Inmotion RS Midnight Lite vs RS Midnight: Choose Your Fighter

They look identical, but one’s $1,000 less, and has 1kW less power.

Does reduced cost, motor and battery size mean big compromises in performance for the Inmotion RS Lite, the cheaper version of the one-time fastest scooter in town?

We put them in versus mode to find out.

Inmotion RS Midnight Lite – $2,999 / RS Midnight – $3,999

When we first reviewed the Inmotion RS, it was the fastest electric scooter we’d ever tested, with 8,400W of peak power and an Electric Scooter Guide-certified top speed of 62 mph. 

Since then, a few faster scooters have come along, but even if the RS isn’t the fastest electric scooter you can buy, it’s still one of the fastest. It’s also one of the coolest-looking and best-riding scooters, ever.

But there’s one complaint we’ve heard over and over about the original yellow RS and the new RS Midnight, a jet-black version of the superscooter that looks even cooler: They’re great scooters, but they’re really expensive, at about $4,000 each. 

Now there’s the new Inmotion RS Midnight Lite. It looks exactly the same, but it costs $1k less. What’s the catch?  

You’ll find out in our comparison video and our analysis below. We compare top speed, hill climb, range, acceleration, and other specs and features unique to each scooter.

Who Is This Scooter For?

These are both electric scooters for hardcore enthusiasts because of their enormous power and lack of portability. (I rode a yellow RS as my scooter of choice for Rider Fest, our RG/ESG-sponsored scooter race). Both scooters are a two person lift up stairs, and their stem latches do not make them easy to fold and unfold every day.

However, Inmotion has definitely addressed the cost criticisms, making this level of performance more accessible in terms of price for riders who are willing to give up a little bit of an edge for an electric scooter that will still outrun anything else they might run into.

Inmotion RS Midnight Lite / RS Midnight Specs

Our Full Video Review

Inmotion RS Midnight Lite vs RS Midnight: Performance

Top Speed

The Inmotion RS Midnight full version hit a slightly lower top speed than the yellow model we initially tested, maxing out at 59.1 mph. The RS Midnight Lite comes very close, despite those 1K fewer Watts of power, at 53.6.

On the track, there’s no question which scooter you’d rather have, but in any ordinary riding situation – where it’s rare to go much faster than 40mph – these differences are negligible.

Acceleration

Again, the RS Midnight’s time of 3.9 seconds to 30 mph looks much better than the Midnight Lite’s 4.5 seconds on the racing track.

But in real-world conditions, these scooters both have massively fast acceleration times and enough power to throw you to the ground if you aren’t ready for them.

For reference, the NAMI BURN-E 2 hits 30 mph in 4.3 seconds, and the BURN-E 2 Max does it in 3.7.

Range

What don’t you get with the Lite version? The full Midnight has a larger battery and a longer range – around 60 miles of ESG-tested range on a single charge. That’s ultimate peace of mind for a week’s worth of commutes (or more) without charging. 

The Lite only gets around 45 miles. I say only as if this is bad. It’s not. Forty-five miles is longer than our benchmark long range scooter and usually more than enough battery life for any real-world riding you’re likely to do.

Braking

The Inmotion RS Midnight Lite has a braking distance of 8.5 feet – that’s more stopping power than 162 electric scooters in our database 

We’ll say that again: the Inmotion RS Midnight Lite has a shorter stopping distance than 162 electric scooters in our database, taking a record previously held by the Inokim OXO.

That’s not to say the full RS Midnight’s distance of 10.3 is anything to sneeze at: it’s right up there with the best electric scooters we’ve ever tested. Both scooters have the same Zoom hydraulic brakes with 160mm rotors for added power.

We don’t usually rate Zoom brakes as highly as more premium brands like Nutt, Logan, or Magura. We might recommend changing these brakes out for a set with better feeling levers. But on the other hand, there is no arguing with these numbers. 

Hill Climb

These are two incredibly powerful scooters that will climb any hill you run into with ease.

A lot of people are going to wonder if the Lite version has still got the same feeling of power as the original – it’s got it. The RS Midnight Lite does not feel watered down. It climbed our test hill only 0.4 seconds behind the full version.

Ride Quality

When we talk about premium ride quality, the Inmotion RS scooters are what we have in mind. Their low-slung look makes them look incredibly cool, and also gives them great handling, and since their builds are identical, there’s no contest – you get the same amazing quality with either scooter

And they might be the most adjustable electric scooters ever made. Aside from being able to send different amounts of power to the motors, the handlebars, suspension positions, pre-load, damping, and even the kickstand are all adjustable.

Inmotion RS Midnight Lite vs RS Midnight: Build & Reliability

The Inmotion RS Midnight Light and the RS Midnight score a 7.4 and an 8.6, respectively, on our Reliability Index, a number that averages 11 factors such as warranty length, tire type, UL certification, and battery manufacturer.

The Lite earns its lower number mainly because of the use of generic battery cells to keep costs down, while the full version uses Samsung cells, which should last longer.

Otherwise, these are incredibly well-made, thoughtfully-designed electric scooters.

Inmotion RS Midnight Lite vs RS Midnight: Which Should You Get?

Most riders who spend big on electric scooters know themselves well, and most fall into one of two camps: half want the best possible version and never want to wonder “what if.”

The other half will say, hey, 53.6 mph is more than fast enough, and 45 miles of real-world range is a ton of range for an electric scooter. (Seriously, you can go anywhere in town, make as many stops as you want, and know you’ll have 50% battery left when you get home.)

Can we recommend one of these scooters over the other? No, we cannot. They’re both extremely capable scooters with exceptional looks and performance: choose your fighter according to what you’re willing to spend, or not, on one of them.