Hiboy S2 review: The best budget electric scooter

How much scooter is just enough? While it’s not the flashiest electric scooter, the Hiboy S2 delivers a lot of value for those looking for an affordable ride to get them from their home to the office, or to scoot about town. It has a reasonably strong motor, a sensible design, and niceties such as a dual-braking system and lights that wrap all the way around the scooter. While it’s not perfect — I would have preferred a smoother ride and a longer range — it’s well-suited for that last-mile commute. See how it compares to the best electric scooters by reading the rest of our Hiboy S2 review. 

HIboy S2 review: Price and availability

The Highboy S2 is available online at Amazon and other retailers. Its regular price is $549, which feels a little overpriced for what it offers, but I’ve seen it on sale for as little as $399. If you see it for that price, it’s definitely worth the purchase.

Highboy also sells a version of the S2 with a detachable seat for $479.

The company sells an upgraded version, the S2 Pro, for $669 (which was discounted to $532 at the time of writing). It has a more powerful 500W motor (to the S2’s 350W motor), larger 10-inch tires (the S2 has 8.5-inch tires), and a longer maximum range of 25 miles, versus 17 for the S2. The S2 Pro is also available with a detachable seat for $559.

HIboy S2 review: Design

This is a functional scooter. Design-wise, it looks a bit nicer than other budget scooters, such as the GoTrax GXL V2 — the Hiboy S2’s cables are all routed internally down the front, and only pop out at the bottom.

The right handlebar has a push-button throttle and a handbrake to operate the scooter’s mechanical disc brake. On the left handlebar is another push button for the regenerative brakes. The controls were all comfortable and easy to use.

In the middle of the S2’s handlebars is a small color display, not unlike the one on the Segway Ninebot Kickscooter Max. In the center is a large readout that shows your speed; below that is a battery meter, and at the top is a bar that shows how much power the scooter’s motor is using or — if you’re using the regenerative brakes — how much energy is being sent back to the battery.

The S2’s deck is coated with a nice, grippy rubber that has small diamond-shaped nubs. While I felt the size of the deck was a touch small (at least for a big person like me), I never felt like my feet would slip off.

HIboy S2 review: Performance

The S2’s 350-Watt motor isn’t going to win you any races, but it was able to scoot me along at speeds of up to 19 miles per hour on flat roads. Uphill was another matter; when riding up my standard test incline (about a 6 percent grade), the S2 slowed down to around 3-4 miles per hour — slow enough that I almost had to get off and walk. If you’re a larger person, and plan to take your scooter up hills, I recommend a model with a beefier motor. 

In addition to a headlight and a tail light, the S2 has a series of LEDs that run the length of its base, and illuminate the ground on either side of you. It’s a neat effect, and it helps others see you a bit better, too.

The S2’s headlight was fairly bright, and projected a beam that lit up the ground about 15 feet in front of the scooter. It was helpful when trying to spot potholes at night, but I wish it were just a tad closer to the front of the scooter.

The S2 rides on 8.5-inch rubber tires. While they will never go flat, it does result in a somewhat bumpier ride than I’d like over uneven pavement. I found myself avoiding cracks and potholes more than I would on a scooter with air-filled tires.

I liked that the S2 has both regenerative braking as well as a rear mechanical disc brake. I found myself using the former more than the latter; the regenerative braking was more gentle, so I came to a stop much more gradually than when using the disc brake, which was very aggressive - not that it’s a bad thing.

Good for commuters, the Hiboy S2 can fold up quickly, thanks to a sturdy but smart latching mechanism in the front. I wasn’t as big a fan of the rear latch, which keeps the downtube in place when the scooter is folded. 

You have to manually lift up a small metal loop, and snag a small hook on the downtube. It’s a little fussier than it should be. And, at just under 30 pounds, the S2 is heavier than the Razor Icon and the Unagi Model One, both of which weigh around 25-26 pounds.

HIboy S2 review: Battery life and range

Hiboy says that the S2’s max range is 17 miles, assuming you weigh 150 pounds, you’re riding in 77°F temperatures, and the throttle is at 50% on level pavement.

After about 7 miles of riding, which included some hills but was mostly flat, the S2’s battery was down to two bars out of five, so I’d estimate that the scooter would get around 10 miles before it needed a recharge. That’s not horrible, but it’s not much better than some of the best electric scooters for kids. Then again, your mileage may vary based on your size and where you ride.

HIboy S2 review: Verdict

If you can find the Hiboy S2 for $399, it’s a great value, as it delivers more features and a more powerful motor than other electric scooters around that price. The GoTrax GXL V2, for instance, has a 250W motor, a shorter 12-mile range, and costs about $330. The Swagtron Swagger 5 Boost, which has a 300W motor and a 12-mile range, is $289.

We have yet to test it, but the Segway Ninebot ES2 ($349, Amazon) has a 300W motor, a top speed of 18.6 MPH and a range of 15.5 miles, and can be upgraded with a removable external battery to extend its range to 28 miles.

The Hiboy’s ride was on the rough side — which is not surprising, given its rubber tires — and its range could be better, but I did appreciate such niceties as the regenerative and manual brakes, as well as all the lighting. If your scooting needs are modest, you’ll find the Hiboy S2 will more than satisfy.