The Rion Apex is the most expensive electric scooter we have reviewed to date, but as the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for” and in addition to being expensive, the Rion Apex is the best high speed and high performance escooter we have ever tested.
From the craftsmanship to the acceleration curve, all components and designs are well thought through. Riding and testing out the Rion Apex had me feeling like a kid in a candy shop.
The Rion scooters are the most requested escooters that Jimmy and I receive to review. We had to travel to LA to get the opportunity to test them, but our trip was well worth it.
In this review, we will tell you what we love and hate about the Rion Apex.
Click here for current pricing on the Rion Apex
What we love about the Rion Apex
- Dual Tronic 250 VESC FOC controllers
- Super fast
- Ultra smooth
- Rion Curve throttle has zero dead zone
- 72V 30Ah Molicel P42A battery cells
- Regenerative braking
- Sleek design
- Carbon fiber steering pole
- Carbon fiber handlebars
- Stable at high speeds
- Rear rubber suspension
- Magura 4 piston hydraulic brakes
- PMT tires
- Bluetooth app
- Ability to adjust power delivery and regen braking
- Modular and easy to fix
- Ventilated motors
- Built in the USA
- Backed by Alien Rides
Rion craftsmanship is leaps and bounds greater than their competition
The Rion Apex is handcrafted in the USA and is the only scooter we know of made in America. They CNC aluminum components in LA and use carbon fiber steering poles and handlebars. They use only the highest quality components and cut no corners when it comes to design.
I never imagined a scooter could be so stable at high speeds without a steering damper, but the Rion Apex proved me wrong. The steering column is designed so well that you can safely ride with one hand at high speeds, although for your safety we do not recommend one handed riding.
The battery is made from the highest quality Molicel P42A battery cells which we have never seen on an electric scooter. High capacity Molicel batteries allow for optimal power delivery.
Overall, the scooter is the highest quality scooter we have ever tested and reviewed.
What type of controllers are in the Rion Apex?
The Rion Apex features two Tronic 250 VESC controllers. The controllers delivery 500 amps of power and can peak at 600 phase amps for a few seconds.
The controllers deliver an extreme amount of power and the acceleration curve is insane. The best part of the controllers is they use VESC technology. You can easily control the power output and regen braking with the app.
The controllers are ultra quiet and smooth as butter because they use field oriented controllers, FOC, which are also known as sine wave controllers.
Tronic controllers utilize high quality mosfets and Rion’s world class copper welding.
What type of tires are on the Rion Apex?
The Rion Apex uses 11-inch Itialian-made PMT rubber tires, optimal for street riding. Most electric scooters use nylon tires and cornering can feel a little clunky. PMT tires have a more rounded profile and the soft rubber compound grip amazing when taking tight corners.
You will go through a lot more tires due to the soft compound of PMT tires, but you will have more control with them.
What type of throttle is on the Rion Apex?
The Apex features Rion’s proprietary Curve thumb wheel throttle.
The Rion Curve uses the same technology that Da Vinci medical surgery devices use. The Rion curve is so smooth because it has the exact precision needed to perform surgery with a robot.
Pair the Curve with the Tronic Controller and it gives you surgical precision and control while riding and eliminates any dead space you may feel with inferior throttle products.
You barely have to roll the curve less than a 1mm to feel crazy acceleration. It takes a while to get use to, but once you figure it out it is a sublime experience!
Click here for current pricing on the Rion Apex
What type or brakes are on the Rion Apex?
The Rion Apex has two types of brakes: regenerative braking and Dual Magura MT7 HC3 4 piston hydraulic disc brakes.
The regenerative braking works incredibly well by simply rolling back the Rion Curve and in addition to slowing you down, it also harnesses your momentum to recharge your batteries. Regenerative braking can be clumsy on other scooters and we often turn the feature off, but on the Rion Apex, it felt very comfortable and smooth.
Pair the regenerative braking with German made Magura brakes and you have incredible stopping power. I love using the regenerative braking to slow down, and then the the Magura brakes to fly into tight turns.
Does the Rion Apex have suspension?
The Rion Apex uses urethane suspension in the rear that is molded for the specific scooter and rider. The suspension helps in two ways: It helps with vibrations and keeps it stable at high speeds.
The suspension is not soft; it is made to be stiff since the scooter is designed for high speeds and tight cornering.
Is there a display on the Rion Apex?
The Rion Apex uses a Bluetooth app to display the speed of the scooter on your phone.
The app allows you to track speed, top speed, controller temperature, and distance traveled. We suggest getting a high quality handlebar phone mount when purchasing the Rion Apex.
Who is selling the Rion Apex?
Rion has teamed up with Alien Rides to sell and distribute the Apex. We like the marriage between Alien Rides and Rion. Rion can focus on making scooters and Alien Rides can offer their world-class service to consumers.
Alien Rides and Rion have created a factory in San Francisco to manufacture the Tronic controllers. Tronic controllers are now being offered to consumers to upgrade their current scooters.
We loved testing out the Dualtron Thunder Tronic, the collaboration between Voro Motors and Rion.
The Tronic controllers took a boring Thunder escooter and made it a contender for one of our favorite scooters of 2022.
What we hate about the Rion Apex
- 6 month wait time
- Expensive
- Not designed for heavier riders
- Can overheat
- Not designed for offroading
The biggest issues with the Rion Apex is the 6 month wait time for production and the Rion Apex is also a whopping $6700. But as my mom taught me, “good things come to those who wait” and “you get what you pay for.”
The Rion Apex is a premium product that comes at a premium price because it is a high performance escooter that is made in the USA, has a one of a kind innovative design, and is made of the highest quality components.
The Rion Apex is a labor of love.
The Rion Apex is not designed for riders heavier than 250lbs (113 kg).
The motors are ventilated to help dissipate heat and a massive heat sink also helps cool down the controllers. But you can overheat the Rion Apex in extreme heat with prolonged fast riding.
The overheating happens when you are delivering so much power to the motors but you can adjust the power delivery to the controllers to prevent overheating.
Click here for current pricing on the Rion Apex
Is the Rion Apex worth it?
I’ve tested and reviewed over 50 electric scooters in the past 12 months, and I can say the Rion Apex is definitely worth it! I love everything about the Rion Apex and the few downfalls are not an issue for me at all.
If you can afford the premium price of the Rion Apex, you are sure to get a premium product that will deliver a premium experience.
For those that like to ride off road, you may consider something that is more off road worthy such as the NAMI BURN-E MAX 2 but when it comes to fast street riding performance, all other escooters are underwhelming compared to the Rion scooters.
I dreamed of testing a Rion scooter for years….and now all I dream about is owning one myself. I better get in line because 6 months couldn’t come sooner.
Rion Apex Electric Scooter Coupon and Discount Codes
Click here for current pricing on the Rion Apex
There are currently no coupons offers on the Rion Apex
Click here to view all our coupons and discounts on scooters and other PEVs.
Click here to view all the safety gear that Jimmy and I use.
Facebook – Please join our Facebook group for the most up to date information.
Electric Scooter Board – Want to join the electric scooter discussion and be part of a growing community? Check out the brand new electric scooter discussion forum.
If you enjoyed this review, check out some other comparable escooters that we have reviewed:
Bronco Xtreme 11 Sport – Another electric scooter with sine wave controllers.
Kaabo Wolf King GT– The fastest Kaabo Scooter with sine wave controllers.
NAMI BURN-E MAX 2 – A 72 volt scooter that is great for offroading
Scooter Comparison Tool
Use our Freshly Charged Scooter Comparison Tool to evaluate this scooter alongside more than 500 other scooters. Compare and organize scooters by factors such as price, top speed, battery size, weight, water-resistance rating, and more!