TurboAnt M10 commuting e-scooter review: light and fast scooting

Choosing a quality e-scooter is almost like choosing a quality car. Most of us don’t need all the luxuries like keyless driving, a smart display or an auto-pilot. Beyond enough engine power to see through our day-to-day commutes, we require all the vital elements like comfort, reliability, and quality.

An e-scooter is, of course, considerably more pared down than a car, but the idea is the same, especially when you need it just to get around for things like work, errands, and meeting up with friends. The best electric scooters have sufficient range and battery life, come with a reliable motor, and deliver a comfortable ride. It also helps if they are as lightweight as they promises on paper.

In all of that, the TurboAnt M10 has succeeded. TurboAnt is not as well-known as brands worldwide like Ninebot and Unagi, which makes it easy for folks to underestimate its products. But, this 2021 release from the company proves that it should be a household name in green commutes.

The TurboAnt M10 is one of the most surprising e-scooters I’ve had the pleasure of testing. It might not be kitted out with fancy trimmings, but it delivers where it counts while keeping the price affordable for most consumers looking for a greener alternative to getting around. 

TurboAnt M10 Commuting e-scooter review: price and release date

Released in mid-2021, the TurboAnt M10 is another entry into the mid-range e-scooter market. However, unlike its rivals sitting in the $600 or higher price range, it offers a sub-$500 price of entry at $450 from the TurboAnt website. At the time of writing, however, it’s discounted at $400, giving you more savings.

Unfortunately, the TurboAnt M10 isn’t available in the UK or Australia right now. However, TurboAnt’s more expensive e-scooter, the X7 Pro, boasts a longer range and a removable battery, is available in the UK, so the M10 is likely to be joining it soon.

TurboAnt M10 Commuting e-scooter review: design

Design-wise, the TurboAnt M10 looks like your run-of-the-mill e-scooter. There aren’t any special or unique design features that set it apart from all others. The handlebar, which is home to the LED dashboard and handles, is pretty sleek and streamlined, which probably contributes to the e-scooter’s lightweight design.

Like the rest of the e-scooter, the dashboard is minimalist and straightforward. It displays all the necessities – battery level, speed in mph, riding mode and headlight status, which means there are no distractions when you need to check on these things quickly in the middle of a ride. The LED light could be brighter, though. At midday on a sunny day, it’s hard to tell whether it says 5 or 6 mph on the speed indicator. I’ve had to use my right hand to shield it from the light, which isn’t exactly safe riding practice.

Operating the dashboard is intuitive, however. I didn’t even look at the manual once and figured out pretty quickly to double-press the power button to change riding modes and hold the headlight button to toggle the headlight. Trust me, other e-scooters make this part a little more complicated than it should be.

While you do have to hold down the power button to turn the e-scooter off, a simple press will turn it on and have you ready to go in no time. That’s something that’s much appreciated here. As is the comfortable rubber-covered handles with excellent grippage and the easily accessible throttle. 

Some e-scooters make you use your thumb to operate the throttle, and while that seems like the most obvious choice, it’s not sustainable for longer rides. Your thumb and wrist start to suffer, especially on 20-minute or so rides. The throttle placement on the TurboAnt M10 is much more conducive to long rides as it only requires the crook of your index finger to operate. That’s less pressure on your wrist and, by extension, your shoulder.

The brake and the bell's left placement might seem weird at first, but both are pretty easy to use when riding. Much lower on the stem is the 2W headlight, which offers plenty of illumination up to 16 feet for safe night riding. It can also be angled up to 90 degrees down, which comes in handy when you’re in dark areas, and you need extra help seeing the path you’re taking. There’s also a brake light on the back bumper for added safety.

Below that, at the end of the stem, is the folding mechanism. One gripe I have with most of these folding e-scooters is that they make the whole folding process such a pain. The locking mechanism is so tight it’s so hard to pull it loose, which can be annoying when you’re trying to catch a train or a bus at the last minute. Fortunately, that isn’t the case here.

The TurboAnt M10’s folding mechanism keeps things stable and in place when the stem is upright and so much easier to unlock and fold when you need it to be compact and portable. Part of the reason is that in lieu of a lever you need to pull, TurboAnt gave it a lever that you need to squeeze instead. It’s a pretty brilliant decision of which I am an absolute fan. 

Speaking of portability, this e-scooter is incredibly light and compact at 29.8lb (13.5kg) and 42.1 × 17.7 × 46.1in (1070 × 450 × 1170 mm). Fold it, and it’s only ​​42.1 × 17.7 × 15.5in (1070 × 450 × 393mm). Anyone would be happy to take this aboard a bus or a train every day.

Trying to be compact does have its compromises, however. The deck is thinner on this, which might make it tricky for those with big feet to ride on. I’ve got US size 6 (UK size 4), and I already found the deck to feel a little crowded with both my feet on it. This isn’t a deal-breaker for most people, however, mainly because the e-scooter is pretty effective at shock absorption. The deck is also ribbed and rubberized to avoid slippage.

Although it’s pretty robust and premium-feeling, the TurboAnt M10 does have a weight capacity of 220lbs (99.8Kg). Keep that in mind if you’re double-saddling. Not that I’m encouraging you to do so because that’s an absolute safety hazard.

TurboAnt M10 Commuting e-scooter review: features

The TurboAnt M10 is a slimmed-down e-scooter. Naturally, there aren’t a lot of frills here. There’s no app support, first of all, though considering I hardly use the one for my Segway Ninebot MAX G30LP, this is hardly a huge loss. 

The only thing is that without app support, there’s no way to track the e-scooter if it gets stolen. Or, at least, none that’s built-in. It also doesn’t have a built-in anti-theft system – something that prevents anyone from turning it on, for example, unless your phone is next to it. There’s an easy fix, however. You can attach a mini tracker like a Tile to it – something I’ve also done on my Segway Ninebot MAX G30LP despite its security features. To prevent it from being stolen in the first place, also invest in a robust U-lock.

There are some mention-worthy features here, however, even if they are on the basic side. Cruise control, for example, is on hand. And you can easily activate it by maintaining your desired speed while holding the throttle for six seconds. It’s also easy to turn off – pulling the throttle again or braking should get you back in control.

There are also three riding modes here, which you can toggle by double-pressing the power button. The first mode is Eco, which limits you to 6mph and is ideal for when you’re on a busy pedestrian street or at a park. The second is Comfort, which tops out at 9mph and is best for beginners using it on roads with a 15mph e-scooter speed limit. The third is Sports, which goes up to 20mph.

Finally, you can rest assured that the TurboAnt M10 is insulated and protected from dust and moisture – enough to help you keep it in excellent working condition for years. At IP54, it won’t survive inclement or extreme weather conditions, however. The occasional splashes are ok, but I wouldn’t ride this during a heavy downpour or when there are pools of water around.

TurboAnt M10 Commuting e-scooter review: performance

The TurboAnt M10’s 350W motor might not be top-tier when it comes to power, but it’s got enough to see you through daily urban commutes and can get you up to 20mph. Most big cities in the US have an e-scooter speed limit of under 20mph, so that top speed is more than you’ll need. 

Plus, it’s pretty quick at catching speed – almost immediate, in fact, when you’re on Sports mode – and it doesn’t require a solid kick to get you going (though it does help when you’re on Eco mode).

Take care of using the throttle. There’s not a lot of resistance, so it’s too easy to pull hard and go from zero to 6mph. This throttle being soft and responsive means less fatigue for your finger, but it also could very easily lead to a crash if you’re inexperienced. Before taking this out on busy roads, I recommend doing practice runs and getting used to the throttle first.

TurboAnt says that the TurboAnt M10 can handle 15-degree climbs, but it did struggle a bit during my tests, topping out at 4mph even on Sports mode. I can imagine it might do better if you can manage to start at a fast speed before going up, but this still wouldn’t take you too far on that hill, especially if you’re heavier than my 120 lb frame.

The motor is quiet, however, which is nice. Because this e-scooter is so well-built and put together, you won’t hear it rattling along even on a bumpy road. That’s unlike other e-scooters in its price range.

The brake is the loudest thing here, but the brake lever has such good resistance for non-abrupt braking that it feels very safe. Of course, the dual-braking system – composed of the rear disc brake and the electronic brake, both of which are activated simultaneously – works incredibly well. But, just the fact that you’re not running the risk of braking so suddenly you get thrown off the e-scooter feels like an added comfort.

The 10-inch pneumatic tires are a treat as well. E-scooters in this price range usually have smaller, less effective tires, so these are an excellent addition to the TurboAnd M10. They’re great for paved road commutes and are also surprisingly effective at shock absorption when going over road cracks and potholes.

I can’t forget about the battery, of course. It delivers an 18-mile range, which is more than enough for going to and from work, and only takes five hours to charge. If you’re doing a total of six miles of commute each day, which gets you from one neighborhood to another in a city like LA, you’ll only have to charge this scooter every three days. And you can do it overnight without worrying if you’ll have enough the following day. Plus, it’s designed to hold its charge for up to three months – a nice feature when you live in a place where taking your e-scooter to work every day isn’t always possible.

TurboAnt M10 Commuting e-scooter review: verdict

The TurboAnt M10 may not be feature-heavy, but it’s a terrific example of how a great product comes together if you focus on what’s important and tune out the rest, even when your budget is limited. This e-scooter is affordable and accessible to many consumers, yet it doesn't compromise performance and quality. So, even though it’s a bit scarce of frills, it’s already a classic in my book. 

If you’re looking for a robust yet reliable e-scooter for your daily commutes, this is the one to get.

TurboAnt M10 Commuting e-scooter review: also consider

A good alternative here if you’re not in love with the TurboAnt M10 is the GoTrax XR Elite ($399), which has the same range and battery life, and a pretty similar motor. It also has a better uphill performance. Unfortunately, it’s not very good in terms of shock absorption and build. And its top speed is only 15.5mph.

If range is an issue, take a look at the TurboAnt X7 Pro. For just $100 more it offers a 30-mile max range and comes with a more spacious and sturdy deck – with a max load of 275lbs. 

If your budget is a bit more flexible, I would also consider the Segway Ninebot Max G30LP, which is among the best e-scooters out there. It tops out at 18.6mph, has a range of 25 miles, and has built-in security features. You’ll have to spend more, however, as it costs closer to $1000.