make it a chore for thieves to run off with. Overall, the Aike T e-scooter is a solid machine which, for the right person and market (mainland Europe?), could be ideal. It does need a little more refining, mind...
Aike T review: also consider
For me, the Pure Advance Flex e-scooter is still the best of the bunch at the premium end of the pricing scale. Not far behind is the Sharp KS4, simply because it’s such a nice thing to ride, especially on unkind surfaces. Chunky pneumatic rubber tyres, plenty of range and excellent build quality make it a hit. However, it isn't exactly cheap, either.
If you like the idea of comfort while you’re riding but baulk at the thought of paying out that sort of cash, there are numerous other options that won’t break the bank.
Our team has recently recommended the standard edition of the Apollo City 2022 over a pricier Pro model if you're looking for something slightly more affordable. The build quality is the same, and it still has the same great features. It’s just fractionally slower but also lighter.
If you plan on carrying your scooter, the Apollo Air 2022 is a great choice. It’s considerably lighter, at 38.5lbs / 17.5kg, but still gives a solid 21mph top speed, 10-inch wheels and front fork suspension. Similarly, the Segway Ninebot Max G30LP is 38.6lbs / 17.5kg and tops out at 18.6mph (though is limited in the UK).
