Electric Scooter 4

I’d honestly lean toward the new Xiaomi. 1500 km isn’t crazy, but as a first scooter it’s kind of risky; if the battery’s worn out, that’s an expensive fix and you won’t really know what you’re getting. Xiaomi might feel a bit slow, but it’s reliable, easier to maintain, and way less of a headache starting out.

Second the Xiaomi recommendation - they're solid value for money. For your use case (15km, no hills, need to carry upstairs), look at: Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter 4 - around $800-900 at PBTech or Mighty Ape. Light enough to carry, good range, reliable. Things to check: - Weight if you're carrying it up stairs (aim under 15kg) - Airless tires mean no punctures but rougher ride - Check warranty - some brands have poor NZ support Also worth checking TradeMe for secondhand options if budget is tight.

A ninebot E2 D or E2 Plus for suspensions and a little higher peak motor power would work for your 350$ budget although the range is like <20km at alright conditions. An E3 model like the Pro version is good as well and comes with a way better range and better motor, is also fairly new but it costs more like 450-500$. Xiaomi scooters are good as well and you could get like a generation 4 for up to 30 km of realistic range starting at like 400$. A used ninebot G30 from eg Facebook marketplace could be worth it if you find a good offer but please make sure that you’re actually buying something that’s still working properly (don’t consider it if the seller’s talking about some “Motor / Battery needs replacement” because there’s usually more wrong with it than just that) I hope I could help you and just hit me up if you got more questions.👍