The third e-scooter in the Apollo lineup amongst all 4 scooters released by Apollo in 2020 is the Apollo Explore. The Apollo explore has the same building foundation as the Zero 10.
Unlike the Zero 10, Explore is not only a cheaper option but also allows for improvements and customizations developed by Apollo Scooter.
The icing on the cake is the fact that the Apollo scooter offers a market-leading incredible 24-month warranty which makes it much more impressive and worth the price.
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty details to see how this scooter performs in our performance tests after we’ve ridden it for more than 125 kilometers.
Motor & Battery
The Apollo Explore gives the user an impressive range and an incredible speed which is unmatchable at this price range. The scooter has the capability to reach a top speed of 31 miles per hour thanks to its 1000W rear motor that powers the scooter with a peak output of 1400W.
Talking about the range of the scooter, the Explore has a li-ion battery of 52V 18.2 Ah (946.4Wh) that lasts up to 37 miles on a single charge. The battery makes use of Dynavolt cells that allow for savings to the user’s end.
These cells allow the scooter to perform better on low voltage or when the battery is running low.
1. Tested Speed & Range
The riding experience that I had with Apollo Explore has been summarized in the table below
| Battery Level | Top Speed | In Km/h |
| 100% | 32.3 mph | 52 km/h |
| 75% | 29.2 mph | 47 km/h |
| 50% | 26.1 mph | 42 km/h |
| 30% | 25.5 mph | 41 km/h |
| 20% | 24.2 mph | 39 km/h |
The table above shows how the top speed lowers as the battery level decreases. We concluded that the decrease in power is minimal and much better than other competing electric scooters.
2. Tested Range at Different Speeds
| Average Speed | Range |
| 25 mph | 21.2 miles |
| 17.5 mph | 29.3 miles |
| 12.5 mph | 31.4 miles |
The above table shows how the average speed and the range of the electric scooter are correlated. The results are impressive considering that many brands exaggerate the range their scooter can achieve.
3. Acceleration
Acceleration, although overlooked, is an important stat to be considered when selecting the right scooter. You’ll require a scooter that offers a high acceleration if you’re living in a hilly area. However, if you live in a flat area, it’s not that important.
Although acceleration is determined by a lot of factors, the main ones are rider weight, scooter weight, and motor power.
Officially, the scooter can go from 0 to 15MPH in about 3.5 seconds. In our tests, we reached that speed in 3.76 seconds which is close enough.
Suspension
Suspension determines how comfortable your ride will be and hence is an important aspect to consider while buying an electric scooter. For a scooter that is able to reach a top speed of 31MPH, you need to have quality suspension in place. Otherwise, the ride will turn into a trampoline for you.
Apollo Explore uses 10-inch pneumatic tires, a hydraulic suspension at the rear, and a spring at the front for suspension.
Thanks to three suspensions being put in place, handling bumpy urban rides is a piece of cake for this beast. We put its suspension to the test on dirt roads, grass, and jumping up and down on curbs and the scooter handled all of it without an issue.
Braking
You need an efficient and responsive brake system to ensure that you stay safe. The explore comes with front and rear disc brakes along with regenerative braking on the motor that’ll help in getting those extra miles in the range
Portability
Portability is an important factor and one’s preference for portability in an electric scooter greatly depends on the way they use it.
The Apollo Explore weighs around 52 pounds which is midway between light and heavy. The weight is definitely justified when you consider the power and the features it offers.
If you look carefully a lot about the portability your scooter can offer, you should go for Apollo Light.
Although the scooter weighs 52 pounds, it still folds into a very compact size. The handlebars can be screwed loosened and folded in and the stem and front wheel can be folded up over the deck and handlebars.
This is a great feature if you want to carry your scooter in a trunk or don’t have much space in your home.
Built Quality & Safety
Safety is the most important factor you should put into consideration especially when you’re riding a scooter that can reach top speeds like this.
Just like other areas on the scooter, the build quality on this scooter is great as well. The Apollo Explore makes use of forged aluminum for all critical parts of the scooter like the stem, handlebar, and base.
Unlike the Explore, The Zero 10 has been known to have issues so Apollo ensured that the safety of Explore is maximized and hence upgraded the frame quality.
The Zero 10 uses an inferior quality cloth to cover the external cables whereas the external cables on the Apollo Explore are wrapped in a hard plastic coil to prevent any torn or cut cables.
Lighting on the Apollo Explore is something that needs to be appreciated. The deck and stem are lit up by LED strips on each side.
Moreover, there are three rear brakes and three headlights which ensure that the rider’s vision is maximized while they’re riding in conditions with low lighting.
Customer Service & Warranty
Things just got better with the Apollo Explore just when you thought they couldn’t.
The cheaper electric scooters are directly shipped straight out of Asia with only a few repair options and minimal support. If that’s the case with your scooter, you’re on your own if something happens to your scooter.
This case is completely different when we talk about Apollo Scooters. The brand is based in Montreal, Canada, and offers an incredible 24-month warranty which is contributing to a great extent in bringing positivity to the electric scooter industry.
This also tells us the confidence Apollo scooters has in its products as they’re willing to offer you a 2-year warranty.
Before they ship the product to your doorstep, the Explore has to undergo a strict triple inspection quality control (143-point checklist) to ensure that you get the perfect product for you when you open the box for the first time.
The team at Apollo is knowledgeable and fair which shows that they genuinely want care about building a business that is solid and has efficient and responsive customer service.
Moreover, they have a live chat system put in place on their website that swiftly answers any questions that you might have. Very few brands offer this at the moment and thus, this should be appreciated.
What Could’ve Been Improved
Although the Apollo explore is a great product. It’s without a doubt, an impressive and pleasant experience but nothing is perfect. I’d like it if the team at Apollo can work and improve these factors if they ever make a V2.
1. Handlebars can loosen a bit
The foldable handlebars are undoubtedly convenient, but they do have a drawback. It’s probably more than a problem, it’s an annoyance. When you tighten them and go out for a ride they eventually loosen up a bit.
They don’t loosen to a point where they risk the safety of the rider by folding together but they can cause discomfort since the ride becomes a little wobbly.
It doesn’t affect the riding experience in a much negative way but yes, it does get annoying when you have to tighten them every now and then.
2. The folding mechanism can be tough
The demo model I tested had a folding mechanism that was rough. Although I’m happy that it was super sturdy, it still was hard to fold and lock it in the upright position.
If you’re someone like me who’s careful around expensive technology, you’d rather not take the risk and not exercise violence with the scooter.
There’s a good chance that the folding mechanism gets smoother and less sturdy with usage and time, though it is important that the one who reads this review knows as it did surprise me a bit.
Final Thoughts on the Apollo Explore
To sum it up, Apollo Explore is one of the best scooters to land in the market in 2021. The value for money and customer support is unmatched. Moreover, the 24-month warranty is like icing on the cake.
The scooter offers an excellent range and fantastic power and it’s evident by its specs that the team has put in their blood and sweat to ensure that the scooter is one of the best ones out there.
As I mentioned above, the lighting is impressive and the suspension is great as well.
Overall, looking at all the aspects, the Apollo Explore scores an 8.5 out of 10 which is one of the highest possible scores we’ve ever awarded to a scooter. There are a few things that the team can work on but the overall experience was fantastic.
