You want Sur Ron battery and power specs but on a $1,549 kick scooter with an optional seat that makes it look like a mobility scooter on steroids? We might just have the UL-certified vehicle for you…
The pitch went something like this: ZonDoo: “Would you review our electric kick scooter?” Me: “Don’t think so, there are hundreds out there. What makes yours unique?” ZonDoo: “Ours is AWD, over 7.5 horsepower and goes highway speeds.” Me: “[address/phone]”
Honestly, I’d never heard of ZonDoo before the inquiry, but it is a relatively established brand of Chinese scooters. Most of its products look like higher-end scooters you might have seen other brands selling as well.
This foldable scooter with 11-inch pneumatic off-road tires is the scooter you’d design if you were immortal and safety wasn’t a concern.
Let’s start with the drivetrain:
You’ve got not one, but two (!!) 2.8kW motors, one on each wheel for a total of 5.6kW or 7.5 horsepower from 60V 45A controllers. That means we’re talking about 10x a typical scooter/legal e-bike power limit in Canada and a little more or less in Europe and the US. It almost doesn’t even compute.
This thing is off-road capable with those big knobby tires, significant front and rear suspension, and AWD. It also sits about a foot off the ground.
That battery runs at 60V and contains 38Ah of 21700 cells for a total of 2.28kWh. The side of the battery says a little more and the specs page on ZonDoos site says slightly less, so let’s just go with that. That’s 6Ah bigger than a 60V Sur Ron battery, and it just might beat one off the line. Charge time is about six hours from dead with two separate chargers via charging ports on the right side of the pack/deck. ZonDoo says you will get over 60 miles of range, and that’s not hard to believe if you are riding at a normal speed.
However, this thing is not normal. It goes nearly 55 mph and, frankly, depending on aerodynamics can go beyond 62 mph (99 km/h). How do I know? It wasn’t from riding it that fast. Lifting both wheels off the ground and hitting full throttle got the bike up to 99 km/h in an instant.
One thing I do know is that if you hit the throttle at 10 mph, you can chirp both wheels. ZonDoo says you can go up 50% grades, and I’d confirm that if the only hill graded like that near me wasn’t full of ice and loose dirt. The tires lost grip before the torque of the wheels gave out.
Speaking of riding this thing, I’m not immortal and I have a wife and kids to provide for so I only took this thing up to about 35 mph before chickening out. Even with a full face helmet, riding on a mobility scooter seat was harrowing. One thing that gave me a lot of confidence is the Zoom hydraulic brakes, which were fantastic at stopping this monster in its tracks.
ZonDoo says this thing is rated for 440 lb., which is about double my size so I guess I could invite another me to ride on the back. Too bad I don’t have a conjoined twin. The question begs to be asked: What do you do with all of this power and capacity? My son said I should rig it to pull a boat.
It’s a party!
ZonDoo ZO03 Extras – Lights! Everywhere!
Not only does this thing have two bright front LED headlights that light up the ground in front of you, but it also has RGB light bars on the side and bright red lights in the rear. The front lights are bright enough to play a game of night wiffle ball in front of it and also have a flashing mode for day riding that will alert others that you are coming. That’s hardly necessary however because both sides of the platform have blinking red green and blue lights.
I pulled into my neighbor’s driveway just after dusk and he thought the cops had shown up, coming outside with his hands up. Maybe a disco ball would lighten the mood?
Bonus: This thing has front and rear turn signals actuated by a button on the left thumb area. The only problem is they get drowned out by the other lighting on this thing. You can, of course, adjust what lighting you want based on your needs and applicable neighborhood decency regulations.
It also has a great folding mechanism, loud AF horn, keyed starter, voltage readout, strong kickstand, and rear mudflap – not that you should be riding this in any kind of bad weather.
It folds down pretty tight, and it easily fit in my Tesla Model 3 trunk all folded with 52″ x 26″ x 24″ dimensions.
A seat turns this into a different experience
I should mention that I rode with the optional seat, which is probably the lowest-quality part of this whole apparatus. But it also feels a little more stable when riding (vs. standing) and gives the feeling of connecting to the scooter in a more meaningful way than standing. I was hoping for a Vespa scooter type experience, but it was not to be.
I should be clear, the base of the seat pole was strong and secure. The seat post itself was less so – and with its extremely loose suspension and aluminum pipe, it felt unstable. My immediate gut reaction was to look around for a better bike seat. Probably one with a longer, stronger pipe without suspension because the ZO03 has cushy pneumatic tires coupled with great suspension already.
That said, I felt comfortable enough to hit the roads sitting on the seat, hitting about 35 miles per hour before chickening out.
The ZonGoo ZO03 Drive
To be clear, I have no idea if this thing is legal for street use anywhere (it isn’t). I can’t imagine it is in many jurisdictions in its full power mode anyway. Of course there are buttons to neuter the power and make it behave like a normal scooter. The sticker on the side of the ZonDoo says its top speed is 25 km/h so you can show the authorities that (then chirp out at triple that speed).
But that’s not fun and we live back in the woods, so I took this for about 20 miles of on- and off-road experimenting. It handled its business – mostly. It has three power levels (along with an eco/rear wheel drive buttons) ,and I can say that the second setting scared the crap out of me. It was easy to spin the tires, even when already rolling along at a good clip. You will throw yourself off the back without careful throttle manipulation. I tried level 3 but it just felt like I was trying to hard not to throw myself off of the scooter to be fun. I got used to 2.
The throttle itself is a finger throttle, and I think perhaps this could have used a twist throttle more like a motorcycle. It was tough but not impossible to operate both the brakes and the throttle with one hand, especially in cold weather.
We have a significant 800-ft. high hill not too far from us, and the ZonGoo rocketed up that thing faster than some Vespa-type scooters I’ve driven. I really can’t get over the power on this thing.
The downside was that seat post with also the folding, adjustable handlebars both felt a little wobbly, and with the short amount of time I’ve had with this, I just didn’t feel confident about turns. I almost always slowed down to about 20 mph before attempting anything more than a subtle turn.
Off road, you’ll want to ditch the seat post and keep your speed reasonable. It fares as well as you could hope motorized 11-inch wheels could do, and I could easily see a 10-mile commute on a dirt road with this thing. Bend those knees!
Electrek’s Take:
Or… okay, what’s the point of this thing? It is more than double the power that anyone should have on an electric kick scooter. But if you want relatively unlimited power and off-road capability and the ability to beat cars off the line, look no further. With its huge 2.25kWh battery, you can go weeks without charging this thing (ZonDoo recommends charging it weekly). And the sticker on the side says 25 km/h, with metric system alone enough to throw off most cops.
ZonDoo’s ZO03 is a ton of fun. You will have the most powerful scooter on the block (and likely in the state), and if you are careful, you can probably avoid serious injury. $1,549 at Amazon.
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Massachusetts is launching a first-of-its-kind statewide vehicle-to-everything (V2X) pilot program. This two-year initiative, backed by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), aims to deploy 100 bidirectional chargers to homes, school buses, municipal, and commercial fleet participants across the state.
These bidirectional chargers will enable EVs to serve as mobile energy storage units, collectively providing an estimated 1.5 MW of new storage capacity. That means EVs won’t just be getting power – they’ll be giving it back to the grid, helping to balance demand and support renewable energy use. The program is also focused on ensuring that low-income and disadvantaged communities have access to this cutting-edge tech.
The Massachusetts pilot is one of the largest state-led V2X initiatives in the US and is designed to tackle key challenges in deploying bidirectional charging technology. By strategically placing these chargers in a variety of settings, the program aims to identify and resolve barriers to wider adoption of V2X technology.
Massachusetts EV owners and fleet operators enrolled in the program will get bidirectional chargers capable of both vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and backup power operations at no cost. Here’s what they stand to gain:
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No-cost charging infrastructure: Bidirectional charging stations and installation are fully covered for participants.
Grid resilience: With an estimated 1.5 MW of new flexible and distributed storage assets, the program strengthens Massachusetts’ energy infrastructure.
Clean energy integration: V2G technology allows EVs to charge when renewable energy is available and discharge stored energy when it’s not, supporting the state’s clean energy goals.
Backup power: EV batteries can be used as backup power sources during outages.
Revenue opportunities: Some participants can earn money by sending stored energy back to the grid.
Clean energy solutions firm Resource Innovations and vehicle-grid integration tech company The Mobility House are leading the program’s implementation. “With the charging infrastructure provided through this program, we’re eliminating financial barriers and enabling school districts, homeowners, and fleets to access reliable backup power,” said Kelly Helfrich of Resource Innovations. “We aim to create a scalable blueprint for V2X programs nationwide.”
“Bidirectional charging benefits vehicle owners by providing backup power and revenue opportunities while strengthening the grid for the entire community,” added Russell Vare of The Mobility House North America.
The program is open for enrollment now through June 2025. For more details, visit the MassCEC V2X Program webpage. A list of eligible bidirectional vehicles can be found on that page.
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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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Compton, California, has unveiled 25 new electric school buses – the school district’s first – and 25 Tellus 180 kW DC fast chargers.
Compton Unified School District (CUSD) in southern Los Angeles County is putting 17 Thomas Built Type A and eight Thomas Built Type C electric school buses on the road this spring. In addition to working with Thomas Built, CUSD also collaborated with electrification-as-a-service provider Highland Electric Fleet, utility Southern California Edison, and school transportation provider Durham School Services.
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program awarded funds for the vehicles in the program’s first round. EPA also awarded CUSD funds for the third round of the program and anticipates introducing an additional 25 EV school buses in the future.
“I can’t stress enough how vital grants like these are and the need for continued support from our partners in government at the state and federal level to fund additional grants for school districts and their transportation partners that are ready to deliver and operate zero-emission buses,” said Tim Wertner, CEO of Durham School Services.
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CUSD, which serves Compton and parts of the cities of Carson and Los Angeles, currently serves more than 17,000 students at 36 sites. The district has a high school graduation rate of 93% and an 88% college acceptance rate. One in 11 children in Los Angeles County have asthma, which makes the need for emissions-free school transportation that much more pressing.
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After cutting lease prices by $200 this month, the Rivian R1S is now surprisingly affordable. It may even be a better deal than the new Tesla Model Y.
Rivian cuts R1S lease prices by $200 per month
Rivian’s R1S is one of the hottest electric SUVs on the market. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you’re missing out.
With some of the best deals to date, now may be the time. Rivian lowered R1S lease prices earlier this month to just $599 for 36 months, with $8,493 due at signing (30,000 miles). The offer is for the new 2025 R1S Adventure Dual Standard, which starts at $75,900.
Before the price cut, the R1S was listed at $799 per month, with $8,694 due at signing. The electric SUV now has the same lease price as the R1T, despite costing $6,000 more.
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The 2025 R1T Dual Motor starts at $69,900, essentially making it a free $6,000 upgrade. At that price, you may even want to consider it over the new Tesla Model Y.
Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series arrived with lease prices of $699 for 36 months. With $4,393 due at signing, the effective rate is $821 per month, or just $13 less than the R1S at $834. However, the 2025 R1S costs nearly $15,000 more, with the Model Y Launch Series price at $59,990.
Rivian is also offering an “All-Electric Upgrade Offer” of up to $6,000 for those looking to trade-in their gas-powered car, but base models are not included.
Starting Price
Range (EPA-est.)
2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard
$75,900
270 miles
2026 Tesla Model Y Launch Series
$59,990
327 miles
Rivian R1S Dual Standard vs new Tesla Model Y Launch Series
To take advantage of the Rivian R1S lease deal, you must order it before March 15 and take delivery on or before March 31, 2025.
The 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard Motor has an EPA-estimated range of up to 270 miles. Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series gets up to 327 miles.
Which electric SUV would you choose? Rivian’s R1S or the new Tesla Model Y? If you’re ready to check them out for yourself, you can use our links below to find deals on the Rivian R1S and Tesla Model Y in your area.
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