Review: Apollo Go (2024)

Control is all I want in an electric scooter. OK, that's a lie, I also want decent range, good power, and a reasonable weight. Being able to control speed, regenerative braking, and how turn signals work—if they're even available—is not something you find on most escooters. And even if you can access those things, tweaking them isn't always intuitive. The new Apollo Go changes all of that.

I've tested Apollo scooters for a few years now, and the Apollo Go is my favorite yet. It's speedy, isn't terribly heavy, has a decent folding system, includes perks like turn signals and a bell, and delivers satisfying range. Best of all, I have easy control over some core features through the companion app.

Good Control

The sleek-looking Apollo Go has a pretty simple setup process once you take it out of the box. Just add some screws to affix the handlebar to the scooter's stem and you're good to go. In the box, you get a nice tool kit for handling basic repairs yourself.

It's worth noting that while Apollo does have service locations across the country, it recently shut down its New York City service center, citing “the current regulatory environment.” There's still a third-party service partner you can take your scooter to in Manhattan, but you can check this map to see if there's a location near you. It's always smart to make sure there's some kind of ebike or escooter servicing shop in your area before buying one.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Connecting to the app is a snappy affair, and you do need to use the app to unlock the scooter's top speed for safety reasons. Lo and behold, you can finally customize the speed modes on the Apollo Go. Most escooters have three speed modes you can cycle through, but these speeds are usually fixed. Apollo lets you set a preferred speed for Eco, Comfort, and Sport. Now I no longer have to deal with the speed modes that are too fast or too slow. I've set the Comfort mode here to 15 miles per hour, the speed limit for New York City, and I can still switch to Sport mode if I need a boost. (It has a top speed of 28 mph, but you can lower this if you'd like.)

The app also lets you choose how much regenerative braking you want—this feature recharges the battery slightly every time you use the regen brake—as well as the acceleration response to increase the torque. I maxed out both of these. You can choose a max speed for the Go, control how long it takes for Cruise Control to kick in (so you don't have to keep holding down on the throttle), and even whether the turn signals should turn off automatically after seven blinks or manually by pressing the signal button again. The best part is I don't have to bother with the app after I've done all this initial setup.

Go Go Go

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

The aluminum Apollo Go weighs 46 pounds, which is manageable for me, but might be a smidge too heavy for some people. The good thing is the stem isn't too thick to comfortably carry, and there's a grab handle at the end of the deck for two-hand toting. If you will have to carry this scooter up and down more than two flights of stairs regularly, I'd suggest getting a lighter model.

The weight is partly what helps this escooter have good range. Apollo claims the UL-certified battery can dish out 20 to 30 miles. I usually was able to eke out only 15 miles on a single charge at 15 miles per hour, but I'm a 6'4" guy and weigh more than 240 pounds (the scooter has a max rider load of 265 pounds). Most people will be able to get closer to the 20-mile mark, if not a bit more. Charging is quite slow, though, taking about 7.5 hours to bring a depleted battery to 100 percent.

Riding on it feels great. The dual 350-watt motors can vault you quickly at a traffic light so you can speed away from other vehicles, and you can always lower the torque if you want a gentler start. The 9-inch tubeless tires combined with the front and rear suspension do a great job of mitigating all the bumps from the terrible roads here in Brooklyn (Broadway is the worst). Having experienced a flat on an older Apollo scooter, I was also happy to see that these tires are self-healing—I've had no issues so far. The rear drum brake comes to a quick stop, though I rarely used it and instead utilized the re-gen thumb brake most of the time.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

The buttons to access the modes and turn signals are easy to reach on the handlebar, and I love the dot display and wish every escooter used something like it. It's super bright and easy to read the screen, unlike the displays on older Apollo scooters, though I wish the battery indicator would just give me a percentage rather than a vague set of dots.

There's a bell, along with a headlight and an LED strip on the stem for extra visibility. The scooter is IP66 rated, and while I wouldn't recommend riding in the rain, I did go for a quick ride just after a storm, and the Go had no trouble handling wet conditions.

The only thing I don't like so much is that Apollo has added a Quad Lock phone mount below the display. I'd rather use my own preferred mounting system (especially since I already own a phone mount) rather than this one. Thankfully, there's some room on the handlebar for my Peak Design Universal Bar Mount.

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

As for unfolding this thing, I've found the latch that keeps the stem upright requires a lot of force to close. Once you do close it, you can wrap a rubber strap around the stem for added security. To fold it up, undo the strap and the latch, and then pull down the stem and insert the clip-in hook into the spot on the deck. It's not as seamless as folding systems I've seen from companies like MiniMotors and Niu, but it's much improved over previous Apollo scooters that had clumsier folding mechanisms.

Over the last few months, the Apollo Go has been my go-to scooter for errands around town. I've taken it to satiate my wife's late-night brownie cravings by hunting for an open bakery in Brooklyn, and over the Williamsburg Bridge to attend meetings in Manhattan. It's a great commuter scooter with all the bells and whistles you'd want—just make sure you're OK lifting 46 pounds. I no longer live in a walk-up, and while I've carried heavy scooters up and down stairs plenty of times, it's never fun.