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There are so many electric scooters these days that it’s becoming hard to keep them straight, so let’s complicate things even more by throwing another one into the mix! It’s time to take a deep dive into the Kugoo Kirin G3 electric scooter and see how it stacks up against the rest of the market.

Kugoo Kirin G3 tech specs

  • Motor: 1,200W rear hub motor
  • Battery: 52V 18Ah (936 Wh)
  • Top speed: 31 mph (50 km/h)
  • Range: up to 40 miles (64 km)
  • Weight: 56 lb (25 kg)
  • Load capacity: 265 lb (120 kg)
  • Suspension: Front and rear spring suspension
  • Brakes: Front and rear disc brakes, rear motor braking
  • Extras: Front and rear LED lights, LCD touchscreen display, right thumb throttle, odometer, rear kick plate, sturdy folding bolt to lock out folding, kickstand
  • Price: $1,099

Kugoo Kirin G3 video review

To see the Kugoo Kirin G3 electric scooter in action, take a look at my video review below!

How fast can it go?

The Kugoo Kirin G3 is a fast electric scooter, reaching 31 mph (50 km/h) at full bore.

I did find though that when the battery was partially depleted, I sometimes struggled to hit 29 or 30 mph. Even so, it still felt quite fast at those speeds.

You can put the scooter in lower power modes that limit the speed, but I mostly kept it in the highest power mode. You can always limit your own speed by using less throttle, so I imagine that you’ll likely use the highest power level, too.

The only time I can think of that it would be helpful to use a lower power mode is either in the rain when you want to be extra careful, or when letting a novice friend borrow the scooter for a test ride.

kugoo Kirin G3 electric scooter

How far can it go?

The Kugoo Kirin G3 is rated with a maximum range of up to 40 miles (64 km), thanks to the large 52V and 18Ah lithium-ion battery housed in the deck.

The thing about that range, though, is that you’ll likely only see a true 40 miles if you’re riding much slower.

If you’re like me and hitting the top speed on every straightaway that can allow it, you’ll never see a true 40 miles of range.

But if you can average closer to 20 mph, you might actually get close to that 40 mile figure.

kugoo Kirin G3 electric scooter

What about the components?

The scooter itself actually feels quite well made. You don’t get some of the nicer parts like hydraulic disc brakes, but the mechanical disc brakes still feel plenty punchy. They bite down hard and give good stopping power.

The full-suspension absolutely makes for a better ride, and I even had a blast going off-road with the scooter.

The screen on the Kugoo Kirin G3 is large and easily readable, though I’m not sure I like the idea of a touchscreen. There’s a reason that most electric scooters have physical buttons near the handlebar ends – it’s so you can easily access the inputs without taking your hands off the bars.

With the touchscreen, you have to basically let go of one bar end if you want to play with the controls in motion. It’s also hard to hit the button accurately when the scooter is bouncing around since there’s no physical button to feel for. You’re just stabbing at a moving screen, which feels like a serious miss to me.

Other than that, though, the main build quality and component choice decisions seem on point. I even like the bicycle bell included in the brake lever and the smattering of LED lights spread around the scooter to keep it visible at night.

Can it fold easily?

The folding mechanism is quite robust, which is critical in a fast electric scooter that will surely see some serious jarring around at high speeds.

There’s a massive bolt in the front end that is screwed through the stem, which also does double duty as a reflector. It’s there to lock the scooter in the upright, unfolded position. The only way for the scooter to fold on you while riding is to somehow break through a 1/4″ steel bolt – good luck with that.

The downside is that it takes much longer to fold this scooter than almost any other electric scooter I’ve tested, but if I had to choose between fast folding and secure folding, I’ll take the latter every time.

The only other odd thing about the folding is the way it locks in the down position. There’s an orange strap that loops around the rear kick plate. It works fine, but it doesn’t feel like the most elegant solution. It also means that the strap flaps around while you’re riding, as you can see in my video at the top of this article.

Maybe having a waving orange flag is a safety feature, not a bug. It’s all a matter of perspective!

Sum it all up for me!

All told, I’d say the Kugoo Kirin G3 is actually quite nice to ride. For its $1,099 price, it feels like a fair deal.

The scooter is fast, powerful, and comfortable to ride, even at high speeds.

It handles nicely and has a sturdy design. I even like the orange on black color scheme that continues right through to the orange flapping strap.

For a quick and powerful scooter, it gets the job done and looks pretty darn good while doing it.

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Commercial financing for EVs is way different than you think | Quick Charge

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Commercial financing for EVs is way different than you think | Quick Charge

No matter how badly a fleet wants to electrify their operations and take advantage of reduced fuel costs and TCO, the fact remains that there are substantial up-front obstacles to commercial EV adoption … or are there? We’ve got fleet financing expert Guy O’Brien here to help walk us through it on today’s fiscally responsible episode of Quick Charge!

This conversation was motivated by the recent uncertainty surrounding EVs and EV infrastructure at the Federal level, and how that turmoil is leading some to believe they should wait to electrify. The truth? There’s never been a better time to make the switch!

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

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Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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Vermont sees an explosive 41% rise in EV adoption in just a year

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Vermont sees an explosive 41% rise in EV adoption in just a year

Vermont’s EV adoption has surged by an impressive 41% over the past year, with nearly 18,000 EVs now registered statewide.

According to data from Drive Electric Vermont and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, 17,939 EVs were registered as of January 2025, increasing by 5,185 vehicles. Notably, over 12% of all new cars registered last year in Vermont had a plug. Additionally, used EVs are gaining popularity, accounting for about 15% of new EV registrations.

To put it in perspective, Vermont took six years to register its first 5,000 EVs – and the last 5,000 were added in just the previous year.

Rapid growth, expanding infrastructure

In just two years, Vermont has doubled its fleet of EVs, underscoring residents’ enthusiasm for electric driving. To support this surge, the state now boasts 459 public EV chargers, including 92 DC fast chargers.

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The EV mix in Vermont is leaning increasingly toward BEVs, which represent 60% of the state’s EV fleet. The remaining 40% consists of PHEVs, offering flexible fuel options for drivers.

Top EV models in Vermont

Vermont’s favorite EVs in late 2024 included the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Nissan Ariya, Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV, Tesla Model Y, and the Ford F-150 Lightning. These vehicles have appealed to Vermont drivers looking for reliability, performance, and practical features that work well in Vermont’s climate.

Leading the US in reducing emissions

This strong adoption of EVs earned Vermont the top ranking from the Natural Resources Defense Council for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transportation in 2023. “It’s only getting easier for Vermonters to drive electric,” noted Michele Boomhower, Vermont’s Department of Transportation director. She emphasized the growing variety of EV models, including electric trucks and SUVs with essential features like all-wheel drive, crucial for Vermont’s climate and terrain.

Local dealerships boost EV accessibility

Nucar Automall, an auto dealer in St. Albans, is a great example of local support driving this trend. With help from Efficiency Vermont’s EV dealer incentives – receiving $25,000 through the EV Readiness Incentive program – it recently installed 15 EV chargers for new buyers and existing drivers to use.

“Having these chargers on the lot makes it easier for customers to see just how simple charging an EV can be,” said Ryan Ortiz, general manager at Nucar Automall. Ortiz also pointed out the growing affordability of EVs, thanks to more models becoming available and an increase in pre-owned EVs coming off leases.

Read more: Vermont becomes the first US state to pass a law requiring Big Oil to pay for climate damage


If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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Here are all the crazy claims Elon Musk made about Tesla self-driving today

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Here are all the crazy claims Elon Musk made about Tesla self-driving today

Elon Musk said Tesla’s self-driving will start contributing to the company’s profits… wait for it… “next year” with “millions of Tesla robotaxis in operation during the second half of the year.”

The claim has become a running joke, as he has made it for the last decade.

During Tesla’s conference call following the release of its Q1 2025 financial results, Musk updated shareholders about Tesla’s self-driving plans, which he again presented as critical to the company’s future.

He made a series of claims, mainly updating timelines about Tesla’s self-driving efforts.

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Here are the main comments:

  • The CEO reiterated that Tesla will launch its paid autonomous ride-sharing service in Austin in June.
    • He did clarify that the fleet will consist of Model Y vehicles and not the new Cybercab.
    • Musk also confirmed that Tesla is currently training a fleet specifically for Austin.
    • As we previously reported, this internal ride-hailing fleet operating in a geo-fenced with teleoperation assist is a big change from Tesla’s approach.
    • Musk said “10 to 20 vehicles” on day one.
  • Musk said that Tesla’s self-driving will start contributing positively to the company financially in the middle of next year, and “There will be millions of Teslas operating autonomously in the second half of next year.”
    • Musk has literally said something similar every year for the past decade and therefore, it’s hard to take him seriously.
  • The CEO claimed that Tesla would get “a 90-something percentage market share” in the autonomous market.
    • Musk again claimed that no one else is getting close to Tesla’s capacity, and he criticized Waymo for being too expensive.
  • Musk is “confident” that the first Model Y will drive itself from the factory to a customer’s home later this year.
  • The CEO said that he is confident that Tesla will deliver “unsupervised full self-driving” in consumer vehicles by the end of the year.

Despite Tesla missing earnings expectations by a wide margin, the company’s stock rose 4% in after-hours trading following Musk’s comments, indicating that shareholders still believe Musk’s self-driving predictions, despite his predictions having been incorrect for almost a decade.

Electrek’s Take

The first point I believe will happen. Tesla needs it to happen. It badly needs a win on the self-driving front.

However, as we previously explained, while Tesla will claim a win in June, it will be with a limited geo-fenced and teleoperation-assisted system that won’t scale to customer vehicles, which is what has been promised for years.

Tesla was even asked how it plans to launch this in Austin in June, when FSD in consumer vehicles currently requires frequent interventions from drivers, and Ashok, Tesla’s head of autonomous driving, admitted his team is currently focused on solving the intervention specifically related to driving in Austin.

With training on specific Austin routes and using teleoperations, Tesla can make that happen, but the road between that and unsupervised self-driving in consumer vehicles and “million of Tesla robotaxis” in the second of next year is a long one.

Basically, other than the first point, I believe Tesla will not achieve any of the other on anything close to the timelines announced by Musk today.

I’m willing to take bets on that.

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