There seems to be a misconception that electric vehicles are expensive, which, by all admission, they typically are. However, I believe that you can go electric for not a lot of cash, and the 2025 125cc equivalent Horwin EK3 proves just that, especially if you go for the equally reasonable EK3 DS for delivery riding.

Coming in at £2,726 with a 4-hour charge time and a removable battery, could this scooter be the answer to inner city commuting?

Now, of course, one of the most important aspects of any electric vehicle is its range and how quickly it can recharge. Some electric bikes are stuck with an internal battery, like the Naxeon I AM Pro we just reviewed, making them somewhat impractical if you live in a flat, for example.

Having the flexibility to remove the battery and take it into your office or other place of work, and then carry it back into your home if you don’t have external charging facilities at the end of the day is a big bonus on the EK3. It isn’t too heavy either, at 17kg and only takes 4 and a half hours to get back to 100%.

The ability to remove the battery is handy when we consider the EK3 has a very limited range and no range display either to make life easier, just a battery percentage. The range is somewhat subjective on the Horwin and really depends on how you ride. However, in the city, a range of up to 60 miles could be achievable, or around 40 miles on quicker roads.

However, when testing on faster 60mph roads, I only managed to get approximately 25-30 miles before the battery dropped to 15% having been ridden predominantly in mode 3, which caused that age-old range anxiety we’ve come to somewhat expect on electrics. This left me wondering if I was going to make it back, but at the end of the day, it isn’t really meant for those types of roads and is more at home in an urban environment, where it would get a lot more miles from a recharge.

The silhouette of the Horwin is your classic step-through scooter, but it differs with its modern styling. Colour options are limited to white, red, black, grey and our version – a lighter mint green which certainly stands out in town.

The modernity is partly thanks to a sleek lighting system on the EK3 with clear LED strips integrated into the front, rear and sides of the scooter that act as daytime running lights (DRLs) on the front and on the side for extra visibility alongside standard indicators and stop/tail lights.

Now, as mentioned, the Horwin has different rider modes, but not much aside from that. We have 3 modes available in the form of ‘1, 2 and 3’ on the rocker switch to keep it simple, and they directly translate into Eco, Plus & Sport. We also get keyless ignition and cruise control on the EK3, which is nice, albeit a confusing addition given this is a city scooter alongside a reverse mode to complement it, even though the EK3 is light at 111kg and easy to move around.

The dash doesn’t display any of these features when in use, like the selected rider modes, range, etc, but instead defaults to your speed, power usage, battery percentage, total miles and a trip meter. It’s also a glossy negative LCD display, which I found very reflective and hard to see in daylight and as mentioned, it would have been nice to at see an estimated range display.

With slightly larger wheels than the typical average, the Horwin actually doesn’t handle too badly. I’d expect the usual 12-inch front and rear, but instead we get a 14-inch up front and a 13-inch at the rear, which handle bumps and potholes better than you’d expect.

This is only half of the story, though, unfortunately, as the Horwin is somewhat lacking in the suspension department. We find the usual telescopic forks and twin shocks at the rear, which are fine on smoother, slower asphalt but start to show their weakness on quicker roads, feeling very unsettled and reactive to bumps in the road, especially at its 60mph top speed coming from the 8.3hp motor.

I wouldn’t necessarily say the suspension is bad, just very basic and again, suited to urban riding, whilst, of course, being built to a budget. One thing that is nice to see, however, is disc brakes front and rear and not a drum. These had a bit of bite behind them and were always responsive; so at least the braking department on the EK3 is up to scratch!

For a very competitively priced electric scooter, though, I can understand why Horwin hasn’t put anything fancier on it, and it does simply just do the job, especially in town, where it felt responsive and agile, allowing for ease when filtering traffic or navigating tight streets.

Given that this is a bike solely intended for life within the city, the seat is actually very comfortable with plenty of padding and an ergonomic shape. The only downfall is one we come to expect on most scooters, which is its width; it might be low at 780mm, but the width does mean that you’ll likely be tipping feet to each side at the traffic lights.

The riding position is also comfortable and what I would describe as neutral. I didn’t feel any kind of body position lean in any direction, and the footboard has plenty of space. Getting on and off the EK3 was super easy, and overall, it is very approachable and easy to live with.

Talking of being easy to live with, the Horwin has reasonably good storage options, bearing in mind the battery is stored under the seat. Not quite enough to store a helmet, but enough for a few bits of shopping or, in my case, my riding jacket and camera.

If you opt for a second battery, however, this will take up that space by being mounted under the seat.

Aside from this, we have a small glovebox located in the front left of the leg shield, featuring a convenient USB socket to charge your phone as well.

If you like the idea of a small electric city scooter for your commute but aren’t so sure the Horwin is for you, Keeway and Yadea also provide some competition.

The Keeway Blueshark 80 comes packed with a load more tech, like a fingerprint scanner, built-in camera and a 10-inch IPS display with GPS, all for £3,199. It does have a slightly lower power output at 7hp versus the 8.3hp on the Horwin, though and a lower top speed of 50mph, but has a quicker charge time of 3.5 hours and a lower seat with an estimated 99-mile range.

 

Another one to consider is the Yadea G5S, which comes in at around the same price, albeit with a lower weight of 81kg, lower power output of 5.5hp, smaller wheels and a slower charge time of 5 hours. It does get an estimated range of 72 miles, though and a lower seat height, although it is now discontinued by the manufacturer, so get one while you can if you are after the G5S.

Overall, when we consider the competitive pricing of the Horwin, it is a reasonable amount of bike for the money. It is obviously designed and built solely for the urban sprawl, even though it does have a 60mph top speed with cruise control, and for that, you can’t complain too much.

It’s comfy, has great acceleration, a removable battery and a decent braking system, albeit with a few downfalls that we talked about. Yes, both the suspension and dash are basic with very limited features, but for what it is and what it is designed for, I can’t knock it too much, especially at its price point.

If you want something to skip traffic, get you to work quicker and have the flexibility to recharge at the office or home without external facilities, the Horwin EK3 could be for you.

Thanks to Artisan Electric for giving us the Horwin EK3 for review.

If you’re thinking of getting your hands on the EK3 and need somewhere to insure it, or already have your own and need motorcycle or scooter insurance, head to Lexham to get a quote direct!