[REVIEW] The Ninebot D28E is a very high-quality e-scooter for the city, with comfortable 10″ tires and an attractive price

Segway, which is closely associated with Xiaomi, recently introduced a new series of electric scooters for the city under the Ninebot KickScooter D label. We tested one of them, specifically the Ninebot KickScooter D28E model, so you can get a detailed review.

We’ll focus on build quality, comfort, riding performance, and also take a look at ride modes, controls, the battery, and range per single charge.

Where to buy Ninebot D28E?

The scooter for testing was provided by the verified Goboo seller, which is also an officially authorized retailer of Xiaomi, Ninebot, or HOTO products. The scooter arrived from their Spanish warehouse within 5 business days by courier.

Current coupons for Ninebot D28E

Technical specifications

Packaging contents & quality

The Ninebot D28E e-scooter was delivered by a GLS courier, as it was shipped to us from a warehouse in Spain. It comes packed in just one box, which has a very attractive and modern look. In addition to the scooter itself, with the model name on it, there are several images on the box in a comic-book style.

As for the contents of the package, the scooter is inside the box in the standard folded condition, with the handlebars disassembled. It’s secured in foam supports, so the scooter itself is well protected against damage or scratches during shipping.

In addition to the scooter, you’ll also find screws and an Allen key for mounting the handlebars, a pump adapter, a charger, and the user manual.

Folding, build quality, and design

After unpacking, the Ninebot D28E electric scooter is not ready to ride right away. Before our first ride, we had to attach the handlebars to the front metal stem using four screws. It’s nothing complicated or unusual, since many scooters are delivered in exactly this condition.

A new product from Segway’s workshop, it’s among the classic city scooters and doesn’t stray from the standard design. Its construction is made of metal with an attractive red color that gives the scooter a modern, fresh look. Structurally, it strongly resembles the very popular city scooter from Xiaomi, borrowing several elements from it.

When it comes to build quality, it’s at a very high level. The e-scooter feels well-made and sturdy. Everything fits together nicely—nothing rattles or has any play.

Activation via the app

After switching it on for the first time, the scooter beeps and its speed is limited to 15 km/h. For full use, activation and connection via an app on your smartphone are required. You can download the app by scanning the QR code in the manual or by searching for it on the Google Play store. The app is called Segway-Ninebot.

First, we had to create an account and log into the app, which then automatically found the scooter nearby using our smartphone. The app also immediately offered a firmware update, which took no longer than 2 minutes.

Activation itself is done using a verification numeric code that we received in our email inbox. Before unlocking the speed up to 25 km/h, we also had to watch a short safety tutorial for riding the scooter.

We find these steps rather unnecessary and would have preferred the option to use the scooter at full capacity even without the app right out of the box.

Ninebot D28E: Power 300 W and 3 riding modes

The Ninebot D28E electric scooter has a motor located in the front wheel, with a power of 300 W. For an urban scooter, that’s about right to reach a top speed of 25 km/h.

There are 3 riding modes available: ECO, Standard, and Sport. In ECO mode, the maximum speed is 15 km/h, while in Standard and Sport modes it’s 25 km/h. These two modes differ only in acceleration, which is higher in Sport mode.

The scooter also supports a so-called Walk mode—i.e., walking mode—with a maximum speed of only 5 km/h. This mode needs to be enabled in the smartphone app.

The maximum incline the scooter should handle is 15 %. It’s realistic, but on such a steep hill the scooter slows down a lot, down to walking speed. Subjectively, it rides very similarly to the Xiaomi Mi Scooter Pro, which is our main city scooter and we use almost every day.

Display and handlebars

The Ninebot D28E scooter display is placed in the traditional spot in the middle of the handlebars. It shows current speed, riding mode, Bluetooth status, lights, and battery level. Battery status on the scooter display is shown only graphically via five segments. You’ll find the percentage value only in the app on your smartphone.

The handlebars are 47.5 cm wide and have comfortable grips that feel nice to the touch and don’t slip. On the right side, there’s a throttle control, and on the left there’s the brake together with a bell.

Segway-Ninebot app

The Segway-Ninebot smartphone app has a simple yet very clear design. The home screen shows your current location, battery status in percentages, remaining range based on battery capacity, and total miles traveled.

Below that, you’ll find recorded rides, walk mode, regenerative braking settings, and firmware updates. The bottom bar also hides a kind of feed with posts from other users, plus your profile.

On the left side there’s another menu with the basic scooter information, such as the serial number, firmware version, current temperature, and more detailed battery info (voltage, current, temperature, and more).

Besides these indicators, you’ll also find settings here. However, they include only firmware updates, regenerative braking adjustment (weak, medium, strong), enabling Walk mode (5 km/h), and the option to connect for multiple users.

The home screen also hides a couple of inconspicuous features: activity tracking and the so-called stealth mode. In activity tracking, it records the route on the map, distance traveled, maximum speed, and time. Stealth mode triggers an alarm if the scooter moves suspiciously while it’s idle.

Wheels, brakes, and ride comfort

The Ninebot D28E features 10-inch wheels that are inflatable, which is a nice touch since the scooter lacks suspension. Inflatable tires absorb at least some of the bumps and provide a more comfortable ride compared to solid tires, even though you trade that for the risk of getting a puncture.

Less traditional rear brake, which in this case is a drum brake. Most e-scooters, after all, use a standard disc brake, which is easier to maintain and service at home. Drum brakes, however, are slowly disappearing even from cars, so this solution is a bit unconventional on a scooter. On the other hand, the brake is better protected from dirt this way.

As for efficiency, it’s good, but occasionally you can hear an unpleasant rattling sound. Overall, we found the scooter very comfortable to ride. We also appreciate the fairly high handlebar position—about 119 cm from the ground—which makes the scooter suitable and very comfortable even for taller riders.

The foot platform also offers plenty of space and a non-slip, rubberized surface.

Battery and range of the Ninebot D28E

The battery is located under the foot platform and has 275 Wh and 7650 mAh. The manufacturer states a range of 28 km per charge. We obviously checked that.

In this case, the number of kilometers ridden is not shown on the scooter’s display—only in the app. The app shows the total number of kilometers ridden, but it also lets you track your rides with a displayed route on the map.

So we mounted a smartphone stand on the scooter’s handlebars, where we started activity tracking in the Runkeeper app, as well as in the scooter’s app, Segway-Ninebot.

Test ride for range measurement

During the test ride, we drove around the city, mostly on bike paths and regular sidewalks, in the highest Sport mode—until the last battery segment lit up red. By the time we got home, the remaining battery capacity was around 15 %.

After checking the apps, though, we were slightly surprised, because both methods we used to measure the distance showed completely different values. The most accurate should be the Runkeeper app, which measures distance using GPS. It recorded 16.23 km, while the Segway-Ninebot app measured only 8.98 km and an imprecise route.

Third time’s a charm—since we took a screenshot of the total mileage in the Segway-Ninebot app before the ride, we used the total mileage shown on the app’s home screen and rode 16.7 km.

This value is almost identical to the one we measured using GPS in the Runkeeper app, confirming the distance we measured. 16 km isn’t a lot—you’d probably appreciate a stronger battery with higher capacity. That’s why the e-scooter is best suited for shorter rides to work, school, or around the city. You’ll need to get ready for more frequent charging, which takes about 4.5 hours.

Folding mechanism

If you need to transport the scooter in a car, carry it by hand, or store it somewhere, you can simply fold it by collapsing the main stem together with the handlebars toward the rear wheel. The first step before folding is to release the safety latch. Once it’s unlatched, you can fold the handlebars down easily and snap them onto the hook located on the rear fender.

The folding mechanism system with a so-called front latch is almost identical to what you’ll find on popular e-scooters from Xiaomi. In the folded state, the e-scooter is very comfortable to carry, and thanks to its fairly low weight of around 15 kg, you can really carry it like this—anyone can.

Ninebot D28E: Final verdict

The electric scooter Ninebot D28E is a typical city scooter with a 300 W front motor and a maximum speed of 25 km/h. It stands out especially with its attractive design featuring red construction elements, quality build, and a clear, easy-to-read display. We also really appreciate the air-filled 10″ tires, making the scooter very comfortable to ride and not at all like a “hardcore ride on solid rubber.”

There’s also a smartphone app available – Segway-Ninebot, which will offer a few settings and information about the total range. You won’t be happy with the rather weak battery, which is only good for about 16 km with a rider weighing 80 kg in the strongest Sport mode.

If the low range bothers you, a higher-spec model D38E could be an interesting option—it has a 367 Wh (10200 mAh) battery and a manufacturer-stated range of about 38 km. Overall, it’s the same e-scooter, and the battery is the only difference between them.