Apollo recently announced three new scooters: the Go, Pro and Explore 2024, and we can’t deny we’re excited. Of the three the Go is positioned as the low-cost, entry-level model. Apollo has released full video walkthroughs of their first two beta versions (V1 and V2) on their Youtube channel, and V3 is expected in a few weeks. If all goes well with V3 it will begin shipping in March 2024, with preorders opening in October. For more specific details you can sign up for email updates and make YOUR reservation here:
They also haven’t fully decided on the name yet – other options still being considered are the Apollo Rover, Apollo Light and Apollo Alpha. They are still looking for community input on the finalized name.
Let’s take a look at the specs:
Specs
Price: $1199 (expected)
Speed: 27 mph
Range: 30 miles (at 9 mph)
Weight: 49 lbs
Max Rider Load: 265 lbs
Motor: Dual 350W, peak combined 1420W
Water resistance: IP66
Tires: 9-inch self-healing
Suspension: Rear only
Brakes: Dual regenerative, rear drum brake
Battery: 36V 15Ah (540 Wh)
Charging time: 7.5 hours at 2A, 3 hours at 5A (fast charging is supported)
Features
3 speed modes – 9mph, 18mph, 27mph
Sinewave controller
Battery Management System that monitors cell health, temperature and capacity
Phone-as-display w/Apollo app integration
Things we love
All Apollo scooters, including the Go, come with a 12-month limited warranty included, which is a great comfort for a first-time buyer with minimal maintenance experience.
Apollo has by far the best integrated app for scooters, with dozens of features and capabilities. The Apollo Go can receive over-the-air updates and performance tweaks through the app, ensuring the scooter is constantly evolving and improving. You can also choose between ten acceleration modes, ten deceleration modes, and four customizable speed modes. You can digitally “park” the scooter using the app, which locks the wheels in place and sets off an alarm if someone attempts to move it. The app also controls the functionality of the display; each user can program the display to show their preferred metrics such as speed, battery capacity, controller temperature, etc.
During their V2 video they display the “easy plug connector” that joins the battery with the motors on both front and back. Apollo claims this will make it much easier to replace a motor or tire, and we certainly hope this is the case.
In the V2 walkthrough you can see a strange-looking box mounted halfway up the stem – this is a new locking mechanism Apollo is planning for all of their scooters, featuring a keyless cable lock neatly housed inside that can be opened and extended to lock the scooter to a rack or fence. This is something we haven’t seen before, and it seems much easier than having to carry around a lock separately.
Apollo claims the entire scooter can be disassembled (tire, motor, battery) in about 30 minutes, which is great news for maintenance!
Unlike the V1, the V2 model features a longer folding mechanism latch, which prevents the display from hitting the kick plate and getting damaged while folding the scooter.
The front light on both V1 and V2 looks amazing, extending in a single line down the stem. Definitely an design we haven’t seen before, but we like it.
We also like the dual motors, making this scooter excellent for hill climbing. Two 350W motors will climb hills much more confidently than a single 700W motor, and the dual-motor regenerative braking is a definite plus.
Room for improvement
There is only one charge port, which is a downside if you want to use two chargers to whittle down charging time, or if a charge port breaks.
We love the look of the turning signals on the rear kick plate, but they are definitely not bright enough to be seen during the day.
We like the dual regenerative brake, but wish there was an added disc brake to the front of the scooter. Depending on how strong/weak the regen braking is, this scooter might provide underwhelming braking capabilities.
And the biggest disappointment: the price. $1199 is expensive for a scooter marketed as “entry-level”. Let’s look at some comparisons:
Apollo Air 2022
Price: $849
Speed: 20 mph (7 mph less than the Go)
Battery: 540 Wh (same as the Go)
Apollo is still selling their Air 2022 model, which you can get for $350 less, albeit with a lower top speed and single-motor only.
Zero 10
Price: $1199
Speed: 31 mph
Battery: 936 Wh
In terms of bang for buck, the Zero 10 outstrips the Apollo Go considerably. For an identical price, you are getting a battery almost twice the size, with a higher top speed (by 4 mph) and a more powerful motor (1000W). Hill-climbing capabilities will probably be similar, however, since the 1000W comes from a single rear motor.
A note on the Apollo-estimated range
Apollo states that the scooter can travel up to 30 miles in eco mode (limited to 9mph). While we appreciate this statistic, it isn’t very helpful considering most people don’t ride their scooters at this speed. Based on real-world range testing from Rider Guide on similarly sized scooters, we estimate this scooter will get around 17-18 miles of real-world range. Rider Guide recently tested the Apollo Air (which has an identical 36V 15Ah battery pack) on their test track and achieved 19.5 miles. The Go can be expected to come in a bit below that, since it’s higher top speed (27 mph vs 20 mph for the Air) will zap up slightly more range.
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