Apollo Go Review

Cockpit

Measuring just 20.4 inches, the Go’s handlebars are a little too narrow for the maximum power that it wields.

The magic, however, lies in the cockpit. Here, you’ll find exceptionally user-friendly paddles for your throttle and regen brake – but with a small tweak that makes a difference.

Whereas the paddles on the Air and City Pro were set parallel to the ground, the ones featured on the Go have been angled down. This seemingly minor detail improves the scooter’s ergonomics – you no longer have to adjust the paddles to perfectly fit the movement of your thumbs.

Elsewhere, the DOT Matrix display is anti-glare and easy to read in direct light. Unlike lesser displays that come with pre-burnt screens, it can be reprogrammed with over-the-air updates.

You may, of course, prefer to use your phone as the display. The benefit of this is that in doing so, you have a wealth of customization options within easy reach thanks to the mobile app (more on this shortly). The QuadLock mount situated below the display makes this all possible.

Better yet, the scooter comes with a free accessory that converts your normal phone case into a compatible one that can lock onto the mount. This is a great value-add, as QuadLock phone cases cost in the region of $30 and $40.

And last – but certainly not least – you have turn signals that are built into the tips of the handlebars. They offer unprecedented visibility from all angles.

Mobile App

One thing that you can bet your bottom dollar on when buying a new Apollo scooter is mobile app integration. Through the app, you can customize various facets of your riding experience.

Using the basic settings, you can:

• Record trips
• Get range estimates based on your most recent riding pattern
• Use it as a navigational device where you can follow a route to your destination
• Adjust the top speed of each riding mode
• View the health and status of your battery
• Toggle between kick-to-start and zero-start modes
• Turn cruise control on or off
• Turn the headlight on or off
• Remotely lock and unlock the scooter, which immobilizes it by applying the electronic brakes

Then, if you go into the advanced settings, you can:

• Dial in the strength of your acceleration and regen brakes
• Set the time that it takes before cruise control automatically kicks in
• Set the time that it takes before the scooter automatically shuts down when not in use

Frame

Among Apollo’s various specialties is its ability to produce scooters that share the same high-end elegance as Apple MacBooks. This becomes immediately clear as you unbox the Go – which, in itself is a refreshing experience given its shoe box-esque design.

Getting back to the scooter, though, it flaunts the same futuristic finish as the Apollo Pro. I’d go as far as to say that it’s the best-looking entry-level electric scooter.

Beyond its aesthetic qualities, the frame is noteworthy in two ways.

First, there’s its rake angle. At 14 degrees, it’s the most pronounced that I’ve measured. Typically, the smaller the angle, the less effort required to turn the handlebars, but the less stable the scooter. Conversely, a larger rake angle requires more effort to turn but gives you better stability at higher speeds. My tests revealed that the Go was both stable and nimble – its design offered the best of both worlds.

Secondly, it's equipped with a protective IP66 rating. Such a rating remains vanishingly rare on electric scooters at any price point. It ensures that the Go is impervious to rain and dust ingress, making it the perfect all-weather scooter.

Deck

The chassis that houses the deck has a slightly tilted back design; at the front, its ground clearance measures 6.3 inches, while at the rear it’s 5.5 inches – this adds to the scooter’s sleek aesthetic.

As for the deck itself, its tapered shape affords 23.2 inches in length, 5.3 inches at its widest, and 3.6 inches at its narrowest. Based on my tests, it serves up ample room to accommodate a comfortable riding stance.

The etched rubber mat ensures plenty of grip, too.

Tires

Featuring the same self-healing tubeless technology as the Air, City, and Pro, the Go’s tires are another empathic tick in the low-maintenance box. They’re both impervious to punctures and great for cushioning.

However, at 9 inches, they’re also smaller. This grants more maneuverability when slaloming down busy streets; and while the smaller contact patch may result in less stability, this is mitigated by the Go’s gentler power when compared to, say, the Pro, which comes with huge 12-inch tires.

It’s also worth noting that despite having the smallest tires of the entire Apollo scooter line, the curvature of their front-on profile meant that traction was assured at every turn. I found myself leaning more aggressively into corners than I could when testing the Apollo Air.

Portability

Weighing 46 lbs, the Go sits at the lower end of the scale when compared to the rest of its stablemates – it’s significantly lighter than the Pro (93 lbs) but heavier than the Air (41 lbs).

Carrying it in short bursts is relatively easy, but you won’t want to tackle more than a flight of stairs.

Located at the foot of the stem, you press down on the safety catch, pull the lever back to release the locking claw, and lower the stem. Once lowered, the hook on the back of the handlebars attaches to the deck. Then, when you want to unfold the scooter, you press the button to unlock the handlebars from the deck.

However, while I’m a fan of Apollo’s many innovations, the newly added clip-in, clip-out hook system is a little fiddly – especially when compared to the seamless mechanisms sported by the likes of the NIU KQi3 Pro. Here, I had to wiggle the handlebar hook to get it to snap in and out of its locked position.

Load

With a 265 lbs load-bearing capacity, it’s far better than the Air for heavier riders and level with the City Pro.

During my tests, I found that it coped well with my 197 lb weight.

Lights

The Go borrows its somewhat similar 360-degree lighting rig from the Pro.

Together, there are five sources of light; at the front, there’s a high-mounted headlight and stem strip, at the end of each handgrip, there are turn signals, and at the rear, there’s kickplate-embedded taillight (that also functions as a brake light and turn signals).

Here's a closer look at the handlebar turn signals:

I’m a huge fan of the stem strip light, which is extremely bright and, together with the headlight, perfect for night rides.

I did, however, find that the kickplate lights were dim during the day.

Build Quality

Over the last few years, Apollo has invested heavily in both the design and manufacturing of their scooters – as evidenced by their industry-leading 10,000 km warranty on the Go’s frame.

You see, despite being an entry-level scooter, the Go is a bastion of superb design brought to life by premium materials. From the aluminum-alloy frame, anti-corrosive graphite paint, and immaculate cable management; to the wobble-free stem, smart battery management system, and tactile controls: this is a model that oozes class.

It looks like a scooter that would require high maintenance, but thanks to some key features like the self-healing tires and drum brakes, it resides in the upper echelons of reliable, low-maintenance models.

My only major gripe is with the plastic caps that encapsulate the turn signals – I ended up cracking both during my tests.

I wasn't being rough with the scooter; the damage occurred when I accidentally knocked it over, which is something many riders will do from time to time. My feedback for Apollo (which I’ve shared with them) is to either include two spare caps in the box, or better yet, change the design to have the ends made out of a transparent rubber that can absorb shocks.

The fact that its tested top speed is just 1.5 mph short of the SPLACH Mukuta and SPLACH Twin is impressive – especially considering that these have more powerful 48V 600W dual motors.

Acceleration

• Tester: Josh Frisby | Weight: 197 lbs | Height: 6'1″
• Equipment: Dragy GPS Performance Box (DG70)
• Results: See the test data

Switching the focus to acceleration, its rate of 0-15 mph in 3.8 seconds is enough for a middle-of-the-pack ranking. This is expected, given that the models above it operate at higher voltages (48-60V), have more motor power (1000-1200W), and greater peak power outputs (1600-2200W).