The Dualtron Dolphin is positioned as a maintenance-free, affordable commuter scooter. We’ve unboxed and tested it out, and are ready to share our thoughts. While it’s not as powerful as most Dualtron scooters, it’s got some neat features, and plenty of curb appeal. Keep reading for our full list of pros and cons, as well as who we think should get the Dualtron Dolphin.
Current pricing of the Dualtron Dolphin: https://bit.ly/3UD7gUL
Dualtron Dolphin – Specs
- Weight: 46 lbs
- Battery: 36V, 15Ah (592 Wh)
- Motor: 450W
- Max Speed: 22 mph
- Range: 29 miles
- Charge Time: 10 hours
- Max Load: 220 lbs
- Water Rating: IPX5
- Tires: 9″ tubeless pneumatic
Dualtron Dolphin – Features
- NFC Card Reader
- EY1 display
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Minimotors App
- Mechanical brake levers / Drum brakes
- Bell
- Turning signals
- Thumb throttle
- Front + rear spring suspension
- Locks into place when folded
Dualtron Dolphin – Things We Love
Aesthetics: The Dolphin looks unique, and we love it. With its nice thick stem, classic Dualtron styling and slim, tapered deck, the Dolphin is easy to pick out in a crowd of scooters. The black/white color scheme fits nicely with the red accents on the deck + angled yellow reflectors on the front and rear swing-arms.
Dualtron Sound: All Dualtron scooters (and most scooters with square-wave controllers) have a certain motor sound that we really like. Having some sort of audible connection to the motors also helps with handling the scooter, because you can hear how hard the motor is working based on the pitch/volume of the sound.
App: Very few budget electric scooters come with an app, the only others we can think of are some of the Segway models. The Minimotors app gives you dozens of customization options, such as electric braking strength, acceleration modes, speed modes, safe mode, zero start, etc.
Charge Port: The charge port cover has a red “push-to-open” piece, in addition to a rubber cap underneath. This greatly increases the water resistance of the charge port, which is a common way that water can make its way into the battery.
Locking Mechanism: In addition to locking in place when folded, the Dolphin has a nice two-step locking mechanism to improve safety when the scooter is upright.
Kickplate: The kickplate has a nice taper to it, and it makes the deck feel bigger than it actually is. Many commuter scooters have no kickplate, and instead just have the plastic fender over the rear tire that you can’t put any weight on. A kickplate improves stability at any speed, so it’s nice to see lower-powered scooters with nice kickplate designs.
Maintenance Free: The Dualtron Dolphin checks of all the “maintenance-free” design choices such as:
- Drum brakes (much less maintenance than cable or hydraulic brakes)
- Solid rear tire (the rear tire is the most likely to go flat)
- Tubeless pneumatic rear tire (less likely to go flat than a tubed tire)
- Minimal moving parts (nearly all parts are integrated into the frame itself, such as lights)
Portability: At 46 lbs, the Dolphin is easy to carry around. It’s dimensions are also relatively small, so it would definitely fit in the back of a sedan.
Cockpit Design: The buttons are simple, easy to access with your thumbs while riding, and the display clearly shows (as long as there isn’t direct sunlight) your speed, battery charge, and riding mode.
Low-End Acceleration: The Dolphin has surprisingly zippy acceleration on the outset, but once you reach 15 mph+ it takes a long time to reach the eventual top speed of 22 mph.
Dualtron Dolphin – Things We Don’t Like
Display: The display itself is tough to read in direct sunlight. This is a very common complaint we have with electric scooters, and we wish all scooter manufacturers would install anti-glare glass or greatly increase the brightness of the displays.
The Name: The name “Dolphin” doesn’t make a lot of sense, especially because this scooter isn’t especially water resistant.
Range: Dualtron claims a range of 29 miles, but realistically you will get less than 20 miles if you are riding top speed.
Stem Flex: The stem, despite being thick, has a lot of flex. It doesn’t feel rigid and stable like higher-end scooters typically do.
Front Light: The light is not very bright, and definitely not suitable for night riding. It’s also low-mounted, which further reduces visibility.
Rusted Screws: Even on our brand-new test unit, some of the screws on the rear motor had visible signs of rust.
Charging Rate: The charger provided by Dualtron charges at an extremely slow rate of 1.5A, meaning it takes a full 10 hours to charge the small battery. A 3A charger would have been nice.
The Freshly Charged Take
If you’re a Dualtron fanboy, or you just want a scooter that stands out from the “clone” scooters like Segway, Xiaomi or Gotrax, the Dualtron Dolphin is for you. Also, if range isn’t an important factor, but you want zippy acceleration and a low price, you should definitely check it out.
Current pricing of the Dualtron Dolphin: https://bit.ly/3UD7gUL
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