What E-Scooters Do BIRD & Lime Use?

If you’ve been using rental electric scooters in your daily commute, you might be aware of BIRD and Lime. These e-scooter rental companies use some of the most practical, durable, and reliable e-scooters in the market. In case you’re wondering how fast do BIRD and Lime scooters go, which brand they’re from, or how do they compare to each other – here are all the answers you need!

Which E-Scooter Brands Do BIRD & Lime Use?

BIRD and Lime generally use rebadged e-scooters from two brands: Segway and Xiaomi.

American manufacturer Segway is considered the industry standard when it comes to personal micro-mobility. Ninebot, the familiar company name attached to almost all Lime scooters and most BIRD scooters, is the e-scooter enterprise of Segway. BIRD and Lime use Segway Ninebot scooters due to their proven durability. 

BIRD also uses e-scooters from the Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi. More famously known for their smartphones around the world, Xiaomi disrupted the e-scooter market when the Mi M365 electric scooter debuted in 2016. Since then, it’s been hailed by many as one of the best e-scooter brands to date.

What E-Scooters Do BIRD & Lime Use?

BIRD started out with the much-acclaimed Mi M365 electric scooter and added the Segway Ninebot ES2 down the line. However, with the official discontinuation of both these models, BIRD replaced the Mi M365 with the Xiaomi 1S and the ES2 with the new ES4. Lime, on the other hand, started out with the ES2 and gradually modified them into ES4 by adding another battery.

You’ll never find yourself wondering how to use Lime or BIRD scooters because rental companies only use those e-scooters that are simple to operate and reliable to use. Here’s a brief overview of all the electric scooter models I mentioned.

E-ScooterRangeSpeedWeight
Segway Ninebot ES215.5 miles15.5 mph27.6 lbs
Segway Ninebot ES428 miles18.6 mph31 lbs
Xiaomi Mi M365/1S18.6 miles15.5 mph27.5 lbs

Let’s now have a look at each of these BIRD and Lime scooters separately.

Segway Ninebot ES2

The Segway Ninebot ES2 combined style with functionality. It had a robust aluminum build with high-quality IP54 water-resistant components that made it a durable and reliable ride for daily use. 

This Segway BIRD scooter had a one-step folding mechanism, a dual suspension system, a dual brake system (mechanical + electrical), a 300 W motor (with a peak 700-W output), and a 1.5-W front LED light. Probably the most used electric scooter by Lime and BIRD, its speed maxed out at 15.5 mph and it had a range of 15.5 miles. 

The notable downsides of this Segway BIRD scooter were the absence of pneumatic tires that somewhat reduced rider comfort as well as a limited payload capacity, capped at 220 lbs. Its reliability, however, more than made up for that. The ES2 was so widely used by Lime and BIRD that it became part of their branding. 

Segway Ninebot ES4

After the discontinuation of the Segway Ninebot ES2, the Ninebot ES4 has become the go-to e-scooter for BIRD and Lime. Its specs make it extremely suitable for daily commuting and rental purposes. In case you’re wondering, the ES4 was added into the family of Lime scooters by rebadging it in a green and white exterior. 

Being the more recent installment in the Ninebot lineup, the ES4 takes the lead in terms of performance when compared to the ES2. For instance, it has a peak power output of 800 W, an impressive top speed of 18.6 mph, a much-better hill-climbing ability, and an extensive range of 28 miles made possible by dual batteries. 

Besides these performance stats, the ES2 and ES4 have almost the same features. The downsides of this Lime scooter, again, are the absence of pneumatic tires, a limited payload capacity, and a long charging time of 7 hours (due to dual batteries). Still, it’s a great commuter.

If you’re looking for new BIRD or Lime scooters for sale, you can buy the ES4 from the official Segway store.

Xiaomi Mi M365 / Mi 1S

The Xiaomi Mi M365 featured a 275Wh Li-ion battery with a Smart Battery Management System that allowed for a range of 18.6 miles on a single charge. A peak power output of 500 Watt enabled this BIRD scooter to speed up to 15.5 mph.

Unlike both the Segway Ninebot ES2 and ES4, the Mi M365 had pneumatic tires and a front regenerative brake. It also cost less than both of them. For the downsides, it lacked suspension and had a limited payload capacity. 

Since the Mi M365 has been officially discontinued, you can’t find it in any list of new BIRD scooters for sale. You can, however, buy one in refurbished condition. The Mi M365 was replaced by the Mi 1S. The only major difference between the two is that the 1S has 3 riding modes and a thicker brake pad. 

ES4 & Mi 1S: New Lime & BIRD Scooters for Sale

Having gone through the most popular BIRD and Lime scooters, you’re probably wondering which one you should get. The answer to that isn’t straightforward as e-scooter choices vary from person to person. Since the ES4 and the Mi 1S are the only new Lime/ BIRD scooters for sale right now, let’s see how they compare with each other.

If you’re looking for an affordable electric scooter with reasonable power and enough range for short trips across the town, the Mi 1S can be a good option. Contrarily, if you want something faster, more powerful, and with more range, the ES4 will be suitable for you. As far as durability, reliability, and user-friendliness are considered, both are equally good.

Before You Go

Renting an e-scooter can get quite expensive if you’re a frequent user. Usually, you’d have to pay $1 to get the scooter, then $0.15 for every minute of use. In such a scenario, you may consider buying one of the BIRD or Lime scooters I covered in this blog. 

Hopefully, it has been an informative read!