The App is Crap

[UPDATE: New version for Europe has been released – scroll down to the bottom of this post]

It is very disappointing that NIU enters the international market with a product with one of its key features -connectivity- completely crippled. So while they ask for a a four times higher price than in China they give you a quarter of features/stability/usability with the outdated App :-/

We don’t deserve that

What we, living outside China, get is version 1.2.xxxx – while our friends in China are happy chaps with v3.x which does not only have a plethora of features but it actually works!
As for Android, you actually can download the App and install it (if 2nd source is allowed in your preferences), but as for now, you can’t log in – even your account does work with the Chinese website.
For those adventurous enough, there’s a way to actually use the Chinese App provided down in the comments by fellow MyNIU.org reader Thomas (Thanks mate!):
“Just make an account on the European app and then install the Chinese version, preferably on another device. Your password doesn’t seem to work so just reset it.
You will receive a text message with a six digit code. Enter it, reset password and enjoy the app!” – Woohoo!

Let’s have a peek!

For your convenience, here’s a quick run-through of what the Chinese app is offering – including translations of the important buttons/fields, just in case you want to try it yourself:

The splash-screen, login and registration (click into the gallery to enlarge)

To log-in, the phone number has to be without any leading international code or zero, i.e. +49 171 1234567 is supposed to be entered as 1711234567… as said, I got an “unknown user” error.
Because of this, you can hit the button in the upper left corner. That’s the “experience mode”, i.e. fool around with a fake account.

The conclusion is probably: Give us something that works – that means the status page, the detailed stats (which were even nicer if you’ll save them for longer than a week) and the “me” page. We would be grateful and happy as a pig. Thank you.

Update (March 2018)

Woohoo! NIU just released a new App version for Europe!! (v3.2.3.030202)
Don’t mind the date in my screenshots – the app hadn’t had a connection to my NIU yet, the battery is removed for (winter) storage…

 

49 thoughts on “The App is Crap

  1. Is that the reason why my app won’t give me my location and it’s stuck with the location from 2 days ago? I just bought today and it simply won’t locate it in real time, or with the current battery status. It actually tells me that it’s from two days ago and I don’t see the way to refresh the information or anything. I tried on a different phone and same problem. I hope it’s not the scooter 🙁

    1. Have some patience, young Padawan 😉 The SIM card in your scooter needs to be unlocked by your official importer, who will himself trigger the guys over in China.
      This can take up to 5 business days…

      1. Omg you just literally saved my day, I was totally panicking seeing the status and location still on dealer’s location. I will give it some days ! Thank you very much. And for the rest of the page, I have read like 6 articles in a row. As an owner it is great to have stuff available in a language I understand. Thanks a again !

        1. Hey Jorge,
          Thanks for the flowers! It’s also great to hear back from “the users”… and to know that all my work is not for vain.
          And yes, that’s the idea behind MyNiu.org: More in-depth info for those not capable of Chinese but highly interested in their scooter…

  2. You can use the Chinese app. Just make an account on the European app and then install the Chinese version, preferably on another device. Your password doenst seem to work but just reset it. You will receive a text message with a six digit code. Enter it, reset password, enjoy app!

    1. Hi Thomas!
      That’s awesome news! Thanks a lot for testing (and posting) this! I’ll put your tip into this pages FAQ…
      Let’s hope that us non-Chinese will get a better App soon!

  3. Well, I give up, my app won’t work, or at least not as often as I would like it. It is still showing the location and status from three days ago and it won’t let me refresh or anything (it lets me do that on the news section tho,quite useful). Where can we find the Chinese version? I’ll give it a try, if it can give my scooter’s location I would be more than happy.

    1. The Chinese version is linked in the post. It’s just the Android binary, given the closed nature of iOS…
      Just saw there’s a new version released for Europe as of today! Will have a quick look before I leave for a 2wk vacation 😉

      1. I just tried the chinese version and the new update, which share a lot in common to be honest. The problem it is still there, but now at least it displays the type of error I have. Something that would translated to something like „error while communicating with the scooter for the past 2 days. Check that the vehicule is in a area with good signal“. Let’s see what they say in the dealer.

        1. The app is good but I think there is no cloud yet for updating the data. Also, there are not so many free and open wifi hotspots where it can update. I might be wrong. I had a connection for 1 day.

          1. I just went to the dealer. Apparently there are some new (2018) scooters that have some kind of problem with the BMI, so it cannot communicate properly with the scooter and the app. They just got messaged by the dealer in the Netherlands saying that on the 10th there will be avalaible one update for the BMI, which it will solve the problem. Next week i will update with the news, just in case scooter owners encounter this HUGE problem and haven’t been contacted by their dealer.

  4. Hi guys… I was totally desperate trying to find the solution for my problem… when I saw this web page…
    My problem is the following:
    I have brought a NIU Scooter (N1) from China to Europe, after having used it in China, during the last two years.
    In China, the app used to work perfect, but here, nothing.

    1.- Please, where is the Chinese app?… I can’t see the link in this post…
    (sorry for this…)
    2.- Do you think that may be the GPS is auto-blocked because the scooter has left China?….

    1. Hey Angus, I assume you’re pretty much on your own here. The official importers ignore every request from grey/self-importers. So I guess you have to get in touch with NIU in China and explain your situation. The app is linked in the article 😉

  5. Thanks Axel.
    Please, would you please put here the link to the Chinese app?
    I promise I have been looking for that link in this article for a big while, and haven’t been able to find it.
    Please, I beg you pardon for this….
    Sorry….

    1. Hey Agus, I’m sorry. I was 100% sure that I quoted it in the post. But I didn’t… My bad. Just go to the official website https://www.niu.com/download/
      It can be a bit tricky to get around the redirects, use anonymous mode if everything else breaks.

  6. Same problem here. Scooter keeps losing gprs connection so no data is available for the app. @Jorge what is BMI update?

      1. Went to Amsterdam NIU Store on 11-3-2018 and they updated the scooter. Unfortunately GPRS disconnect problem is still here….

        1. Sorry for the late response, I meant the BMS not BMI, my bad. I went the other day to my dealer in Hilversum and they told me that NIU was still deciding how to operate regarding thr update, they were choosing between OTA/app or directly through the dealer. They told me that they would contact me soon, that was 8 days ago and still waiting. They really screwed it with some scooters.

  7. Hi Axel. Thanks again. Got it.
    But…. I have an updated info -anyway- for every body here (I have just received this info from NIU; therefore this is official):
    The app for NIU scooters that have been bought in China and then shipped to Europe (privately) by their owners will not work (this does not apply to the ones that have been directly bought in Europe from official importers).
    I mean: for instance, if you are in China and are using a NIU scooter there, DON’T TAKE IT TO EUROPE; SELL YOUR SCOOTER BEFORE LEAVING CHINA; in Europe the app will not work.

    It would be the same, if someone in Europe, wants to sell any scooter to you that was previously bought in China, not in Europe.

    In other words: if the scooter was bought in China, and then shipped to Europe, you will be able to use the scooter for going anywhere (no problem for that), but the scooter’s electronic components (which are made only for China) will not allow you to use the app (you will have to forget -for instance- about the GPS function). The app will not be able to get connected with the scooter.

    (THIS IS OFFICIAL INFO -I REPEAT- FROM NIU).

    The problem is… that the price of NIU Scooter’s in Europe is aproximately 3 times more expensive than the original price of these Scooters in China…

    Cheers!!!

    1. Sad but true. It’s called protectionism. OTOH importers had to invest quite a bit to get CoC and all the trouble of importing Li-Ion batteries… So they want to prevent grey imports (your case is special, of course)

  8. New app (on iOS) looks great but still not working here in Amsterdam with my 2018 N1S. Totally frozen. No battery indication, no location. It’s unbelievable they can’t fix this. I love the scooter but really disappointed about this part. They advertise hugely with the app and gps connectivity and then give you this….

    1. How long have you been waiting for activation? For Germany the (Austrian) importer has to trigger this at NIU China. Takes some days, too.

      1. Hey Axel. I’m driving the scooter now since one month (with pleasure). The old app worked 2 x 15 minutes within that month, the rest was frozen. I just came from the dealer here. He did some updating. Then it worked for 10 minutes and now it’s frozen again. Weird stuff.

        1. Hmm, strange. My wild ass guess is that they’re still fiddle with the migration of the old system to the new one (for good ol’ Europe).
          Mag your dealer, who will nag his official importer… My trys to contact NIU directly in the past all went unanswered. There’s still a lot to learn for them concerning international sales/support…

      1. Do you have the 2017 or 2018 model? My dealer (dutch) told me that this issue happens on SOME 2018 models, not all of them.

  9. Same issue here (also Amsterdam), got the update for the scooter this week and the app was updated. Unfortunately still no data available in the app.

  10. Same trouble here with my new 2018 model. No GPS except for one day since I bought it. Dealer told me it’s a software bug (“just wait for the update”) but after reading all of the above, seems like he should have known damn well the app doesn’t work here. Considering to return it and demand a refund. It’s an awesome scooter but it’s simply not smart – as promised.

  11. I have the same problem with the connection to GPRS and GPS.
    This problem occurs when the scooter is stored in a building.
    It seems logic that i looses the GPS connection, but that cant be said for the GPRS i think.

    To reconnect to the app again i have to unplug the battery for a few seconds from the scooter and restart the scooter. Then everything works as supposed again…. untill i put the scooter in the storage again, and that is every day/trip 🙁

  12. I have the same problem as above. My scooter is a 2108 bought in Sweden. disconnect the battery and it works until i put it in the garage.

    CRAP!

    When will NIU fix it? This is not the way a “premium brand” is handling customers.

    I have mailed them on business@niu.com I recomend you all to follow this example to put some pressure on them
    F

    1. Bought my NIU N1S today and I can’t even get a member in the app. I’ve entered my phone number and waited like 30 times but nothing happens. No “code” sent to my phone. What did I do wrong?!
      How can I do differently? I’m panicking! Whant the app for myself to be safer having the scooter in the city.

  13. Yes, including the international code, yeah. But I called the company I bought the bike from, and asked. They said:
    You need to have a android phone to become a member, but after you created the membership in android app, you can use the iOS app to log in.
    Weird. Haven’t tried yet tho, don’t have android and can’t even imagine any of my friends having an android. But I’ll try to find someone to help me with that:)

  14. Hello,
    I want to buy a Niu N1S or M1 Pro,
    I have not decided on the model yet.

    Is there any news of the app ?
    Does it work now or not ?

  15. Bonjour, j ai un modele 2017 il y a une mise a jours firmware mais impossible de la faire , mon tableau de bord n affiche pas le UP quand je suis les instructions de l application ma version est TRA01V07 et la nouvelle TRA01C10 le compte a rebours arriver a 10 minute me dis echec , et j ai pourtant une connexion GPRS et GPS mon scoot est activé je vois les données , je ne peux pas faire la mise a jours si une personne a la solution ? merci

    1. Salut Stephane,
      I’m not sure how many people will be able to help you, as this is an international community and I’m sure not everybody understands French 😉

  16. sorry bad translation reply in english 🙂

    Hello, I have a model 2017 there is a firmware update but impossible to do, my dashboard does not display the UP when I follow the instructions of the application my version is TRA01V07 and the new TRA01C10 the countdown arrive at 10 minute tell me fail, and I have a connection GPRS and GPS my scoot is activated I see the data, I can not update if a person has the solution? thank you

  17. hello, I own an NIU version 2017 since May 15, 2018, the application works well, but when I open the application the GPS indicates that I am in another department (department 28) while I am in department 35, but when I press the icon of the man (bottom right on the map) the GPS tells me my location (on the map with the name of my street), so I think it is a technical problem that has not been solved despite the different updates.

  18. I have bought my Niu in Iran and the dealer does not provide me with the SN code.

    I have called them and they claim that the app wont work in Iran. Please just let me know where to look up my SN code. I cant fins it anywhere.

    Thanks

  19. Hi NIU,
    My phone number will change. How can I change this in the app without losing all my data history ?
    When I do „Me – your profile – Mobile – Change““ . When I do this I get ‚ user already exists ‚. And the nr does not change. I have the app installed on 2 phone’s on 2 different numbers. But I want to disconnect the primary number.
    Kind regards,
    Ronald

  20. Hi all,

    is it also possible to not activate (or deactivate) gps tracking on purpose?

    Thanks!

  21. In 2020 the app is still crap. I am trying to connect to my 2018 model moped and here is what happens:
    1. first they ask for a QR code “on the frame” There is indeed a barcode (a linear code, not QR) under the seat, in fact there are two codes, one being also an alphanumeric code engraved on the frame as well. Of course the app is not able to read their own code.

    2. I try to manually input the code, eehr, one of the codes. SN and VIN numbers? which one is which? Anyway I try both. The longer code is not accepted, the one that is also on the frame. The other one is accepted, however the app asks me to “activate smart service” by sliding a button to the right. This fails also with a simple message ” failed to activate smart service” – very descriptive, thank you very much.
    I tried to connect to vehicle, but other options connect to battery or check tires pressure are probably only available for newer mopeds….

    Anyone had similar problems? At this point, sadly I kind of gave up trying to use the app.

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