I’ve tested a ton of scooters. Not all of them deserve a spot above, but some are still worth considering. Here are a few other good scooters that I like, but not as much as the ones above.
MiniMotors USA Dualtron Mini Special Offer for $1,399: The instructions for assembling this scooter are vague, and some steps aren’t even mentioned in the instruction booklet. (I found the handlebar grip difficult to put on—rubbing alcohol is your friend.) This is also the first time I’ve tried the MiniMotors Dualtron app, and honestly, it’s not beginner-friendly. None of the terms or functions are well explained. This isn’t a scooter I’d recommend to newcomers, but once everything is up and running, the riding experience is quite enjoyable. It has a top speed of 35 mph, and while the company claims a 40-mile range, you can expect a range of 25 to 30 miles. It handles hills very well, but I find it odd that despite its fairly heavy weight (59 pounds), it has a maximum load capacity of 200 pounds.
Segway P100S at $1,500: This Segway (8/10, WIRED recommends) weighs 33 kg but has a top speed of 38 km/h, so it’s a bit less intense than the Apollo or Dualtron Mini Special. At that speed, I was able to go 25 km with 35% fuel reserve. If you limit the speed to 32 km via the app, you should easily be able to get closer to 32 or 40 km. I just hate the loud turn signal.
Fluidfreeride Fluid Mosquito for $849: If you’re not interested in the lightweight Unagi Model One Voyager but still want an ultra-light scooter, then take a look at the Fluid Mosquito (7/10, WIRED recommends). At just 13kg, it’s one of the lightest scooters in this guide, and it has a comfortable built-in grab handle for easy carrying. It’s quick to fold and powerful, with a top speed of 38km/h. But keeping the weight down on this nimble scooter has its drawbacks. The suspension is just okay – you’ll feel most of those bumps – and the wheels are narrow. The braking system works well, but you’re likely to skid if you stop suddenly, and the range is mediocre (around 14km in my testing, going over the Brooklyn Bridge). There’s also no easy way to change speed modes on the fly; you set them before you ride.
Niu KQi Air at $1,399: I was so excited to test this scooter, but my experience with it over the course of several months has been mixed. I still love it, but a few quirks keep it from being a top pick. KQi Air The scooter has a carbon fibre frame, which means it weighs just 12kg and has a top speed of 32km/h. That makes it the lightest scooter I’ve ever tested. It’s easy to fold and has indicators, a clever app and reliable regenerative braking. The range is a little lacklustre: I typically got just under 10 miles on a single charge, but it’s so light that when it ran out of battery on the way home once, I had to recharge it. attached to the front basket of a Citi bike and I rode my bike home (don’t do that!). The ride quality is great, but I had issues with it refusing to connect to my phone until I disconnected the internal power cable from the stem. There is a theft protection that sets off an alarm and slows the scooter down if someone tries to roll it, but oddly enough, while you can permanently disable the alarm, the only way to stop it from braking while you’re rolling it is to turn the scooter on. My initial model also stopped working completely and wouldn’t turn on, so Niu had to send me a second model. Oh, and sometimes during rides the scooter will slow down and not reach its top speed until a few minutes later. I suspect there’s a thermal issue causing this. Overall, it’s very promising, but it’s just annoying.
TurboAnt M10 Lite at $290: This is a perfect budget scooter, ideal for people under 200 pounds. (I couldn’t reach its top speed of 16 mph.) Assembly requires a few extra steps (more things to screw in, like the rear fender). I only got about 8 miles out of it, but I like that the folding system is quick, the screen is bright, and it’s fairly light at 31 pounds. Just don’t take it up steep hills.
Gotrax Apex for $350: The Apex weighs 14kg and is easy to fold. It has a built-in bell and a digital display that shows your speed and battery life, and it can go up to 24km/h. Apex is reliable—I went to coffee shops, did remote video shoots with a backpack full of camera gear, and ran errands, although it wasn’t the most enjoyable ride. The 250-watt motor struggles with even the slightest incline, and hills drain the battery quickly. The battery generally got me about 14 km. I’m also tall, and I had to constantly reach for the handlebars. You’ll have to tighten the rear disc brake; it works well, but I wouldn’t have minded more stopping power.
Gotrax GX2 at $1,499: The GX2 is similar to the Apollo Phantom and Segway P100S in that it weighs 75 pounds and offers plenty of power and range. This gunmetal-colored scooter looks a bit like a Transformer and can reach a top speed of 35 mph thanks to its dual 800-watt motors, but I was generally riding it at 20 mph. It got me all the way downtown and back to Brooklyn (a total of 18.3 miles) with some power left over. I hate carrying it up stairs because the stem is so thick, making it hard to grip. When you’re waiting at a light, the GX2 also goes into Park mode after a few seconds, so you have to constantly remember to press the mode button to switch it to forward. It’s super annoying, and Gotrax says there’s no way to turn it off. I’m a little concerned about the build quality: the motor makes a noise like something is brushing against it, and that sound disappears if I lightly press the left brake lever while riding. The latch that holds the stem upright comes down too easily, despite a sliding locking mechanism holding it in place; Gotrax says it may simply be installed too tightly. If you notice any of these issues, I recommend contacting Gotrax and taking them to a local scooter shop to take a look.
Navee S65 at $1,099: Navee is a relatively new brand that is expanding its presence in the US, and I had a great time. S65 usage time (7/10, WIRED recommends). I was able to consistently do 16-mile round trips at 20 mph, but that pretty much drained the battery. It has excellent acceleration, thanks to its geared hub motor, and it climbs hills with ease, but that also makes it very strongThe engine noise disappears if you’re in a noisy city like New York, but it can be annoying on quiet streets. It weighs 55 pounds, so it’s heavier than our top pick despite a similar range, and its customer service is up in the air because it’s so new. Still, I had fun driving it.
Evolv Terra for $1,231: I enjoyed my time with the Evolv Terra (7/10, WIRED recommends). It weighs 25kg and, thanks to its slim stem, it’s not too awkward to carry. It’s powerful, with the potential to go up to 50km/h when you engage both 600-watt motors (check your local speed laws first!). Alternatively, you can cruise at 30km/h as I did in second gear (there are three in total) with just the motor. Range is pretty average, with about two bars left on the meter after 24km, which means it could potentially last for over 30km, especially if you’re careful with its gears. Suspension is decent, but the solid tyres on rougher roads can be quite bumpy. The mudguards also seemed pretty unnecessary to me as, after a ride in rain after rain, my back was covered in dirt flecks from the rear tyre. The stem angle was also a little too close to my body, and the lack of a thumb throttle meant my wrist was sore after long rides. You can tweak the angle of the throttle and brakes to improve this, though.
Flyer S533 Radio $599: Honestly, I was surprised by how well this scooter performed in my testing. The folding mechanism is simply a latch and a sleeve that you pull down to keep the latch from coming undone while you’re riding. It’s very easy to fold and unfold, and it’s lightweight at 30 pounds. This is by no means a commuter scooter—my range hovered under 8 miles on a single charge—and despite exceeding its 220-pound load capacity, I averaged 14 mph on its 16 mph top speed. It’s a nice little scooter for trips to the post office, the grocery store, or Cinnabon when my wife asks for a cinnamon roll. However, its price doesn’t match its power and performance; it should be cheaper. It’s also worth noting that the first model the company sent me didn’t turn on, and the second model had a flat front tire. Inflating it was a quick affair and I haven’t had any problems since.
Apollo Air Pro (2022) for $899: I haven’t tested the new 2024 model, but the Apollo Air Pro (2022) was a perfectly decent scooter (6/10, WIRED Review); I just don’t think it’s worth the high price tag. It goes up to 21 mph, and I was able to drive it for about 13-15 miles before it broke down. You get all the bells and whistles, like a front light and a bell, and there’s app connectivity to change the settings to your liking. However, the app is required to unlock the Air Pro’s true speed, otherwise you’re limited to 12mph. I’m more annoyed by the folding mechanism, which takes more work than it should. It also doesn’t accelerate very quickly, and despite weighing 17kg, it’s uncomfortable to carry around due to its thick stem.
