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OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 – Taking on the Segway Max G2

We’re calling it the battle of the best. The new OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 vs the commuter champion, the Segway Ninebot Max G2. Who will win? Find out in our comparison review.

OKAI ultra clouds

OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 – $999 $799

For years, the Segway Ninebot Max – now the Max G2 – dominated the midrange commuter electric scooter market. Can OKAI’s Neon Ultra ES40 beat its winning formula?

The OKAI Neon Ultra is the first single motor electric scooter to come along with specs and build to take on Segway. It’s also got higher top speed, a bigger battery, and it costs less (at the moment).

Which one takes the prize? Well, that depends one what you’re looking for. We’ll look at what each scooter does best, and why you might want to choose one over the other.

Who Is This Scooter For?

The OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 is made for a beginner to intermediate daily commuter with a budget under $1000. That said, this is an electric scooter that can do it all, like its rival, and that will generally please any kind of casual scooter rider with its performance and reliability.



OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 Specs

MakeOKAI
ModelNeon Ultra ES40
Weight49.8 lbs
Motor power (continuous)500W
Motor typeSingle motor
Top Speed24 mph (Manufacturer spec)
23 mph (ESG tested)
Range43.5 mi (Manufacturer spec)
24.5 mi (ESG tested)
Battery capacity720Wh
Battery recharge time5 hrs
Voltage48V
Max rider weight264.5 lbs
Brake typeDrum + Regenerative
Tire typePneumatic (Tubeless) + Pneumatic (Tubeless)
Suspension typeHydraulic + Spring
Built-in lightsFront + Rear
Water resistanceIPX5
UL CertificationUL2272
Top: OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 – Taking on the Segway Max G2

Our Full Video Review

Top: OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 – Taking on the Segway Max G2

OKAI Neon Ultra ES40: Performance

Top Speed

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Both the OKAI and the Segway have rear motors claiming 1,000W of peak power. The Ultra’s motor, however, claims 500W of nominal power over the Max G2’s 450W.

The Ultra also has a 30% larger battery, 720Wh vs 550Wh. But its firmware uses that extra power for a higher top speed instead of longer range, which is another reason the Neon Ultra beats the Ninebot Max G2 by a 1.5 mph when it comes to top speed.

Acceleration

Acceleration was a toss-up between the two scooters. The Segway Max G2 beat out the Neon Ultra from 0 to 10 and 0 to 15, but the Neon was 1 second faster from 0 to 20 miles per hour. Overall, these scooters are comparable off the line and there’s little difference here.

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Both the OKAI and the Segway are plenty fast off the starting line and have enough power to keep pace with low speed car traffic.

Range

Again, the OKAI Neon Ultra’s 30% larger battery has been geared to increase speed instead of range, and so the Segway Ninebot Max G2 wins this round, with the caveat that its speeds drop significantly during the last two miles of the ride. Segway’s firmware severely restricts its speed at the end of the battery’s life to extend the scooter’s range and get you home.

In any case, the Ultra’s 24.5 miles of range can easily give you a couple days worth of commutes and errands on a single charge without anxiety.

Top: OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 – Taking on the Segway Max G2

Braking

In terms of braking, the two scooters use exactly the same setup, a super-reliable, low-maintenance drum brake in the front and a no-maintenance regenerative brake in the rear. The neon Ultra, however, outstopped the Max G2 by a full 2 feet from 15 miles per hour.

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Braking is controlled by a single lever that controls both mechanical and regen at the same time. The regen is a little strong, which is why the Ultra outstops the Max, and it’s hard to apply just a little bit for modulation.


Hill Climb

When it comes to hill climbing, these are both able scooters that maintained a speed of around 10 mph on our relatively steep, 10%-grade test hill.

The Neon Ultra was a little slower on the climb, however, trailing the Max G2 by 0.7 seconds. Hardly a difference worth mentioning, but the Segway wins this round.

Ride Quality

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These are both fantastic scooters to ride. They have the same suspension with hydraulic in the front and springs in the back and the same 10-inch tubeless tires (except the Max G2 has sealant preinstalled). The Ultra feels a lot like the Max G2 to ride, except with an even beefier, more indestructible feel to it.

This is no surprise given the maker: OKAI has designed and built millions of electric scooters for the rental market, vehicles that take a ton of daily abuse. They’re very good at making scooters that are easy to ride, and that’s very much the case here.

The ride is ultimately smooth. They did a fantastic job with the suspension, the tires feel great, it’s got a huge roomy deck with a grippy rubber cover. And, as you’ll see in our video review, this scooter is capable off-road, as OKAI promises. I took it into some gravel and packed dirt and it did just fine!

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Top: OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 – Taking on the Segway Max G2

OKAI Neon Ultra ES40: Design, Build & Reliability

The OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 scores an 8.2 on our Reliability Index versus the Segway Ninebot Max G2’s rating of 8.6. They’re both incredibly well-built scooters made by giants in the industry who know exactly how to build reliable electric vehicles. The Ultra is pulled down slightly by the lack of pre-installed tire sealant, but otherwise, these are comparable in quality.

The Neon Ultra has some unique design elements, including self-canceling turn signals on the handlebar ends that can be seen from both the front and behind. The scooter has a very clean dashboard that you can change with the app, which is very cool.

The handgrips are nice and… grippy, and the rubber insert on the single brake lever is a nice ergonomic touch. OKAI does great design and excellent builds, and we can’t really find any faults here except the slightly too-strong braking.

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OKAI Neon Ultra ES40: Is It Worth It? Our Verdict

Who should get the OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 and who should get the Ninebot Max G2? That’s a tough question because they are very similar scooters in terms of their price and performance.

The OKAI has a higher top speed. The Max G2 has got longer range, but only because you’re going slower. So if you ride these two side by side at the same speed, I think the OKAI might go farther than the G2. In any case, you’ve got more battery capacity with the Ultra.

And these are two electric scooters that are really high quality and comfortable to ride. You get a few more features in the Segway app, but you don’t get different dashboards!

Does the OKAI Ultra take down the Max G2? I’d say, they’re evenly matched.

Ultimately, I think it comes down to a matter of taste. These are both really comfortable scooters that are reliable and are going to get you where you want to go. But you can find the Neon Ultra on sale for less than the Segway Ninebot Max G2. And for many buyers, that’s what’s going to make the biggest difference.

Top: OKAI Neon Ultra ES40 – Taking on the Segway Max G2

Paul Somerville

Electric Scooter Guide's Editor-in-Chief is a seasoned expert in the electric scooter industry. With a wide-ranging background that includes managing scooter warehouses, selling thousands of motorcycles, and restoring high value (+1M) European sports cars, his expertise is unmatched. Having personally tested over 200 electric scooters, he offers invaluable insights and recommendations to our readers. We are fortunate to have him as part of our team, as his diverse skill set and extensive experience ensure top-notch reviews.

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