KingSong and the comfort-and-quality EUC class (2012–2026)

In the Begode profile we described the power-first pole of the unicycle world — the brand that is first to market with higher voltage and more power at the cost of stability. KingSong is the opposite pole of the same market: one of the oldest Chinese EUC makers, which bet on comfort, suspension and build quality, and which holds a markedly better reputation among reviewers for longevity and safety than Begode. This section is a standalone profile of KingSong, presented just as even-handedly: both its strengths (vertical integration, the smoothest ride, better quality control) and its honest weaknesses (the early fragility of the S18, the “glass jaw” of the S22) are described together.

Understanding this history matters because among the four most reputable EUC brands each occupies a distinct mode: Begode is spec-aggressive power, InMotion is a polished consumer experience and safety, Leaperkim/Veteran is “over-built” touring, and KingSong is comfort and reliability. By reviewers’ assessment, for build quality and reliability KingSong sits between InMotion and Begode, with a softer, less “twitchy” ride than Begode. (OneRide EU)

Origins: Shenzhen, 2012

KingSong (Shenzhen King Song Intelligent Technology) is a Chinese maker headquartered in Shenzhen that began researching self-balancing devices in 2012 — making it one of the oldest players in the class. (EV Database; myEwheel) Tellingly, before electric transport the company manufactured power-bank protection boards, so it had ready electronics-manufacturing experience. (myEwheel) That underpins its core trait — vertical integration: KingSong produces its own battery packs and control boards at its own SMT factory, putting product quality at the centre of its values and after-sales service as a condition of customer satisfaction. (myEwheel) In 2024 the brand opened a European office to improve the availability of machines and spare parts for dealers. (myEwheel)

Before suspension: the 14″–18″ platforms

KingSong’s early history is a steady iteration of wheel platforms by diameter:

• 14C / 14D: early 14-inch machines. The KS-14C (2015) — an 800 W motor (2,400 W peak), a 680 Wh battery; the legacy 14D — 14″, 420 Wh / 60 V LG, 800 W (2,400 W max), 18 mph, ~40 km, 32 lb. (ElectricUnicycles.eu; KingSong)
• 16S / 16X: the 16-inch line, which began with the KS-16A. The 16S is a beginner class (840 Wh, 1,200 W / 3,000 W max, 22 mph, ~80 km, 37 lb); the 16X (July 2019) became the brand’s most popular and advanced unicycle — a high-voltage 84 V 1,554 Wh battery, a 2,200 W motor (4,200 W peak), 31 mph, a claimed ~160 km, 53 lb. (KingSong; Electric Unicycle Forum; myEwheel)
• 18XL: an 18-inch long-range machine — 1,554 Wh, a 2,200 W motor (4,000 W max), 31 mph, ~110–145 km. A telling quality detail: the handle was completely redesigned in stronger, lightweight magnesium alloy after the thin locking pins and latch joints of the earlier 18L proved too weak. (eWheels; KingSong)

How wheel diameter, voltage and capacity affect range and behaviour is covered in the articles on batteries and controllers.

The suspension era: S18 → S22

KingSong’s move into suspension machines is its modern story:

• S18 (announced 8 April 2020): KingSong’s first unicycle with built-in full-body suspension — a variable-lever system giving 100 mm of travel at the front, transferred to a rear spring suspension with 57 mm of travel; 84 V 1,110 Wh, a 2,200 W motor (5,000 W peak), ~22 kg (one of the lightest full-suspension machines). (EvNerds; KingSong) But the early S18 was “notorious for pieces falling off” — a weak point the brand addressed in later generations. (Everything Electric Unicycle)
• S22 / S20 Eagle: KingSong’s first 20-inch machine, built on a 126-volt platform with a custom hollow-bore motor (3,300 W nominal, up to ~7,500 W peak; the Pro version 4,000 W, up to 9,000 W peak). The suspension is a DNM Burner RCP-2S 240 mm shock that gives the largest suspension travel of any EUC to that date; the marketed “130 mm” yields ~75 mm of usable travel in practice, because a spring shock compresses only to about 60% of its stroke. Cruising speed ~43.5 mph, weight ~77 lb. Its main structural components are all metal, with high-quality, modular replaceable plastic parts. (eWheels; Freshly Charged; Everything Electric Unicycle)

How suspension travel works, and why gaskets and the IP class matter, is covered in the article on wheels, suspension and IP protection.

The honest record: the S22’s trade-offs

As with Begode, a full profile requires an honest section on the weaknesses — here they lie not in safety but in the durability of individual parts and the product launch:

• A troubled launch. The distributor eWheels itself acknowledges that the S20/S22 had a “delayed and troubled launch with systemic issues” before later revisions restored confidence in its reliability. (eWheels)
• The suspension sliders. The sliders that guide the wheel along the shock’s travel become stuck over time and need regular cleaning and re-lubrication; the original mechanism was poorly designed (bolts stripped during tyre changes), which was later fixed with an upgraded CNC slider kit using bearing rollers. (Everything Electric Unicycle; eWheels)
• The “glass jaw.” Freshly Charged criticises the brittle plastic (the front bumper handle, the top trim, the kickstand), summarising the S22 as an “attractive but delicate” machine with a “glass jaw.” (Freshly Charged)
• Other notes. The S22 is “top-heavy,” has a “mediocre” real-world range (sacrificed for suspension and aesthetics), and a rear-mounted display that forces the rider to look far down to read the speed. (Everything Electric Unicycle; Freshly Charged; EUC Guide)

Importantly, these notes concern specific parts and the early period, not the machine’s safety — unlike Begode’s battery recall, KingSong has no documented systemic ignition problem.

Reputation: comfort and the Begode contrast

Among English-language EUC reviewers, KingSong has a reputation for comfort and reliability:

• The smoothest ride. Freshly Charged calls the S22/S20 suspension “the smoothest EUC ride ever,” turning previously intimidating obstacles into fun; Everything Electric Unicycle sums up the S22 as “an excellent EUC with a fantastic suspension system.” (Freshly Charged; Everything Electric Unicycle)
• Quality vs Begode. In a direct comparison, reviewers judge the S22 the better-built machine than the Begode Master because of its materials, say KingSong has “a much better reputation for longevity and safety than Begode,” that its weather protection is better (Begode often needs aftermarket shells and 3D-printed bumpers), and that the S22 holds its value better. KingSong currently holds better quality control than Begode. (Everything Electric Unicycle)
• An honest counterpoint. At the same time, reviewers called 2024 a “stagnant year” for KingSong, in which competitors’ releases overshadowed the brand, and its mid-range new models were priced several hundred dollars above comparable Begode machines without matching them on specs. (Freshly Charged)

It is precisely this pairing — KingSong’s comfort-and-quality against Begode’s power-first — that illustrates how the young unicycle class has stratified into different engineering optima, just like the scooter class.

KingSong in 2026

KingSong remains an active, vertically integrated maker. Its current flagship is the S22 Pro / Pro+ (a 4,000 W motor, up to 8,500 W peak, a 2,220 Wh Samsung 50S battery, 70 km/h, 130 mm of suspension travel), available to ship. (KingSong) On 29 November 2025 the brand announced four next-generation models — the 14D Pro, 16S Pro, 16X Pro and 18XL Pro — confirming a fresh 2025–2026 lineup, and it positions itself as a global smart-mobility player across six continents with a network of more than 1,000 partners. (AOL) Its primary North American distributor is eWheels; in Europe, authorised dealers (for example Oneride and Voltride) offer a 24-month warranty and a European warehouse. (eWheels; Voltride)

Summary

KingSong is not the maker of the “most powerful” unicycle, but the benchmark of the comfort-and-quality class: one of the oldest EUC makers (since 2012), vertically integrated, which bet on smooth suspension, material quality and after-sales service — and earned a better reputation for longevity and safety than power-first Begode. Its own history is not unblemished (the early fragility of the S18, the troubled launch and “glass jaw” of the S22), but the weaknesses lie in individual parts rather than safety.

For a buyer today, KingSong is the right choice for a specific use case: a rider whose priority is ride smoothness, build quality and service support, rather than absolute power or being first to a new technology. If the priority is maximum raw power, Begode is more fitting in the class; the wider context and the place of InMotion and Veteran are in the EUC history profile. KingSong’s vertical integration of its own electronics is akin to the approach of NAMI in the scooter world; and the full KingSong model range is in the brand catalogue.