In what has been quite the exciting year for new brands, we give you one more as we close out the year, the Yinke. We got early access to the i5, their new electric scooter–and we’re just letting our sport commuters know that they are in for a treat come 2023. 

The Yinke i5 makes a statement with its gorgeous cockpit, complete with an ultra HD display, a perfectly curved frame, and a short but striking deck design. As far as good-looking electric scooters go, this one looks really good. But it’s not just about the looks–the Yinke i5 joins the ranks of scooters like the Mantis King GT and the Vsett 10 + as a high-performance light heavyweight.

The huge 60 V battery with a 1536 wh battery capacity comes in a variety of name-brand cells, i.e., DMEGC, EVE, LG, or Samsung. Brand name cells come with a longer battery life assurance. Riding in sports mode, and at top speed, the Yinke delivered an impressive range of 38.4 miles on our challenging range test course. However, Yinke says that riding on lower riding modes can get you to 60.0 miles, though that’s just impractical with the potential this scooter brings. Regardless, besides the Emove Cruiser, nothing does better in this price class.

You get gobs of power from the dual 25A Sinewave Controllers–40.1 mph in top speed and an acceleration time of 2.1 seconds from 0 to 15.0 mph, right beside the Dualtron Storm, Wolf Warrior X, and the Varla Eagle One Pro. The power also translates to a hill climb time of 7.9 seconds to the top of our 200.0 ft, 10% hill, where again, the Yinke i5 gives us a new record in its price class.

 Thanks to the tubeless 10.0-inch tires, which are uncommon in this size of scooters, and the full hydraulic suspension front and rear, the i5 makes one heck of a ride. We also love the smaller things like the scratch-resistant, tempered glass display, the motorcycle-style turn signal switch, excellent fender protection, and one of the most remarkable decks.

It’s still all about the Base. We love the new iteration, the Wolf Warrior X GT. However, when it comes to value, we keep coming back to the Base Warrior X. And here’s why:

The Kaabo Wolf Warrior base model took everything we loved about the world’s most beloved beast scooter–the Wolf Warrior 11 and repackaged it in a smaller, lighter, more efficient, and less expensive package. But where the Base model Wolf Warrior X really excels is when it comes to top speed.

It is the fastest on this list and maxes out at an impeccable 44.1 mph, which is interestingly higher than its Pro version, that only hits a max speed of 42.9 mph. The speed is partly thanks to the 30 amp sinewave controllers that lead to smoother acceleration, superior throttle response, and better handling. The Base model X is also satisfyingly stable at high speed like the rest of Kaabo’s dual-stemmed models.

From 0-15.0 mph, the scooter is among the quickest, with an acceleration time of 2.1 seconds, alongside the Dualtron Storm and the Varla Eagle One Pro. The range, however, is not as over-the-top as other performance stats–covering 32.0 miles on a single charge. The battery is also a generic brand–unlike the X Pro and the newer X GT that utilize LG cells.

The scooter delivers an excellent ride thanks to the scooter’s stock road tires, which besides having excellent grip, are also pretty quiet on the road. The scooter’s dual stem suspension plus rear spring polyurethane further contribute to the X’s comfortable ride. And coupled with the scooter’s solid build, you’ll especially enjoy carving corners at high speed.

On our list, the Base X is the heaviest scooter, with the largest folded size, but the price is surprisingly small for what you get.

We’ve called the Cruiser ‘the only scooter you’ll ever need’, and we stand by that. It does everything so exceptionally well, but it’s the insane range at its price point that makes it timeless. Equipped with a 1560 wh battery made from energy efficient 21700 LG cells, the Cruiser managed a 47.0-mile range on our range test course, all while maintaining an average range test speed of 17.1 mph. 

As you know, all our range tests are done in max performance mode, so you can always extend the range by riding conservatively. But for perspective, in terms of range rankings, the Cruiser falls directly behind the NAMI BURN-E 2 Max, a $4,899 scooter that managed a 48.0-mile range, and the best performance by a similarly priced scooter is by the $1,499 Dualtron Mini with its 27.2-mile range.

Voro goes all out on the Cruiser. It only makes sense since a long-ranged scooter deserves equally great performance on other fronts and superior ride comfort to fully capitalize on the large battery. Top speed is good at 28.0 mph, with an acceleration of 3.8 seconds from 0-15.0 mph. The scooter has excellent semi-hydraulic brakes that help you feel planted during hard braking.

The ride comfort and ergonomics are also one for the books. The cruiser has one of the largest decks on our database at 23.1 inches x 7.7 inches. Thanks to the optional mods, you can install the throttle of your choosing–we swapped our trigger throttle for a more comfortable twist style. The scooter runs on large 10.0-inch tires that work with the dual suspension to guarantee a smooth ride–the suspension has enough travel for riding on rough pavement and dirt roads, though we don’t recommend the latter.

Another thing we like about the Cruiser is its ultra-high max rider weight capacity of 353.0 lbs. It also has one of the highest IP ratings at IPX6. And thanks to the scooter’s upgraded motors, no hill is too much for this voyager. Ultimately, no single motor scooter beats the Cruiser’s range, and nothing under $3,000 does better. The Cruiser is definitely not your average commuter scooter.

We loved getting and testing the 2021 Vsett 10+ 25.6 ah. It lived up to its successor’s glory–the Zero 10X, which is why we’re excited for the January release of the Vsett 10 +, 20.8 ah version by Alien Rides. The new Vsett’s reduced battery capacity is accompanied by a price reduction, reduced weight, and slightly less range. You had to spend about $2,190 for the former Vsett, but the new one should only set you back about $1,799.

The range goes down from 33.6 miles to about 27.0 miles of tested range in sport mode, which is still a good value given the huge price knockout. Even better is that the rest of its performance remains standard, and the Vsett 10 + is still one of the sportiest scooters we have. Its twin motors especially excel in acceleration and hill climbing. 

From 0 to 15.0 mph, the Vsett takes only 1.9 seconds. For perspective, the acceleration ties in with beast scooters like the Dualtron Storm Limited, Segway GT2, and the Wolf Warrior 11. This is also the 4th quickest time recorded, with first, second, and third places going to the NAMIs.

When it comes to hill climbing, the scooter takes 7.5 seconds to the top of our hill test–placing the Vsett in the top 10 performers. Besides that, you get a great top speed of 43.3 mph, excellent braking from the Vsett-branded Zoom hydraulics, good ride quality thanks to the hydraulic rear shock, and 10.0-inch pneumatic tires.

Our only complaints are the relatively short deck and a longish reach from brakes to throttle. But ergonomics aside, build quality is top-notch.

The Apollo City Pro is an extremely well-rounded city commuter that followed the Phantom as the second full-in-house design from Canadian scooter company Apollo. This is one of those scooters you need to see in person to fully appreciate the well-integrated design and high attention to detail, but we’ll do our best to describe it to you. 

The scooter looks and feels premium–the design is super-clean with an extremely close attention to detail. The instinctively-placed controls are few and easy to use. The cabling is well routed in the steady and tough-looking stem. The gray color choice is timeless, and Apollo does an excellent job with the branding.

It has everything you need to commute at low or high speed without being overwhelming, with a maximum speed of 30.9 mph and 22.7 miles of real-world range. Apollo are also masters at integrating regenerative and mechanical brakes and gives you the choice of using a 100% regenerative “throttle-brake” at the left handlebar or just squeezing the mechanical drum brakes, and it blends in the perfect amount of regenerative brake automatically.

Only a handful of dual-motor scooters in the world use 10.0 inch tubeless tires, and these are the best we’ve seen. Why? Because they have the best tire profile for cornering and, more importantly, a sticky coating inside that resists flats. We tested them, and it’s almost like having solid tires, except that they aren’t. The City Pro takes ride comfort further with wide bars, the 2nd tallest handlebar height we’ve seen, and full suspension. 

The City Pro rounded out ESG’s 2022 feature wishlist with one of the best apps we’ve seen and the highest IP rating in our database for water and dust resistance, leaving us scratching our heads about what to wish for in 2023.

TAUR is a luxury brand that blends aesthetics, performance, and functionality. According to the brand’s co-founder Carson Brown, the unusual design of the Taur is meant to address existing issues with the current electric scooter design, to attract new riders to micromobility, while promoting ownership over scooter rentals. This is definitely one of the best e-scooter designs we’ve seen all year.

The most unusual bit about the TAUR is the side-by-side food platforms that allow for bigger 12.5 inch tires, while still remaining portable. The large pneumatic tires then work together with the large rake angle to give the TAUR stability that’s more like a bicycle than a scooter. The tires are kevlar reinforced Continental tires, that are both comfortable and puncture resistant.

The scooter’s stiff monotube design eliminates stem wobble that’s common in many foldable scooters, while the 5-way joystick gives you control without having to look down at the buttons. This plus the forward-facing ride position improves the ride experience for beginners and experienced riders alike.

And for anyone that’s struggled with parking ever in their life, TAUR feels like the next natural step in the evolution of scooters. You can already store a scooter pretty much anywhere, but imagine being able to park yours like the TAUR–upright, head-first on its bullhorn handlebars. The scooter itself is not the lightest for carrying around at 38.0 lbs, but the robust frame is fully recyclable–as part of TAUR’s green initiative.

Finally, the scooter has great lighting. The headlight is a 300-lumen, high power directional beam installation. It also comes with a 240-degree frosted side layer that increases visibility from all angles. But where it gets really good is in the rear. Outside of the normal rear light, the scooter is also equipped with a patented rear light projector that shines 100 lumens on the rider’s back. There’s no missing you or the scooter.

Carson Brown also tells us that this adult electric scooter will keep receiving over-the-air firmware updates through the app–so expect TAUR to get even better. So, if you’re into high end electric scooter, the TAUR feels like an easy choice.

The Kaabo Mantis V2 is not just another Mantis upgrade–It’s a base model scooter with pro-grade performance. The original Mantis became an industry standard for dual motor performance, and the V2 continues this legacy but also challenges just how good a scooter at its price can get. In short, besides great performance, a lot of the V2’s features are uncommon below the $2,000 mark.

Like the base model Wolf Warrior X, this model Mantis gets upgraded with smoother sine wave controllers, leading to a smoother, faster launch, hitting 15.0 mph in just 2.2 seconds. The smooth throttle makes it deceptively fast, and you’ll find yourself edging closer and closer to the 37.3 mph top speed without even noticing it. And with comfortable grips that securely lock in place, large 10.0-inch tires, and a roomy deck, what’s to stop you from going as hard as you want?

Then you have the large 1092 wh battery that gives you 27.2 miles of range. It has enough juice to power your riding needs, and with a 265.0 lbs max rider-weight capacity, it comes in handy for riders closer to the limit. Taller riders will also appreciate the 41.0-inch handlebar height. And in addition, the front and rear suspension work with the pneumatic tires to guarantee good ride qualityfor all manner of riders.

The V2 is also safe, stopping from 15.0 mph in just–9.7 ft, beating 90% of the electric scooters in our database. Stopping power comes from Hydraulic disc brakes, which, as recently as 2021, was a rare feature to find on a scooter at this price point. Lighting is standard Kaabo–in other words, best-in-class. And finally, with the introduction of the Mantis V2 was the first Mantis scooter to get a water resistance rating.

If you’re surprised to see Apollo’s flagship the Phantom V2 on a list of scooters that cost less than $2,000, so are we! But right now, they have both the hydraulic brake version and a variation that comes with a front and rear mechanical disc brake, for less than $2,000.

We love the Phantom for its ergonomic throttle, big deck, high-mounted headlight, and zero wobble stem that give the scooter a premium feel. But we also love that Apollo keeps releasing upgrade kits when they release a model update. So V1 owners could upgrade to V2, and soon V2 owners can update to V3 with its left-side throttle brake and Ludo mode. 

The kit is available for pre-order now.

The P1 2.0 also has the cheapest sinewave-controller.

After hearing so much about Solar electric scooters, we’re glad not only to have our hands on a few of them but also with the fact that they’re finally making their debut in the US. Solar is a UK-based brand that’s breaking ground in the US. And we know you’ll wonder–no, the scooters are not powered by solar, but their warehouses in the UK and now in LA run on solar. We got our hands on the entry-level Solar E1, the high-performance FF Lite, and their popular entry-level performance scooter, the Solar P1 2.0, which is our focus today.

The base model Solar P1 2.0 electric scooter retails for $1,300. However, you can get yours with optional Tron lights for about $140 and an optional fingerprint scanner for $100. Getting yours fully specced out will set you back $1,540, and we’d advise you to just go for it. Reason? The optional fingerprint scanner also comes with sinewave controllers for the dual 1200 W (2400 w total) motors. 

The sinewave controllers are smooth and not laggy at all. From 0 to 15.0 mph, the scooter sprints in just 2.3 seconds, comparable to the beastly Segway GT1 and the Dualtron Victor Luxury. And through the scooter’s P-settings, you can further fine-tune the scooter’s Launch mode, comparable to other scooters’ boost modes. The only difference is that once you set Launch mode, it picks up every time you start the scooter and doesn’t go off till you go back in and do it manually.

Another reason to get the optional fingerprint scanner is for security, of course. We particularly love that it stores up to 10 fingerprints. Moreover, it also accommodates for a keyed ignition, giving you two levels of security. Getting this optional biometric unlock means that the Solar P1 2.0 becomes the cheapest scooter with sinewave controllers, and we love that such features are no longer just a reserve for high-end electric scooters.

The Tron lights are another must-have. They simply look fantastic around the deck–and their glow is unlike what you’re used to. They are not made of LED but a UK-made electroluminescent. Turning on the main headlight also turns them on. The headlight also impressed us with the option to have high beam, low beam, and flashing mode. You also get a rear light, brake light, and turn signals.

The scooter is a performer with a top speed of 40.0 mph that exactly matches the manufacturer’s specs. Nothing cheaper goes faster. The power of the 2400 w motors is also felt on hills, with a time of 8.8 seconds to the top of our 200.0 ft, 10% hill climb. This was another best in class. On the other hand, the 936 wh battery pushed the scooter as far as 25.8 miles, which is typical of this class of scooters. And finally, the dual mechanical disc brakes plus regenerative brakes brought the scooter to a stop in 10.9 ft from a speed of 15.0 mph.

We loved the ride quality. You don’t expect hydraulic shocks at this point, but the Solar P1 2.0 has two up front and one in the back. In addition, the scooter rolls on 10.0-inch, wide tubeless, hybrid offroad tires. If all that hasn’t sold you on the P1 2.0, how about the scooter’s limited 2-year warranty? In short, this is best e-scooter if you’re after value for money at this price.

Synergy is a brand with a heavy presence in Canada who’ve just entered the US market. They have a big line-up of electric scooters, but the first one that caught our attention was the Aviator 2.0. It’s an unusual spec: a powerful dual-motor scooter with solid tires, so it’s a good fit for people who want a scooter with dual-motor performance that will never get a flat tire. And to smooth out the ride from the solid tires, the Aviator 2.0 comes with a full suspension system you usually see on more expensive scooters: adjustable front and rear spring suspension with polyurethane bushings on the inside. 

The ride on the Aviator 2.0 is stable, and the throttle response is good, even with the p-settings maxed out. The 20.0 inch x 6.8 inch rubber deck is roomy enough and has a good grip. Speaking of grip, the ones on the handlebars are screwed in, so they don’t move, making for an incredible ride. And the sliding collars on the folding handlebars are easy to slide in and out of place, ensuring the bars stay in place when unfolded.

The Aviator e-scooter comes equipped with dual drum brakes, so you also don’t have to worry about bent rotors or brake adjustments either. They bring the scooter to a halt in a stopping distance of 10.7 ft from 15.0 mph. The powerful 1200W dual motors generate what feels like 2000 w peak motor power, which came in handy on our 200.0 ft 10% hill test, with the Aviator 2.0 clocking an easy 9.3 seconds to the top. The acceleration to 15.0 mph is more than adequate at 2.6 seconds, and the max speed is well above average at 27.2 mph.

This is the best electric scooter, if you want a low maintenance, high-speed, relatively affordable, lightweight dual motor scooter.

Voro’s seated masterpiece, the EMOVE RoadRunner, seems to find a spot on every list of best electric scooters, thanks to having high top speed, being ultimately easy to ride, having long range, and giving you a place to sit while you pile on the miles. And besides that, it has a high max rider weight capacity of 330.0 lbs, making it suitable for a wide range of users. The adjustable bars also make it ideal for the varying comfort of different rider heights.

The RoadRunner’s seated form is especially handy given if you pick up a spare battery because the Roadrunner lets you double or triple the range with a quick swap. The 1253 wh battery gives you a whopping 33.0 miles on a single charge and in max performance mode. It’s surprisingly stable all the way up to its 35.5 mph max speed thanks to its 14.5-inch tires and adjustable front fork spring suspension, and just a ton of fun to ride. 

As far as commuter scooters go, it doesn’t get better than the RoadRunner. So, for anyone that wants to retain the riding ergonomics of an e-bike but without that pesky pedaling, the RoadRunner is the best electric scooter for you.

The Emove Roadrunner now has an upgraded version – the Emove Roadrunner Pro. We recently had the opportunity to review it and were thoroughly impressed. If you want to learn more about this impressive scooter, check out our video:

Uscooters is a brand known for long-term reliability and high speed-to-weight ratio scooters. But it is their 30.0 mph GT Sport version that really broke the barrier on how fast and light an ultraportable scooter can be, coming in at a tested weight of only 29.6 lbs. The GT Sport’s foldable handlebars, telescopic stem, and small deck and tire dimensions make it one of the easiest scooters to bring into the office and one of the easiest to take multi-modal, like on a bus or in an Uber. 

The GT Sport is one of the more expensive ultra-portable scooters out there, but that’s because it uses premium Samsung battery cells. Premium cells beat generic cells since they guarantee longer battery life. And the large 504 wh battery capacity on this tiny scooter gives it an extended range of 13.8 miles. The extra power is especially handy given the high 275.0-lbs rider weight capacity. However, the ride may feel a bit stiff since the GT Sport comes with small, 8.0-inch solid rubber tires that are not efficient at absorbing vibrations. But you do get a basic front and rear suspension installation that helps with larger bumps.

Despite the trade-offs for portability, the scooter has perks like a Bluetooth app that lets you activate zero start, adjust riding modes, change units on the dash, lock the scooter, and turn the lights on and off. It has an IPX5 rating and has the added benefit of having a cruise control function. You also get separate levers for the drum and electronic brakes.

It is the best electric scooter, if you’re just looking for an affordable, basic commuter.

In 2022, Apollo went in-house with their designs and revamped all their existing scooters. It felt great to see some totally awesome scooters get much-needed upgrades instead of the usual rolling out of new models with so much potential lying with the existing ones. The Apollo Ghost received several upgrades, making it much more efficient than its 2021 predecessor. And with just a price difference of $150, it was interesting to see how the two Ghosts pitted against each other. Here’s our take.

The 2022 Ghost e-scooter received motor power upgrades from the dual 800 w to dual 1000 w. Apollo also slightly improved the controllers, so naturally, there was some effect on power. On hills, the 2022 Ghost was just a bit faster, scaling our 200.0 ft, 10% hill in 8.5 seconds over the original Ghost’s 8.7 seconds. Also, when riding the two, you get to feel the improved efficiency and, more so, for the heavier riders.

With this new power, Apollo also had to reinforce the scooter’s build to ensure durability. This came in the form of a thicker reinforced stem that is responsible for a more solid riding experience. The tire rims on the 2022 Ghost are also 50% thicker and made of stronger alloy, reducing the chances of wear and tear.

The range also benefited from the improved efficiency, and the 2022 Ghost electric scooter travels 24.8 miles on a single charge, which is ideal for most commuters. The ride is fun–especially due to the increased stability. The middle of the scooter’s large deck could use more grip tape to better the grip, but that’s an easy fix. And the 10.0-inch air-filled tires and the front and rear spring suspension come in quite handy in ensuring a smooth ride.

If you weigh 165.0 lbs and below and you watched our video review of the Apollo Ghost 2022, Paul promised to give you tips on how to fix the suspension to suit your rider weight. Here’s the tip:

“My favorite mod for the Ghost is to add a small rubber washer and metal washer to the top of the bolts for the suspension spring. This keeps the suspension from clunking when it reaches the top of travel. The trick is finding washers that fit into the space between the spring-bolt and the top of the swingarm. You can add a stack of rubber washers for more cushion. It’s best to use washers with fibers embedded in them, otherwise they will pop off. I’ve even seen folks work a small spring into that space, but I’ve not tried this.”

If you weigh closer to the 285.0 lbs spec, you’re fine.

The 2022 Ghost electric scooter gets a Zoom hydraulics disc brake option, which brings the scooter to a stop from 15.0 mph in 9.5 ft. This is the 7th shortest recorded braking distance–a tie with the Segway GT1. For $150 less, you can get yours with a mechanical, front and rear disc brake instead. Other things stayed standard, like the IP54 water protection, the same short front fender, huge palm grips, and the awesome lighting profile, complete with deck lights and swag lights.

The last thing we liked about the Ghost is that it is the lightest in its category, and even just a few pounds really makes a difference, especially if you have to carry your scooter up a flight of stairs. The Ghost weighs less than you’d imagine, 67.0 lbs, thanks to the multiple cut-outs in its ghost design. It also comes with folding handlebars. And the redesigned folding mechanism is quick to fold and latches more securely.

As a commuter scooter, the Ghost 2022 is the best scooter at this price.

Finally, this last one is almost like having a cheat code to get the experience of owning an electric scooter without actually buying a scooter. You can get an Unagi Model One now by monthly subscription. It’s an ultra-lightweight, super stylish, fun, dual-motor adult electric scooter that you can treat like your own for $55 a month; without a long-term commitment, so it’s easy to cancel if it turns out that scooters just aren’t for you. And with an electronic braking system, and a solid front and rear wheel, the maintenance is as easy as it gets.