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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.

But not the ZO03.

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.

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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Mercedes-Benz unveils the new CLA Shooting Brake EV with impressive range

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Mercedes-Benz unveils the new CLA Shooting Brake EV with impressive range

The new CLA Shooting Brake is the first electric Mercedes vehicle available as an estate. It’s more spacious, more capable, and more high-tech than ever.

Meet the new Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake EV

Mercedes introduced the new CLA Shooting Brake on Tuesday, its first electric estate car. The Shooting Brake arrives as the second EV from the luxury brand’s new entry-level family of vehicles.

The electric wagon takes the best of the new CLA, which was revealed just a few weeks ago, and adds more space and capability.

It’s also bigger than the current CLA Shooting Brake, offering a more spacious interior. The new EV measures 4,723 mm in length, or 35 mm longer than the outgoing model.

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With an extended wheelbase of 2,790 mm (+61 mm), the electric version offers 14 mm more headroom and 11 mm more legroom in the front. Rear passengers gain 7 mm of headroom but lose 6 mm of legroom compared to the current model.

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Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake models (Source: Mercedes-Benz)

Boot space is 455 L, which is 50 L more than the CLA sedan, but 30 L less than the outgoing Shooting Brake. However, it does include an added Frunk (front trunk) for an extra 101 L of storage space.

With all seats folded, overall storage space is 1,290 L. It also comes with standard roof rails, which Mercedes claims can easily fit surfboards or bicycles with a 75 kg (165 lbs) load capacity.

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Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake with EQ Technology (Source: Mercedes-Benz)

Inside, the new Shooting Brake is nearly identical to the CLA Sedan. It features the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) with its fourth-gen infotainment.

The setup includes a 14″ infotainment and 10.25″ driver display screens. An extra 14″ passenger screen is available. A trim piece with star-pattern graphics replaces it if not. All three screens are powered by the latest-gen chips and graphics from Unity Game Engine.

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Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake EV interior (Source: Mercedes-Benz)

Powered by the new Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture and an 85 kWh battery, the new Shooting Brake EV offers up to 473 miles (761 km) WLTP range.

It will be available in single and dual-motor powertrains. The base CLA 250+ Shooting Brake has 268 hp (200 kW) output and a WLTP range of up to 473 miles (761 km). Meanwhile, the dual-motor CLA 350 4MATIC Shooting Brake has combined 349 hp (260 kW) and a range of up to 454 miles (730 km).

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Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake EV interior (Source: Mercedes-Benz)

Based on its 800V architecture, the new electric estate can add 193 miles (310 km) WLTP driving range within 10 minutes. Mercedes said that should be plenty to get from Geneva to Milan or Berlin to Hamburg.

Mercedes will introduce new EV variants in early 2026, followed by a 1.5 L hybrid model. Prices will be revealed closer to launch, but it’s expected to start slightly higher than the current model. The current CLA Shooting Brake starts at around €40,000 ($46,500) in Europe.

Following the new CLA and CLA Shooting Brake, Mercedes-Benz plans to launch two SUVs. Check back soon for more info on the upcoming lineup.

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U.S. moving fast to secure access to critical minerals to counter China’s dominance of market, Pentagon says

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U.S. moving fast to secure access to critical minerals to counter China's dominance of market, Pentagon says

MP Materials CEO on deal with the Defense Department

The Pentagon is taking immediate action to boost critical mineral production in the U.S. and counter China’s dominance of the supply chain for rare earth magnets, a defense official told CNBC on Tuesday.

The Defense Department last week agreed to buy a direct equity stake in MP Materials, which will make the U.S. government the miner’s largest shareholder. MP operates the only rare earth mine in the U.S. located at Mountain Pass, California, and a magnet plant in Forth Worth, Texas.

When asked whether the Pentagon is considering similar investments in other U.S. mining companies, the defense official said it is looking at opportunities to strengthen domestic critical mineral production.

“Rebuilding the critical minerals and rare earth magnet sectors of the U.S. industrial base won’t happen overnight, but DoD is taking immediate action to streamline processes and identify opportunities to strengthen critical minerals production,” official said in a statement.

Rare earths are used in weapons such as the F-35 warplane, drones and submarines among other other military platforms. The U.S. was almost entirely dependent on foreign countries for rare earths in 2023, with China representing about 70% of imports, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

MP Materials CEO James Litinsky told CNBC last week that he views the public-private partnership with the Defense Department as a model for other companies in industries that are important for national security but struggle to compete against the state-backed enterprises in China.

“I’d like to think that this is sort of the first, it’s a model,” Litinsky told CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” on Thursday. “We have to deliver at MP and show that this is an incredible route to go. But it’s a new way forward to accelerate free markets, to get the supply chain on shore that we want.”

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in April that the U.S. government was looking at taking direct equity stakes in critical mineral and rare earth miners to break China’s dominance. The Trump administration is also looking at stockpiling critical minerals and creating a sovereign risk insurance fund to protect companies investments’ in federally approved projects, Burgum said at an energy conference in Oklahoma City.

The Pentagon makes long-term investments in mining, processing and refining critical minerals, the defense official told CNBC. It has invested $540 million so far to support a critical mineral and rare earth supply chain in the U.S. and allied nations, the official said.

“That is significant, and DoD will continue to such efforts in accordance with congressional appropriations and statutory authorities,” the official said.

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Crypto super PAC Fairshake reports $141 million war chest

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Crypto super PAC Fairshake reports 1 million war chest

Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Fairshake, the cryptocurrency industry’s most powerful political action committee, announced Tuesday that it now holds more than $141 million in cash on hand, underscoring the sector’s growing influence as Congress takes up landmark legislation this week.

The total, which includes liquid assets like crypto, stock, and cash, reflects a surge of donations from digital asset executives and firms, including a fresh $25 million from Coinbase.

Fairshake and its two affiliated PACs — Defend American Jobs and Protect Progress — have raised $109 million since Election Day in 2024 and $52 million during just the first half of this year.

“We are building an aggressive, targeted strategy for next year to ensure that pro-crypto voices are heard in key races across the country,” said spokesperson Josh Vlasto.

Ethereum succeeded beyond anyone's expectations, says network co-founder Vitalik Buterin at EthCC

The announcement lands in the middle of what lawmakers are calling “Crypto Week” on Capitol Hill, as the House begins deliberations on a trio of long-awaited bills that would define how digital assets are regulated.

The legislation includes the dividing of oversight, setting new stablecoin rules, and a bill banning the creation of a central bank digital currency.

The crypto industry is no longer just lobbying for survival, it is shaping the political landscape. Fairshake saw nearly every candidate it backed in 2024 win their race.

“We stuck to our core strategy from Day 1,” Fairshake previously told CNBC. “We supported pro-crypto candidates and opposed those who played politics with jobs and innovation, and won.”

WATCH: How crypto and fintech may perform under the second Trump administration

How crypto and fintech may perform under the second Trump administration

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