New RoadRunner Pro electric scooter hits 50+ mph speeds while sitting down
Remember that little seated electric scooter that looked almost like a toy, yet could do a solid 34 mph (54 km/h)? Well it’s back, in an even higher performance version. The new RoadRunner Pro from VoroMotors answers the question, “What happens if we took the already ridiculous RoadRunner and tricked it out even more?!”
That’s exactly what the RoadRunner Pro is: a significantly upgraded version of the original VoroMotors Emove RoadRunner.
It keeps the all-wheel-drive, but replaces the 500W and 350W motors with a pair of 2,000W motors. The two motors are powerful enough to offer a top speed of 51 mph (82 km/h); the only question is whether you’re brave enough to reach those speeds on 14″ wheels.
Fortunately, you’ll have a good set of stoppers if you want to come down from that speed quickly. The RoadRunner Pro is outfitted with a pair of dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes. They’re perfect just in case you want to nope out shortly after hitting 50 mph.
Another piece of good news is that you’ll have dual suspension beneath you, with a hydraulic suspension fork up front and dual coilover shocks in the rear. Hitting a pot hole at 50 mph on a hard tail bike or scooter could feel like you’re being catapulted into the stratosphere, so rear suspension is a key upgrade over the original RoadRunner we previously tested.
I described the original RoadRunner as basically a scooter built around a massive battery. And the RoadRunner Pro – in keeping with its theme so far – has yet an even larger battery. The new pack is a whopping 60V and 30Ah battery. It uses 21700-format battery cells and offers 1,800Wh of capacity. That’s more than just about any light electric two-wheeler we’ve seen and is apparently enough for over 50 miles (80 km) of range per charge.
At what speed is that range measured? It’s not clear, but considering that equates to 36 Wh/mile (22 Wh/km), I’d guess that the range is calculated at an average speed of around 25-28 mph (40-45 km/h).
Other new gear gracing the RoadRunner Pro is an updated twist throttle and a new full color 3.5″ TFT VoroMotors display. The display shows battery status, motor temperature, speedometer, mode and time, and even features colored-coded rings around the speed to remind riders of which mode they’re in with a quick glance.
New 14″x2.75″ tires get tubeless treatment, with rims more akin to automotive-style wheels that don’t require an inner tube like conventional bicycle and scooter wheels.
That’s a key feature that should considerably improve both the handling and the user experience for maintenance of the scooter. As the company explained:
We custom designed these new split rim wheels with tubeless tires, so it’s easier to repair a flat – if you ever have to. The 14” x 2.75” tubeless pneumatic tires have a flatter, wider profile that works well for street riding, and doesn’t get squirrely at high speeds. With tubeless tires, you never have to carry or replace inner tubes again – since the tire seals directly to the rim. If you get a flat, the split rim design makes it easier to swap tires. Simply disconnect the plug-and-play motor, remove six screws from the hub, swap in a new tire, re-inflate, and you are back on the road. Literally re-inventing the wheel was an important goal at VoroMotors, as everyday transportation should be easy to maintain and repair.
The saddle also received a significant upgrade. It’s now larger and more comfortable, measuring 20” long by 7.9” wide and 3.5” thick (51 x 21 x 9 cm) and is wrapped in a wear-resistant and heat-resistant material. The goal was to ensure it would last longer and also not heat up as much when parked in the sun.
The electrical system was also heavily upgraded to support the extra power. The discharge circuit uses 8 AWG wires, which are ridiculously thick (and expensive) wires designed for high power delivery. Even the charging wires for the battery are quite large at 16 AWG. For comparison, many lower power e-bikes and e-scooters will use 16 AWG for discharge, meaning the RoadRunner Pro has as much copper just for charging use as some other light EVs use for actual driving.
The BMS and battery are rated for a massive 120A of discharge current, which is more than enough for the two power hungry 45A speed controllers powering the front and rear motors.
To put it another way, it’s got speed and power profiles similar to something like a Sur Ron or ONYX light electric motorcycle, yet in a much smaller and more portable package. Well, smaller for sure. The weight isn’t exactly svelte, considering it tips the scales at 114.4 lb (51.9 kg). But that’s a lot lighter than most 50 mph light electric motorcycles!
The RoadRunner Pro has just gone on sale today with an MSRP of $2,895. Considering that a Sur Ron will set you back another $1,500 or so, that’s pretty darn fair.
VoroMotors attributes the lower cost to their ability to self-develop the scooter:
The RoadRunner Pro is easily a $4,000 scooter, but our ability to develop and produce electric scooters in-house is how we can offer this brand new model at such an insane price.
Electrek’s Take
This is pretty awesome. I’m loving just about all the upgrades here, except perhaps that we lost the folding handlebars. That was a cool addition to the original RoadRunner, especially for folks that parked it against a wall, behind a couch or in another narrow area. But I guess when you’re doing 50 mph, you want to rigidity of fixed handlebars.
The question of legality will certainly be an issue in some areas, and I’d recommend that you check your local laws if you plan to use this on public roads. But if you’re taking it to your local drag strip and racing for pinks, then I don’t think street legal status will matter quite as much.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Solar panel giant Qcells announced today that it’s temporarily furloughing 1,000 US workers – 25% of its workforce – and reducing pay and shifts at its factories in northeast Georgia due to supply chain delays caused by US Customs.
Qcells furloughs 1,000 workers
The supply chain delays are hindering the company’s ability to import components to build its solar panels. This has resulted in Qcells’ two factories in Cartersville and Dalton being unable to operate at full capacity for several months.
Qcells spokeswoman Marta Stoepker shared the following statement in an exclusive with Channel 2 Action News in Atlanta:
The company says the furloughed workers, who were notified this afternoon, will retain full benefits and won’t be laid off. However, Qcells will no longer be using staffing agency employees in Georgia “at this time.”
As Qcells introduced new supply chains to support its growing solar panel manufacturing facilities in Georgia, the company was recently forced to scale back production while our shipments into the US were delayed in the customs clearance process.
Although our supply chain operations are beginning to normalize, today we shared with our employees that HR actions must be taken to improve operational efficiency until production capacity returns to normal levels.
Stoepker said it expects to bring the furloughed workers back “in the coming weeks and months.” She continued:
Our commitment to building the entire solar supply chain in the United States remains. We will soon be back on track with the full force of our Georgia team delivering American-made energy to communities around the country.
Electrek’s Take
In January 2023, the Seoul-headquartered Qcells announced it would invest more than $2.5 billion to build a solar supply chain in Georgia – the largest-ever investment in clean energy manufacturing in the US to date. That included expanding the Dalton solar factory and building a fully integrated solar supply chain factory in Cartersville, Georgia, that will manufacture solar ingots, wafers, cells, and finished panels.
It’s not quite there yet, because that takes time. In the meantime, it’s being penalized by Customs. The US government under Trump says it’s keen on boosting domestic manufacturing. Why would it work against a company that’s onshoring an entire solar supply chain, including recycling?
Dalton and Cartersville employ nearly 4,000 people. Its total output will reach 8.4 GW of solar production capacity per year, which is equivalent to nearly 46,000 panels per day – enough to power approximately 1.3 million homes annually.
It’s ludicrous that it has been forced to furlough a quarter of its workforce due to the ineptness of the Trump administration’s US Customs policies. This is right up there with the ICE arrests at Hyundai’s plant in Georgia. Bravo.
Read more: Georgia gives US solar panel manufacturing a big boost with a new factory
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. 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. It has 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 Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The breakthrough EV batteries Toyota says will double driving range and cut charging times are facing another setback. The company is once again delaying plans for a new battery plant in Japan.
Why is Toyota delaying its EV battery plant this time?
Earlier this year, Toyota bought a 280,000-square-meter plot of land in Fukuoka, Japan, where it planned to build a plant to produce the more advanced EV batteries.
A location agreement was expected to be signed by April, but Toyota pushed back construction by several months, blaming slower-than-expected demand for electric vehicles.
The agreement was expected to be finalized this Fall, but that will no longer be the case. According to Nikkei, Toyota is delaying the EV battery plant for the second time. Toyota will review and adjust plans over the next year.
Fukuoka governor, Seitaro Hattori, confirmed the news with reporters on Friday following a meeting with Toyota’s president, Koji Sato. Hattori also shut down claims that Toyota was planning to scrap the battery plant altogether.
Toyota again blamed slowing EV demand for the delay. The decision comes despite Keiji Kaita, president of Toyota’s Carbon Neutral Advanced Engineering Development Center, confirming at the Japan Mobility Show just last week that it’s “sticking on the schedule” to introduce its first solid-state battery-powered EV by 2028.
Last month, Toyota said it aimed to “achieve the world’s first practical use of all-solid-state batteries in BEVs” after securing a partnership with Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. to mass-produce them. It’s also working with Japanese oil giant Idemitsu.
The company recently revealed a solid-state battery pack prototype that it claims can deliver 747 miles (1,200 km) range and 10-minute fast charging, but will we ever see it actually in production?
Electrek’s Take
Toyota has been making empty promises about EV batteries for almost a decade now. It initially planned to introduce solid-state EV batteries in 2020, then pushed it to 2023, then 2026, and now it’s saying it will be around 2028.
Mass production is likely closer to the end of the decade, if Toyota doesn’t delay it again. While it’s blaming the slowing demand, global EV sales are still on the rise. According to Rho Motion, global EV sales topped 2 million for the first time in a single month in September 2025. Through the first nine months of the year, EV sales are up 26% compared to the same period in 2024.
Even with the US ending the $7,500 federal tax credit and other policies designed to promote electric vehicles, global adoption will continue building momentum over the next few years.
Is it a demand issue, or is Toyota just looking for another excuse? With rivals like Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, BMW, and Honda advancing next-gen EV batteries, Toyota will only fall further behind if it continues delaying key projects.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss how Tesla is now Elon’s after the shareholders’ meeting, Xpeng going all-in on AI, Rivian’s earnings, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024