This one was a bit out of the left field for me, but it combines tech and leisure and it warrants a DRN look. The Airwheel SE3SL is an Airport Ride-On Luggage, and it got me thinking in more ways than one.
The Airwheel SE3SL: Luggage That Rides
The Airwheel SE3SL is best described as a carry on size piece of luggage, on a motorised scooter. It is powered by a battery bank.
It has a 20L storage capacity inside the frame, a top speed of 10 kph and a range of up to 10km per charge.
It’s a motorised personal scooter with storage.
tl;dr
The Airwheel SE3SL is a motorised, ride-on carry-on suitcase (20L capacity, 10 kph top speed) that is stable, fun, and performs well, even on inclines. It features a robust design, an integrated TSA lock, and an app for customisation and security.
The Major Caveat (especially in Australia): The unit weighs 6.8kg without the battery, making it extremely difficult to use as an in-cabin carry-on bag under the common 7kg economy limit. While too heavy for most Aussie flights, it is an excellent gadget for short trips, local commutes, EV owners needing local transport, or picnic runs to the park.
The Ride-On Luggage and the Law
Standard “I am not a lawyer” disclaimer.
Depending where you are in the world, the legislation around the use of “motorised mobility device” varies. Here in Australia, they also vary by state and territories.
In Victoria (Australia) where I am based, they fall under the Road Safety Road Rules 2017 Act, but exactly which dictionary definition is up for debate. I won’t bore you with the legalese here, it is out of my scope.
It is also possible that individual airports have their own rules.
So with that out of the way, let’s look at the Airwheel SE3SL.
Design, Specs, and First Impressions
My daughter was super excited when she saw the box in the lounge room. Doubly more so when she saw that it was pink. There was no denying it, she knew it was for her.
It also comes in black or silver colourways for those who want a more discreet unit. But when you are zipping through an airport terminal at 10 kph, you are going to stand out.
On face value, it looks a bit like someone has mounted a suitcase onto a foldable scooter. It has large dual wheels at the back, a telescopic handlebar with a single smaller wheel in front along with a set of foot rest.
Recessed at the back is also a retractable handle for when you just want to drag it along behind you (or if you have ran out of battery and need to go manual).
The battery is ship separated from the main unit. It takes a few hours to fully charge, which is recommended before first use.
The battery and charger are DC barrel types, no USB charging here so do not lose the companion charger.
To insert the battery you need to pull up on the back handle. When the handle is in the recessed position, it actually blocks the ingress and egress of the battery pack.
I am not sure if it was by design, but it’s a simple but effective theft deterrent. You can’t just walk up to the unit and swipe the battery pack in a single action.
There are two guides on either side of the battery compartment. The battery will only slot in one way and it is a perfect alignment with the barrel plug on the suitcase size.
The SE3SL is rated for a payload up to 95kg, as such the main frame that goes around the suitcase is a strong aluminium metal frame.
The sides of the SE3SL are lightweight semi-rigid material not dissimilar to your ordinary non-motorised suitacase. Both sides also feature a light up Airwheel logo, which can be customised in a number of ways.
Last but not least is an integrated TSA lock.
The Joyrides: Performance and Real-World Ride Testing
Little Missy has been steadily gaining confidence on her two wheel scooter this year. She’s not daredevil fast but definitely does not need me to help her balance.
Of course she has jumped straight onto the SE3SL and tried to ride it around the house. Yes I do note that she is actually a little too short so everything is done under supervision. Daddy off the top of his head got her height wrong.
To start with you have to power the SE3SL on from the back. There are only three buttons – power on/off, extend (the handlebar and front wheel) and retract. The operation of extending and retracting the front assembly is fully powered.
I pointed out to her the basics – left toggle for brakes, right toggle for going forward. Just tap at the acceleration so she doesn’t take off uncontrollably and scare herself.
Arraiya worked out for herself that pushing both toggles at the same time puts her in reverse gear.
Let’s just say for the next few days she was doing my head in riding around everywhere in the house, gaining confidence rapidly.
It was also interesting to note that the larger wheels on the SE3SL made it a non-issue mounting the 1 centimeter height into our kitchen area. Of course care needs to be taken rather than running into it at full speed.
With the basics and the operation under control, we took it out for a ride around the block. As can be seen in the video, we have a helmet on Arraiya for the ride.
I believe it is not mandatory under the legislation for this category, but again, I am not a lawyer. I put it on her for safety.
One thing I was particularly interested in testing was it’s climbing ability. Cruising along on level flooring, such as in an airport, is a non-issue. But Airwheel also markets it for cruising down to the park.
I live in a particularly hilly area. In fact to get anywhere from my place, I first must go uphill. We gave it a try going up the street. I estimate it is about a 15 degrees incline, and the SE3SL had no issues chugging up the hill. In fact with Arraiya on board, it seemed to barely register that it was going up a decent incline.
As always, take care when going over uneven surfaces.
Core Features: Storage, Battery, and USB Charging
Yes after all that, the Airwheel SE3SL is a suitcase.
It has a 20L capacity and opens top down – the opening is hinged on the short side.
Just inside the opening are two elastic straps with clips to stop the door (and contents) from just falling out. Once you undo the clips, it can be opened fully.
The motor does eat into the overall storage space, where the outside looks larger than the inside. However the 20L compartment is regular shaped so you don’t need a degree to figure out how to pack your things.
At the front where the TSA approved lock is resides a USB-A port. A handy little addition for when you need to top up your devices.
The Airwheel Companion App and Security
Like most modern gadgets, this one comes with an app. Connection is made via Bluetooth and was simple enough to connect.
The app gives you the ability to check on the remaining battery power, plus to extend or retract the front assembly.
It gives you some statistics on driving time, distance and power consumption which could be of interest to some.
As mentioned earlier, you can customise the Airwheel logo – by preset colours and also patterns. It can be set to blink, or breath, or dynamic according to how much of a hoon you are.
As a safety feature you can limit the top speed to less than the maximum of 10 kph.
Also you can set it to sound an audio alarm so you can hone in on it if you forgot where you put it. This is under the assumption that you are within the Bluetooth range.
You can also set a “theft prevention” mode so when you DO lose the Bluetooth connection it will screech out an alarm.
Lastly it has a remote driving mode. You can also drive the Airwheel via the app.
Bluetooth Security Awareness and the Dead Man’s Switch
The app scans for compatible products and you can make an unauthenticated connection to it.
I did check in with Airwheel on this one. I had a concern where the Bluetooth connection to the Airwheel is unsecured.
There are some mitigating strategies in place. The connection range is reasonably close range.
Secondly the physical control overrides any Bluetooth connection. When the SE3SL is in active use, the app will tell you that the toggles are in use and you are blocked from controlling the SE3SL remotely.
Similarly, if you are already remote controlling the unit, input on the toggles will immediately override the remote input.
The SE3SL effectively works on a dead man’s switch, where you have to be actively be pushing down on the throttle to move. Keeping the brake toggle down will constitute as continuous input at rest.
Gripes: Charging Indicator and Connection Type
When charging the battery, the LEDs do not give you a real time indication that anything is happening. You have to press the test button to see where the charge is at.
I would have preferred a USB-C connection for charging, but I can think of a few reasons why Airwheel went with a DC barrel. Arguably it is a little more robust in this configuration.
Secondly not everyone has a 65W or higher charging brick so this way, Airwheel can ensure a more consistent charging time.
Just don’t forget to bring the charger with you on any trip.
Weight Limits: The Australian Carry-On Challenge
In Australia, for passengers travelling economy class, they limit you to 7kg for in cabin luggage. The SE3SL weighs 6.6kg WITHOUT the battery takes up all the allowance, and airlines would rather sell you excess baggage fees for the cargo hold than allow you to take on an overweight in-cabin luggage in most cases.
However I suppose you could get it classified as a mobility aid by a doctor which then technically is not classified as luggage (do not quote me on that!).
Final Verdict: Fun Tech with a Caveat
As a product, the Airwheel SE3SL is a solid performer. It is stable, as much as you can expect driving an oversized scooter box with a high center of gravity. Don’t turn the wheels too suddenly and make sure you are always in control. The motor has a surprising good take off.
While I think that the weight of the SE3SL is an major limiting factor in Australia for air travel, the unit is handy to throw some snacks, water and a jacket in for a trip to the local park. There is enough space to put in a decent picnic and a blanket.
Thinking more broadly, DoorDashers in the city could throw in some insulation and use it as a means of delivery within a short range. Sure they can use bikes, but this takes up a lot less space.
The other application would be for EV drivers. I know one of the editors packs an electric scooter in his Tesla when he goes away, so he can charge his car but easily ride back to his accommodations. With the Airwheel he could have something more functional rather than single purpose.
In Australia, Airwheel Australia is the only official authorised distributor, which will ensure customers receive genuine products with full warranty and after-sales support.
The Airwheel SE3SL has a RRP A$2,099, but is down to A$1,199 as part of a broader Black Friday Mega Sale until 30 November 2025
DRN would like to thank Airwheel for providing the review unit.
Specifications
Unit dimension (Retracted): 36 x 24 x 53 cm
Unit dimension (Extended): 53 x 54 x 80 cm
Size : 20 inches
Storage Capacity : 20 litres
Unit Weight : 6.8 kg (without battery)
Top Speed: 10 km/h
Range per Charge: 10 km
Battery: 73.26 Wh – 14,652 mAh (5V)
Tyre Size: Front 5.5 inches, Rear 5 inches
Good job, A! —Now lets see YOU ride it, Kev!