Yadea Elite Prime review: The full-suspension e-scooter you’d never guess is so powerful
All of Yadea’s latest full-suspension electric scooters are slick-looking machines. Nicely contoured cast frames, dual swingarms for the complete suspension package, and single-side supported wheels make the scooters look like they’re floating at just the right angle. But it’s the most powerful model of the bunch that packs the biggest surprise. Behind the cute exterior of the Yadea Elite Prime is a veritable wolf in sheep’s clothing, offering up to 1,500W of power in a scooter that looks like it belongs behind a leggy model in a Paris fashion shoot.
This scooter may not outwardly look like a hotrod, but the Yadea Elite Prime sure has the power to fly off the line. Check out how the scooter performs in my video review below. Then keep on reading for even more info on this fun, compact little rocket!
Yadea Elite Prime video review
Yadea Elite Prime tech specs
- Motor: 800W continuous (1,500W peak) rear hub motor
- Battery: 48V 14.5Ah (696 Wh)
- Top speed: 20 mph (32 km/h)
- Range: 40 miles (64 km)
- Weight: 64 lb (29 kg)
- Load capacity: 265 lb (120 kg)
- Brakes: Front mechanical drum brake, rear mechanical disc brake and regen braking
- Tires: 10-inch pneumatic street tires
- Lights: Front and rear LED, rear turn signals
Launching off the line
So here’s the thing about the Yadea Elite Prime that differs from the smaller Yadea Elite Max and the even smaller Yadea Artist: This thing is powerful. After the first kilometer of riding, it lets you unlock the full power mode on the scooter, and that means some serious torque.
The first time I tried it, I accidentally popped a wheelie from a standstill. I just wasn’t expecting that kind of power from what looks like a cute, approachable electric scooter.
Most scooters are weak enough that you just mash the throttle all the way down and hold it until you reach the speed you want. But in the highest power mode, the Yadea Elite Prime has so much power and torque that you actually have to modulate the throttle like you would on a motorcycle or the accelerator pedal on a car. It’s surprising since most sub-$1k scooters simply don’t come with that level of power.
Of course you don’t have to keep the scooter in highest power mode, and you’re probably better served by not using that highest mode all the time, unless you know you want all of that power on tap for fun acceleration or you have some big hills to climb on your commute. Because with a slope rating of 30%, you can climb some serious inclines with this scooter.
But more important than mere power is comfort, and that’s where scooter really excels. There are two sides to comfort here. On the one hand, the acceleration is smooth (in all modes but the highest power!) and so it feels like you’re in solid control of the scooter. On the other hand, the scooter is physically quite comfortable thanks to that dual suspension design with front and rear swingarm.
I really like the way the front wheel is single-supported, which is both convenient for tire changes and simply looks pretty cool. Combined with the cast frame instead of more welded connections and you get a really sleek appearance.
Obviously, this isn’t an off-road scooter, and that suspension isn’t meant for crazy terrain, but it will certainly do well with the occasional curb hops and potholes. The 10-inch pneumatic tires are also relatively large, at least by scooter standards, which further helps smooth out the ride and gives you a fighting chance when hitting a pothole.
If there’s one area that I would have liked to see improved, it would be the scooter’s top speed. At 20 mph (32 km/h), the Yadea Elite Prime can rocket up to speed quickly but then it suddenly runs out of steam, not letting you continue to the higher speeds that you might expect such a powerful scooter to reach.
That’s a bit of a double-edged sword. I like being able to go faster to keep up with traffic, but there’s no doubt that fast speeds on standing scooters don’t always mix with the best results. So going a bit slower does have some safety advantages.
But at least that slower top speed translates into better range, with the scooter offering up to 40 miles (64 km) per charge. The slower you go, the better range you get, and so you can’t stay at top speeds and expect to go 40 miles. But even at top speed, nearly 700Wh of battery will do pretty much any normal commuting trip in most cities.
The other area that’s a bit of a downer is the weight. The scooter is a bit portly at 64 lb (29 kg). The folding mechanism is solid and secure feeling, meaning I feel good about picking it up and carrying it around without worrying that it would suddenly open back up. But not everyone is going to want to carry 64 pounds of aluminum, copper, and lithium for long distances. If you need to do an occasional carry up a flight of stairs or onto a subway train, it’s doable, but not exactly a pleasurable experience.
But those two issues of weight and top speed aside, everything else about the scooter pretty much checked my boxes for a comfortable, full-suspension ride. The scooter feels well built, and having visited one of Yadea’s factories myself earlier this year, I’ve seen how much care they put into their assembly lines. And with added niceties like turn signals, regenerative braking, and an elegant design, there’s more than just meets the eye here.
At a price of $899 from Yadea or the same price on Amazon, the scooter feels like a solid choice for a powerful, comfortable, and robust ride. It’s heavy and not the fastest, but it does everything else so well that I came away from this experience very impressed. I’d absolutely recommend this scooter, especially to someone who specifically doesn’t want to go super fast but does want real power for acceleration and hill climbs.
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BYD’s cheapest EV in China just got even more affordable. After cutting prices this month, the BYD Seagull EV starts at just 56,800 yuan, or under $8,000.
BYD cuts Seagull EV price to under $8,000 in April
Despite an intensifying EV price war in China, BYD is cutting prices once again. The Chinese EV giant announced a new promotion this month across several Ocean Series models, including the Seagull.
The 2025 BYD Seagull EV is available starting at just 56,800 yuan ($7,800). The offer is for the non-Smart Driving Vitality Edition model, which usually starts at 69,800 yuan ($9,500).
After launching the new Seagull last year, BYD said the low-cost electric car officially opened “a new era of electricity being lower than oil.” Earlier this year, it upgraded most of its vehicles, including the Seagull, with its new “God’s Eye” smart driving system at no extra charge.
BYD’s Seagull is offered in three trims in China: Vitality, Freedom, and Flying. It has two battery options, 30.1 kWh or 38.9 kWh, which is good for the 305 km (190 mi) and 405 km (252 mi) CLTC range, respectively.
At just 3,780 mm long, 1,715 mm wide, and 1,540 mm tall, the Seagull is even smaller than the former Chevy Bolt EV (4,145 mm long, 1,765 mm wide, and 1,611 mm tall). It’s about the size of a Fiat 500e.
The price cut comes as BYD’s sales continue surging. With another 377,420 new energy vehicles (EVs and PHEVs) sold last month, the Chinese automaker has now sold over one million NEVs in 2025.
BYD’s EVs accounted for 416,388 while PHEV sales reached 569,710, an increase of 39% and 76% from last year, respectively.
| BYD Seagull EV trim | Starting Price | Range (CLTC) |
| Vitality | Normal: $9,500 (69,800 yuan) Now: $8,000 (56,800 yuan) |
190 mi (305 km) |
| Freedom | $10,300 (75,800 yuan) | 190 mi (305 km) |
| Flying | $11,700 (85,800 yuan) | 252 mi (405 km) |
Perhaps even more importantly, BYD sold over 206,000 vehicles overseas in 2025, more than doubling from last year. The Seagull EV is also sold in other global markets like Mexico and Brazil as the Dolphin Mini.
Later this year, it will launch in Europe as the Dolphin Surf, with expected prices starting under £20,000 ($26,000). Although it may not be the cheapest EV, BYD’s executive vice president, Stella Li, recently told Autocar it will be “the best value” when it arrives.
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Tesla has new Model Y inventory available today in the US, just days after opening orders for what is supposed to be its most popular model.
This proves that demand is terrible and Tesla is trying to hide it.
On Friday, Tesla launched the new non-Launch Edition Model Y in North America.
Prior to the launch, only a fully loaded $60,000 Launch Edition Model Y was available to order since January, and had been delivered since early March.
Now, North American buyers are able to buy a much cheaper version of the new Model Y for $49,000.
Only the Model Y Long Range AWD is available for now, but that’s Tesla’s most popular model in North America.
At the time, we noted that this is a great demand test for Tesla in the US amid some critical brand issues due to CEO Elon Musk.
We only have a few metrics to track the demand of the new Model Y in the US:
- Delivery timelines on new orders
- Available inventory
- Discounts/incentives
For most US zip codes tested by Electrek with different Model Y configurations (wheels and paint colors), Tesla quotes delivery within “1-3 weeks”.
But we also found several zip codes on both the West Coast and the East Coast where Tesla claims it can deliver the new vehicle “today”:
This would point to Tesla already having vehicles in inventory despite launching it just 4 days ago.
But Tesla is hiding the inventory.
If you search for Model Y in Tesla’s new inventory, you can’t find any in the US at the time of writing:
However, Tesla is showing some units in inventory to people configuring new Model Ys.
Some potential buyers are reporting that Tesla has a tab that pops up and directs them to some new inventory available (via TroyTeslike on Patreon):
This confirms that Tesla already has new non-Launch Edition Model Y in inventory available for sale in the US – pointing to Tesla having no backlog of demand for the new vehicle.
Electrek’s Take
This is much worse than I thought. I thought that Tesla would build a backlog of demand for the new Model Y in the US from people who didn’t want the fully loaded version, but it looks like that backlog lasted 4 days.
Of course, it’s all because of Tesla and Elon, and brand destruction.
Many people who invested in the stock market lost a lot of money over the last few weeks, and these people often happen to be people who buy new cars.
Now, the only thing left is for Tesla to start offering discounts and subsidies financing – the latter likely coming first, as it is already the case with new Model 3 orders in the US.
The good news for Tesla is that if Trump continues to crash the stock market, the Fed will likely have to reduce rates, making Tesla’s 0% financing cheaper to subsidize.
That’s a fun balancing act.
Either way, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tesla offer incentives on the new Model Y in the US within the next 2 weeks – way ahead of schedule.
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The new and improved 2026 Kia EV9 and 2025 EV6 are eligible for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, but one trim is excluded.
Do the Kia EV6 and EV9 qualify for the federal tax credit?
Kia’s first dedicated electric vehicle, the EV6, received some pretty major upgrades for its mid-cycle update this year.
The 2025 EV6 features a bigger battery providing more range (now up to 319 miles), a stylish interior and exterior redesign, and an NACS port for charging at Tesla Superchargers.
Kia’s first three-row electric SUV, the EV9, also has a native NACS charging port and will be the first model year to offer a high-performance GT trim.
We got a good look at the EV9 GT at the LA Auto Show last year (check it out here). The sporty electric SUV boasts 501 hp, which is quite a bit more than the current GT-Line’s 379 hp. The added power is enough for the big-body SUV to move from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds.
Although Kia America’s vice president of sales, Eric Watson, confirmed the EV6 and EV9 are now in “full-scale production” at its plant in West Point, Georgia, not all trims will qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit.
According to CarsDirect, Kia told dealers that the 2025 EV6 and 2026 EV9 GT trims wouldn’t be eligible for the credit. A spokesperson said the exclusion is because Kia builds the EV6 GT and EV9 GT in South Korea, while all other trims are assembled in Georgia.
If Trump’s 25% tariff on South Korea is still in effect when the GT models launch in the US, it could create a significant price gap between trims.
Despite this, you will likely still be able to take advantage of the credit through leasing. Kia, like many, is passing the $7,500 on through lease cash, which can significantly cut monthly payments.
Kia will reveal more info, including prices, closer to launch. Check back soon. We’ll keep you updated with the latest.
With the new models arriving soon, Kia is offering clearance pricing on outgoing models. Monthly leases start as low as $179. You can use our links below to find deals on the Kia EV6 and EV9 near you.
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