The Cruiser is designed by one of the biggest brands in the US: Voro Motors, based in Los Angeles, California, and it’s one of their best-selling scooters, with more than 50,000 of them on the road now. Voro continues to be a strong and rapidly growing brand in the US, with no sign of slowing down.

We put the Cruiser and Cruiser S under the RG microscope to see how they pitted against each other, and here’s what we found.

The Cruiser is the world’s most famous scooter for long range as it is an extreme outlier for range vs. dollars and range per pound. This is one of the things Voro maintained, albeit with a slight decrease in range, 3.4 miles to be exact, with the Cruiser S.

We’re not mad at the Cruiser S for the slight lapse in the range because it raced through our range course at higher average speeds than the original Cruiser. In fact, the Cruiser S has a noticeable uptick in power output that can be seen in the numbers for acceleration, top speed, and hill climb–something we can attribute to the new sinewave controller.

The Cruiser S now has a 25 A sinewave controller responsible for smoother, quieter, and more efficient operation. This, paired with the new intuitive zero-lag throttle, leads to an elevated ride feel. The small changes also carry on to braking, where the Cruiser retains the semi-hydraulic brakes but improves the regen braking for shorter stopping distances.

For easier service and installation of mods, everything on the Cruiser S now comes with plug-and-play cables. And speaking of mods, the new throne seat is a must-have especially given how much range you have on this bad boy. But if you like riding when standing, the roomy surfboard-shaped deck is literally one of the best.

With all these improvements, you’d think Voro would want to go more modern on the design, but then again, why mess with a formula that works? I mean, the Cruiser is one of the most identifiable scooters–a scooter for people that know scooters. 

We also weighed both Cruisers back to back, and the 2023 Cruiser S came out 3 lbs lighter than the 2021 version. So, imagine all that, then finding out that the Cruiser S doesn’t cost a dime more than the 2021 Cruiser. You can add yours to cart now; we wouldn’t judge. But if you need more convincing, read on.

The Cruiser S is a unique offering for heavier riders who want long-range without paying through the nose for a reliable scooter.

The Cruiser made our 2022 list of best scooters for heavy riders, and the Cruiser S retains the accolade. It has the highest rider weight capacity of the scooters we’ve tested at 352 lbs, and the performance is as good for a 165 lbs rider as it is for someone closer to the limit.

That aside, the Cruiser S has one of the largest deck surfaces, perfect for riders with larger feet. The bars may sit lower than ideal at 38.5″, especially for riders taller than 6 ft. However, with the deck, finding an ideal position is easy without overly hunching.

The ride quality is also impeccable, thanks to the 10-inch tubeless tires and the quad shocks. Best of all, the scooter has sufficient power from the LG 1560 wh battery and runs more efficiently now with the 25 A sinewave controller. The performance numbers tell it all.

All these combine to form an incredible ride for bigger and heavier riders.

The EMOVE Cruiser S is a fantastic scooter for many reasons, and chief among them is how quickly this scooter accelerates to speed. We are impressed that it now has a sinewave controller for smoother and more efficient throttling. During our testing, we saw 0-15 speeds in 3.8 seconds, and it held the acceleration curve to reach 30 mph in 17 seconds.

This speed beats that of the 2021 Cruiser by 4.5 seconds to 30 mph, taking the medal for second quickest accelerating single motor scooter. This is, of course, behind the more powerful and way more expensive Segway GT1, which, to be fair, is better pitted against dual-motor scooters, given its insane performance.

The Cruiser S is such an anomaly that it crushes our whole comparison graph against other scooters, both by weight and price. We took the scooter out on our standard RG top speed test–It’s a two-directional speed run on flat ground, recording speeds on pro-grade tools. 

The EMOVE Cruiser S clocked a max speed of 31.7 mph. This was 1.2 mph faster than the super-fast 2021 Cruiser, and it came quite close to beating the fastest single-motor scooter we’ve tested, the Segway GT1, with a top speed of 34.5 mph.

The speed is more than enough to keep up with traffic and will get you around town faster than a car, given that it’s not slowed down by traffic.

Usually, single-motor scooters don’t exceptionally shine on hills, especially compared to their dual-motor counterparts. However, the Cruiser S’s sine wave controller is a game changer for this scooter.

The 2021 Cruiser was already the second fastest single-motor scooter on hills–and at this point, you already know the GT1 was in the first place. But with the improved controllers, the new Cruiser saw better hill performance, reaching the top of our 200ft 10% hill in 11.7 seconds.

Not only was the time impressive, but the Cruiser S scaled the hill, accelerating the entire way. For reference, here’s how our other popular single-motor scooters performed: the Duatron Mini in 13.3 seconds, the Fluid Vista in 13 seconds flat, the 2021 Cruiser in 12.2 secs, and the Apollo City in 13.9 seconds.

The range has always been and remains the ace up the Cruiser’s sleeves. With the new Cruiser, things get even more interesting. The 2021 Cruiser and the Cruiser S remain the only two single-motor electric scooters we’ve tested that have surpassed the 40-mile mark. The numbers? The EMOVE Cruiser covered 43.6 miles of range on the challenging Rider Guide range course and did so at a sustained average speed of 18.8 mph. 

Now, while the original Cruiser clocked 47 miles, we’d say the 3.4 fewer miles are not that big of a tradeoff, given that you can ride the new Cruiser significantly faster. That, and we should note that the original Cruiser even had a bit of an edge as Paul rode it seated vs. standing on the S, which meant less wind resistance.

To achieve such numbers is no mere feat, especially given how aggressively we ride the scooters and the intensity of our hilly range course. That said, to get a better picture, here’s a graph of the Cruiser plotted against other scooters, including dual-motor scooters. See how nothing compares at the same price–and how you’d have to pay $2500 more to even come close.

Braking, like everything else on the Cruiser, got better. How much better, you ask?

Well, the new Cruiser S now stops by ⅓ of a foot shorter, i.e., has a stopping distance of 10.1 ft from a speed of 15 mph. Anything shorter than 11 ft is regarded as world-class stopping. We can credit the Crusier’s impressive braking to its standout long-and-low deck, the XTECH semi-hydraulic disc brakes front and rear with 140 mm rotors, and the scooter’s improved regen braking.

It outdoes the competitor scooters, with the Dualtron Mini stopping at 17.3 ft, the Solar P1 2.0 at 10.9 ft, and the Fluid Vista at 13.4 ft.

We got this quip from Paul that we think sums up the Cruiser S:

I was riding it around my neighborhood yesterday and was thinking; Cruiser S has Main Scooter Energy…you know, like main character energy… but for scooters. 

But let’s start with the basics. 

Like the 2021 Cruiser, the Cruiser S is a 1000 w, single-motor scooter that just about anyone can ride. However, just because we recommend it for beginner riders (and riders of all other skill levels), it doesn’t mean that performance is muted—quite the contrary. The performance is extra–enough to hang with traffic for as long as you’d (realistically) wish.

Something we loved about the original Cruiser that’s carried to the Cruiser S scooter is the ride comfort. Starting at the deck, the Cruiser has the second longest deck of any scooter we’ve tested, falling behind the $5000 plus Dualtron Storm Limited. This gives the rider infinite possibilities when it comes to finding a proper foot stance. If you’re trying to improve your riding skills, we have a highly informative guide for you.

Then comes the scooter’s quad suspension, which does a stellar job at minimizing jarring from potholes and road obstacles. This is in tandem with the scooter’s 10-inch tubeless tires, which are also great at absorbing road shocks. Voro switched from the original Cruiser’s innertube tires to minimize instances of people returning to shop for spares. The suspension and tubeless tire pairing means riders can comfortably leverage the Cruiser’s super long range.

The scooter also improved on ergonomics. It now has a standard thumb throttle over the older version’s trigger-style throttle. However, if you better prefer the trigger style, or even a twist throttle, or the paddle-style thumb throttle (though not ideal as it has a fairly large dead zone at the beginning of travel), Voro has these items available for purchase as accessories.

The scooter’s 25 A sinewave controller for the 1000 w rear motor is the next exciting feature. It is responsible for the scooter’s improved efficiency. It gives you more power and a smooth, silent ride with zero lag. In fact, the throttle response is pretty instant. We quickly learned that with maxed out the P-settings, it’s highly likely that the power will catch you off-guard. For testing, Paul ran P-settings maxed out, but for normal cruising around, the default P-Settings gave the best ride quality.

Now, one thing that really puts a damper on your ride experience is range anxiety. You can have the funnest, most comfortable scooter, but if it has a battery as small as, say, the Segway Air T15, then your fear of battery drain will steal away from any potential enjoyment. That said, the Cruiser S is on the other end, with an excess of range. The 1560 wh battery packed with LG 18650 cells has enough power to cover a week’s worth of commutes–which really allows you to enjoy your rides and hammer the throttle if you so wish.

Finally, the Cruiser S is one of the most customizable scooters out there because Voro has more factory accessories than we know of for any other scooter. We already mentioned the variety of throttles, but you can also add the throne-style seat accessory to improve your ride comfort. That aside, you can also get yourself a durable storage case to hold your loot and a grab handle to help you better lift your folded scooter.

The Cruiser S is one of the heavier single-motor scooters at 56.4 lbs.

Regardless, it’s still surprisingly portable, thanks to thoughtful design choices. For instance, the Cruiser S has a folding stem and folding handlebars to match. What’s more, it has a retractable stem that goes between 25.2 inches to 38.5 inches above the deck in the riding position. This means the scooter has a shorter folded height–50.3 inches by 10 inches by 16 inches.

With its small folded footprint, you can easily fit the Cruiser S in your car trunk or apartment. In addition, you can install a grab handle to help you lift the folded scooter. That said, lifting the scooter is not quite the breeze due to its weight, and recommend pushing it over carrying where possible.

The cockpit is not the star of the show, but it is reliable. You have the 4-color, waterproof LCD display on the right with your vital riding metrics. You can access and change your P-settings on the display. You also have your throttle on the right–whichever you settle for. Thanks to the plug-and-play cabling, you can switch them out with little mechanical knowledge or assistance required.

There are brake levers on either end of the bars for the front and rear hybrid hydraulic brakes. The bar ends are fitted with comfortable textured grippy rubber. And on the left, you have the switch for the main headlight, as well as your horn button and turn signal switch. You also have a keyed ignition with a voltmeter attached to complete your cockpit.

The lighting on the Cruiser S is sufficient. To light the path ahead, the Cruiser has a low-mounted headlight that shines a bright beam on your riding track. It is complemented by two front deck lights mounted on either corner and controlled by a round metal switch found along the deck.

On the rear, you have more going on. The Cruiser comes with turn signals on either end of the rear deck that beep when activated. These lights double as brake lights and blink when you pull on the brake levers. You also have a fender-mounted rear light that’s especially handy for night riding.

Voro made one of the most exciting improvements to the Cruiser by installing tubeless pneumatic tires. The Cruiser S’s new 10-inch by 2.7-inch tubeless pneumatic tires are pretty durable and designed to survive potholes and rough tracks. 

These tires are great since you no longer have to worry about pinch flats that make for the highest percentage of tire flats. What’s more, you no longer have to worry about messy tire sealant on your motor. 

The deck on the Cruiser is one of the most unique ones on the market. It has a surfer board style deck with the second longest length on our database at 23 inches. It is also relatively wide at 7.7 inches. These dimensions give the rider more than enough space to shift stances, and it also helps that it’s lined with two runs of grip tape to ensure that your feet remain planted throughout the ride.

The Cruiser also has mounting posts installed to accommodate the optional seat, sold separately. The throne-style seat has been reinforced and is more comfortable to ride on. Additionally, you can install a storage case (even with the seat) to offer as much convenience to the rider as possible.

The success of the original Cruiser is one of the tell-tale signs of the scooter’s great build. It’s not as flashy as Dualtrons with all the lights, but it’s instantly recognizable. The Cruiser is a scooter for people that know scooters. It did not buy into the Xiaomi clone revolution that saw millions of scooters adopt the same design–and that has paid off in the Cruiser’s identity.

The Cruiser’s overall build is more classic than modern and is available in 6 colors–orange (which we got ours in), white, black, red, purple, and blue. The design works, so Voro maintains it. What we’ve observed as the Cruiser’s main advantage in being less integrated is that should you ever need to repair it, it’s easier to do. This is especially so with every connector on the scooter now being Plug and Play. 

We can’t over-emphasize what a big deal Plug and Play cabling is when you need it. For example, without being able to unplug the motor cable, changing a rear tire means wrestling with the whole scooter while you change it. That said, the Cruiser’s new tubeless tires should necessitate fewer tire changes. However, the lack of split rims can prove challenging to some in the event of a tire change, and we’ll give you a hack we’ve learned to ease the process. 

Tire change hack: if you ever need to put a front tire on a Cruiser, pop one side on first. Install the wheel on the scooter, and use the scooter to hold the wheel while you do the second half of the tire install. This is always the hardest part. Once it’s on, it also really helps to have access to compressed air to re-seal the tire to the rim. Then you’re done.

We can’t discuss build quality without mentioning durability. And one thing about the Cruiser is that the scooter will last you a great deal of time if you take care of it–we’ll explain. LG battery cells are known for longevity, but there’s a much bigger factor. When you have a battery almost three times the size of the battery in the new Ninebot MAX, it means that you only need to charge the Cruiser about ⅓ as often to cover the same number of miles. So the lifespan, i.e., the number of years you can get out of this battery, should be 3-5 times as long as a conventional scooter since the lifespan is mostly a function of the number of times a battery gets charged from empty to full. 

Our tips for taking care of the Cruiser S to ensure it lasts you the amount of time it’s meant to are basically similar to other scooters. Start by checking for loose bolts once a month and applying Loctite to anything that’s loose. Then proceed to check tire pressure every week or two. Finally, like all scooters, don’t park it for months on end at <20% charge or more than 80% charge. The only real difference is that the Cruiser has more fasteners than some other scooters, and you’ll want to pay special attention to the areas that get a lot of force applied to them, like the folding system and front suspension. 

Finally, the Cruiser S is rated IPX6, which is by all means a very high water resistance rating. You can withstand mild showers and ride through moderate puddles without running the risk of sho   ting your electronics. For this reason, the Cruiser retains its place on our list of the most reliable scooters for riding in the rain.

The Cruiser S checks all the safety boxes we require of a commuter scooter–from the impeccable semi-hydraulic brakes with an ultra-short stopping distance to the full lighting package with rear turn signals and the grippy deck and bars that ensure a firm hold. 

The scooter also offers an excellent handling experience, increasing the rider’s control over their maneuvering, ultimately making for a safer ride experience. And should you come across unwary passengers, nudge them away with the audible horn.

For the vehicle’s safety, the scooter has a keyed ignition, a waterproof display, and an IPX6 rating for the rest of the body.

Voro offers a comprehensive 1-year warranty covering all the crucial parts from manufacturing defects. Damage caused to the scooter by the rider from misuse or mishandling is not covered. Making unauthorized mods to the scooter also voids the warranty–as does damage resulting from adverse weather. Cosmetic damage is also not covered under the standard warranty. 

Before setting on your maiden ride, read through your warranty. Alternatively, visit Voro’s website to find out more information.

Voro Motors has made a very smart revision while being very careful not to change too much. The Cruiser S is, by all measures, a better EMOVE Cruiser. Yes, the range was down a little, but that’s because the new scooter also went faster. 

The Cruiser’s appeal spans a pretty wide range of riders because of the brisk-yet-not-too-crazy performance and the overall ride quality that feels good whether you’re 150 lbs or 350 lbs. It’s at the top end of what we’d consider a beginner scooter, both in terms of price and performance and a good fit for all intermediate and expert riders too.

On the other hand, it’s not for someone who wants the latest tech, and obviously, it’s not something you can just carry around like an Unagi. What it is, is an outstanding middle-weight scooter that’s easy to commute with and relatively easy to live with.

 As we’ve said before: 

You may eventually want more scooter than this, but you’re unlikely to ever need more scooter than this. And if you take care of it, it might outlast your car.

Finally, as always, we have a link with the Rider Guide exclusive coupon that gives you the best price on the Cruiser S, so be sure to check it out.