Review Verdict: For people looking for a value-packed electric scooter that’s not named Xiaomi now have another option with the Lenovo M2. While the M2 will be going up against established brands and plenty of OEMs in the market, it has a fair amount of good features that’ll make it stand out from its more established rivals.

Pros

• Fast charging speeds
• Higher maximum payload vs the competition
• Third-party accessories coming soon

Cons

• Awkward placement of buttons for gear selection, LED lamp activation
• Tires and suspension system not ideal for roads ridden with potholes
• Scooters are not exactly Lenovo’s forte
• Plenty of competition in the market

Lenovo is expanding its portfolio further beyond smartphones and laptops with its new smart home product line. Their M2 electric scooter is part of that line, which isn’t such a weird offering considering that alternative modes of transport have been proliferating because of PUV availability during the COVID-19 crises. Lenovo is going to be facing a lot of competition in the space though, thanks to high-profile names already in the space (coughXiaomicough) as well as a myriad of other OEMs that have done brisk business during the quarantine.

Design

The M2 follows a similar design to other similarly-priced electronic scooters. It comes with an aluminum alloy build, which is relatively heavy especially when you fold it up and transport it when not in use. While it dons a dominantly matte black color, the wheels have red accents to give the M2 a nice pop of contrast while on the road. The handles and stepping platform are decked in gray, and while they give a nice stealthy appeal to the M2, we can’t guarantee how long you can keep them clean and pristine with hard use.

While we mentioned earlier that the M2 is pretty heavy, Lenovo designed it in such a way that you can easily fold it with just the press of a button. With its overall weight, the M2 can handle up to 120kg, which is relatively high for its class.

You get a conventional brake grip in one of the handles, which is part of the M2’s triple brake system. Aside from an electronic brake, you also get disc and pedal brakes for quicker stopping power. While the front brakes are stronger based on our time with the M2, they work pretty fine to prevent you from any roadside mishap.

Features

As an electric scooter with tech smarts, you get an LED display that is placed on the center of the handle. This display panel is home to various controls––from switching gears, activating cruise control, to activating the front-mounted LED light when using the M2 at night. The display also shows important data like speed, mileage, gear used, and battery capacity. Together with its companion app, you can control some features through your smartphone.

While placing the LED display in the middle makes it awkward to operate at times, having a companion app improves how you control the scooter while on the go–provided that you have a proper cellphone holder for it. Speaking of accessories, Lenovo did mention that they are talking to third-party companies for items like a basket or maybe a bigger LED lamp–bringing in better customization options for the M2 down the line.

Performance

Powering the M2 is a 350w electric motor and a 7.5Ah battery. It is rated for up to 30km with one charge and can go as fast as 25km/h. To ensure the battery’s reliability in the long term, Lenovo incorporated an intelligent battery management system to protect against common issues associated with electric vehicles.

Charging up the battery from flat to 100% takes around 3-4 hours, which is faster than the competition.

As for the wheels, you get 8.5-inch non-pneumatic tires that are good for slightly bumpy roads. Together with a triple damping suspension system, the M2’s overall ride experience is smooth, helping it even deal with inclines of up to 15-degrees.

However, despite the rather good suspension system, it is not advisable to use the M2 on roads that are ridden with potholes or humps. because the stepping platform is quite close to the ground, you’ll definitely bottom out when you hit a pothole or deal with a hump.

Wrap up and Conclusions

There’s no denying that Lenovo is pretty late in entering the electronic scooter market, especially with Xiaomi having a diverse line that ranges from the sub-Php 15k Mi Scooter Essential to the top-tier Scooter Pro 2 that costs a hefty Php 35k. Our review of the Lenovo M2 scooter shows that it aims to challenge Xiaomi’s low-end to mid-range scooters by offering a higher maximum payload, better charging times, and a more powerful motor to handle steeper climbing angles.

If Lenovo wants to play its cards right, it can stand out against Xiaomi’s offerings by taking advantage of its retail presence–which includes having more traditional authorized dealers than Xiaomi. Taking advantage of that would mean that the M2 will benefit from a bigger network for service and support in the long run.

With its pre-order promo price, Lenovo has a shot in outdoing Xiaomi with electronic scooters–as long as they devise a good strategy for marketing and aftersales.

Lenovo M2 Electric Scooter Review Philippines Price

The M2 has an SRP of Php 19,995 and is available for pre-order at Lenovo’s official Lazada store starting today. Those pre-ordering until March 27 will be able to get the M2 for Php 16,995 and will get freebies like a Herschel bag and Lenovo TrackPods. It will be available at official resellers and Exclusive Stores nationwide starting March 27.