Apollo Pro review: There’s never been a high-power electric scooter like this before
Several years ago the team at Canada’s premier electric scooter company Apollo decided that they weren’t just going to sell off-the-shelf scooters. Instead, they were going to innovate with new designs and custom development to create unique and high performance scooters. After multiple launches of progressively more customized scooters, it feels like the new Apollo Pro has reached the pinnacle of that design ethos.
The Apollo Pro is fast and powerful, there’s no doubt about that. But there’s so much more to this scooter than sheer watts. It’s easy to pump more power into a scooter these days, but designing for ease of use and comfortable handling takes a much more refined design process.
That’s exactly what the team at Apollo has done with the new Apollo Pro, which launches for orders today.
To see what I mean, check out my video review below. Then keep reading for my full thoughts on this impressive electric scooter.
Apollo Pro Video Review
Where do I even start?
There’s so much going on here with the Apollo Pro that I don’t even know where to start.
The scooter itself is a ground up design, meaning you won’t find many off-the-shelf parts. The performance is good, don’t get me wrong, but the real story here is the design and the features.
But since everyone loves to compare specs, let’s start there.
With dual motors, the Apollo Pro is rated for speeds of up to 70 km/h (43 mph), though I clocked it at around 75 km/h (46 mph) on flat ground in highest speed mode (LUDO mode). Underpromise and overdeliver, that’s what I like to see.
The 52V 30Ah battery offers 1,560 Wh of capacity or enough juice for around 100 km (62 miles) of range. In other words, there’s more range here than most average riders should ever need, but that also means that fast riders won’t find the scooter running empty too quickly, either.
The dual 12″ wheels are fairly large for a standing scooter and use a self-healing tire design to help prevent flats. They’re also supported by fairly plush suspension giving the bike a planted yet comfortable feel.
Each wheel wears drum brakes which results in maintenance free braking that works rain or shine (the sealed drum brakes basically work forever), but you probably won’t need them. That’s because the regenerative braking is strong and effective, especially if you plan in advance to begin braking a second or two before you’d normally engage mechanical brakes. You can almost entirely rely on the regenerative braking using the second thumb throttle (left side of the bars) that is actually not a throttle at all but rather a variable regen switch.
It took me a bit of getting used to since I’m so accustomed to reaching for typical brake levers, so don’t be surprised if you keep forgetting to use the regen brake switch in the beginning. But once you get used to it, you’ll never want to go back to normal mechanical brakes.
The built-in display on the scooter is rather primitive as a dot matrix display, but at least is super bright and readable in direct sunlight. But the scooter’s app is designed to be the main display, working together with a quad-lock system to mount on the scooter’s bars and also charge your phone wirelessly. I don’t have a quad-lock case so I just used the Apollo phone mount, which is actually quite nice, too, with its all-metal construction. Using the app will give you much more detailed info than the dot matrix display, plus it allows you to take advantage of advanced features like GPS tracking, ride recording, customizable scooter settings and more.
The Apollo Pro also includes 360 degree wraparound LED lighting that is quite well implemented. We’ve seen scooters that go over the top with LEDs that turn them into a Floyd Laser Show, but this isn’t that.
The Apollo team used a moderate touch to give bright, visible wraparound lighting without risking giving anyone rainbow seizures.
The scooter’s bright white LED bars will have you scooting on a cloud of light at night, which then turns into a bright red cloud when you engage the brakes. No one will ever miss that you are there or that you are braking.
But to me, the real secret to the Apollo Pro’s successful design is just how good it feels to ride. I’m normally an e-bike guy, as that’s where I feel most comfortable. I love riding scooters and electric unicycles and other assorted micromobility devices, but e-bikes have long been my go to machine.
Even so, the Apollo Pro feels almost as stable and intuitive to me as an e-bike. I don’t know if its the rake angle or the larger wheels or the dialed in suspension or any other of a number of small details that went into the design, but the scooter simply rides damn well. It leans and carves with ease, stands back up in an instant and makes me feel so stable that I almost want to ride handsfree. I tried it and I can’t quite pull it off, but of all the scooters I’ve tried, I think this one is the closest to making me feel comfortable riding no-handed. That’s not a feature, but rather may just point to how rock solid the scooter feels.
Bang for a lot of buck
The only real damper on my scooter parade here is the price. At $3,499, this is not a cheap electric scooter by any stretch of the imagination. And it’s competing against many scooters that have even higher power ratings and faster speeds in this price category.
But the Apollo Pro was never meant to compete on power or speed. It’s fast and powerful, don’t get me wrong. But other scooters will best it by a few seconds in acceleration or a couple thousand watts in peak power. What the Apollo Pro does differently is in its design. It’s meant to be a more refined scooter. That’s apparent everywhere from the handling to the interface to the app.
And so if you’re a “more power, please” kind of rider, above all else, then this is not the scooter for you. You can do 60 mph on other scooters at this price. But if you ask me, cruising around at 45 mph is more than enough for me, and to be honest I spent more time in the 30’s than in the 40’s of mph, because I simply don’t feel the need to ride that fast most of the time. It’s great to have the speed and power to do it when I want to, but I’m more worried about a scooter that is convenient and comfortable. In that sense, the Apollo Pro definitely fits the bill.
It won’t compete on bang for your buck, but it’s also not meant to. It’s expensive because it’s designed better and incorporates more proprietary components, from the bulletproof controller to the bar-mounted turn signals for increased visibility and safety.
I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, but for serious scooter riders that commute daily on their scoots, it’s an amazing upgrade. That’s the kind of rider that Apollo obviously had in mind when they built this thing. The company has other scooters at a fraction of the cost. For its flagship model, Apollo unmistakably went all out to combine the right tech with the best components. And that result can be felt the first time you hop on the scooter.
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Climate XChange’s Annual EV Raffle is back for the 10th year running – and for the first time ever, Climate XChange has two raffle options on the table! The nonprofit has helped lucky winners custom-order their ideal EVs for the past decade. Now you have the chance to kick off your holiday season with a brand new EV for as little as $100.
About half of the raffle tickets have been sold so far for each of the raffles – you can see the live ticket count on Climate XChange’s homepage – so your odds of winning are better than ever.
But don’t wait – raffle ticket sales end on December 8!
Climate XChange is working hard to help states transition to a zero-emissions economy. Every ticket you buy supports this mission while giving you a chance to drive home your dream EV.
Here’s how Climate XChange’s 10th Annual Raffle works:
The Luxury Raffle
- Grand Prize: The winner can choose any EV on the market, fully customized up to $120,000. This year, you can split the prize between two EVs if the total is $120,000 or less.
- Taxes covered: This raffle comes with no strings – Climate XChange also pays all of the taxes.
- Runner-up prizes: Even if you don’t win the Grand Prize, you still have a chance at the 2nd prize of $12,500 and the 3rd prize of $7,500.
- Ticket price: $250.
- Grand Prize Drawing: December 12, 2025.
- Only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle.
The Mini Raffle (New for 2025)
- Grand Prize: Choose any EV on the market, fully customized, up to $45,000. This is the perfect raffle if you’re ready to make the switch to an EV but aren’t in the market for a luxury model.
- Taxes covered: Climate XChange pays all the taxes on the Mini Raffle, too.
- Ticket price: $100.
- Only 3,500 tickets will be sold for the Mini Raffle.
Why it’s worth entering
For a decade, Climate XChange has run a raffle that’s fair, transparent, and exciting. Every ticket stub is printed, and the entire drawing is live-streamed, including the loading of the raffle drum. Independent auditors also oversee the process.
Plus, your odds on the Luxury and Mini Raffles are far better than most car raffles, and they’re even better if you enter both.
Remember that only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle and only 3,500 for the Mini Raffle, and around half of the available tickets have been sold so far, so don’t miss your shot at your dream EV!
Climate XChange personally works with the winners to help them build and order their dream EVs. The winner of the Ninth Annual EV Raffle built a gorgeous storm blue Rivian R1T.
How to enter
Go to CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek before December 8 to buy your ticket. Start dreaming up your perfect EV – and know that no matter what, you’re helping accelerate the shift to clean energy.
Who is Climate XChange?
Climate XChange (CXC) is a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies because they’re critical in accelerating the transition to a zero-emissions economy. CXC advances state climate policy through its State Climate Policy Network (SCPN) – a community of more than 15,000 advocates and policymakers – and its State Climate Policy Dashboard, a leading data platform for tracking climate action across the US.
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The CSC Monterey – one of the most charming little electric scooters on the US market – has dropped to a shockingly low $1,699, down from its original $2,899 MSRP. That’s nearly half off for a full-size, street-legal electric scooter that channels major Honda Super Cub energy, but without the gas, noise, or maintenance of the original.
CSC Motorcycles, based in Azusa, California, has a long history of importing and supporting small-format electric and gas bikes, but the Monterey has always stood out as the brand’s “fun vibes first” model. With its step-through frame, big retro headlight, slim bodywork, and upright seating position, it looks like something from a 1960s postcard – just brought into the modern era with lithium batteries and a brushless hub motor.
I had my first experience on one of these scooters back in 2021, when I reviewed the then-new model here on Electrek. I instantly fell in love with it and even got one for my dad. It now lives at his place and I think he gets just as much joy from looking at it in his garage as riding it.
You can see my review video below.
The performance is solidly moped-class, which is exactly what it’s designed for. A 2,400W rear hub motor pushes the Monterey up to a claimed 30 mph or 48 km/h (I found it really topped out at closer to 32 mph or 51 km/h), making it perfect for city streets, beach towns, and lower-speed suburban routes.
A 60V, roughly 1.6 kWh removable battery offers around 30–40 miles (48-64 km) of real-world range, depending on how aggressively you twist the throttle. It’s commuter-ready, grocery-run-ready, and campus-ready right out of the crate.
It’s also remarkably approachable. At around 181 pounds (82 kg), the Monterey is light for a sit-down scooter, making it easy to maneuver and park. There’s a small storage cubby, LED lighting, and the usual simple twist-and-go operation. And it comes with full support from CSC, a company that keeps a massive warehouse stocked with components and spare parts.
My sister has a CSC SG250 (I’m still trying to convert her to electric) and has gotten great support from them in the past, including from their mechanics walking her through carburetor questions over the phone. So I know from personal experience that CSC is a great company that stands behind its bikes.
But the real story here is the price. Scooters in this class typically hover between $2,500 and $4,500, and electric retro-style models often jump well above that.
At $1,699, the Monterey is one of the least expensive street-legal electric scooters available from a reputable US distributor, especially one that actually stocks parts and provides phone support.
If you’ve been curious about swapping a few car errands for something electric – or you just want a fun, vintage-styled runabout for getting around town – this is one of the best deals of the year.
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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 a big Tesla Robotaxi setback, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA EV, Bollinger is over, and more.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. Sales end on Dec. 8th for its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn 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:
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