Spanish · 5 years on Samui
Spanish cycling enthusiast and eco-travel advocate on Koh Samui for 5 years. Carlos covers all bicycle and e-scooter content with a focus on sustainable exploration.
Updated: July 2026
I rode the Horwin EK3 and the NIU NQi GTS on back-to-back mornings last February, both on the same 40-kilometre loop from Bo Phut out to Mae Nam and back along the north coast. The NQi GTS returned with more battery to spare and had cruised the open stretches at 65 km/h; the EK3 topped out near 45 km/h but felt noticeably lighter under me the whole way. Both finished the loop easily. The real difference between them is character, not capability.
Measuring consumption along the flat Lipa Noi coast road one still morning in March, I logged the NQi GTS at a genuine 135 to 160 km from its dual 60V pack, against the EK3's 120 km from its 32 Ah system. For a single full-island day both clear the 51 km ring road with plenty in reserve. But on a two-loop day, or a Nathon-to-Big-Buddha-to-Lamai chain, the NQi GTS keeps rolling well after the EK3 starts asking for a charge.
On the ring road between Chaweng and Lamai one busy afternoon, the gap showed itself plainly. The NQi GTS held 65 to 70 km/h in the flow of petrol scooters, while the EK3 sat at 45 km/h with traffic easing past on the outside. Where the road opens up and cars move at 60-plus, the NQi GTS feels distinctly safer in the stream. On the quiet coastal lanes down toward Taling Ngam, though, that 45 km/h ceiling on the EK3 never once bothered me.
Here the EK3 answers back. Wheeling both out of a packed Fisherman's Village car park last April, I felt the 92 kg EK3 turn and balance far more willingly than the 114 kg NQi GTS, which demands real arm effort at walking pace. For tight parking, U-turns on a narrow soi, and nervous first-time riders, the lighter EK3 is simply easier to live with day to day. The NQi GTS trades that ease for the planted stability its extra weight brings at speed.
Charging both overnight at my Bo Phut base, I clocked the EK3 to a full pack in about 5 hours and the NQi GTS in 6 to 7, simply because it carries more capacity to fill. The NQi GTS earns some of that time back with the NIU app, which shows live range and the nearest charge points, so I planned a long southern loop around the battery forecast rather than guesswork. The EK3 keeps things plainer: plug it in, wait less, ride.
After five years matching riders to electric scooters here, my verdict splits cleanly. Choose the NIU NQi GTS if you want ring-road speed, the longest range in this pair, and app-guided planning for fast full-island days. Choose the Horwin EK3 if you value a lighter, easier machine, quicker charging, and calm 45 km/h riding along the coast and through town. Neither is simply the better scooter - match it to how fast and how far you actually ride on Samui.
Interested in renting Horwin EK3?
Check live availability and pricing for the Horwin EK3 on Koh Samui.
Show availableFirst-hand Horwin EK3 guides from our local team - where to ride it, when, and how to get the most from it on Koh Samui.
Browse the fleet, check availability, and contact us directly from your phone. Free on iOS and Android.
First-hand road and trail guides written by our local team - where to go, when to ride, and what to watch out for.
