Apollo Pro Initial Thoughts
I was reading through Reddit this morning and saw a post asking for input on the newly announced Apollo Pro. So I hopped on to YouTube and sure enough there was a newly released video announcing the Apollo Pro for the First Quarter of 2023.
They’re calling it a Hyper Scooter with a top speed of 70 KPH and a range of 100 Kms.
So that’s 45 MPH and 62 miles of range approximately.
Another new scooter for Apollo was to be expected.
The Ghost, then the Phantom and now this beast of a scooter.
What I found truly remarkable about the whole announcement wasn’t just the new hyper scooter and its new controller and functions (which I’ll speak on a bit later), but what I found quite interesting is the setting up of an Applecare like service called ApolloCare…smart idea….I mean really smart idea. If you’ve ever bought a scooter and tried to get it serviced or repaired from anywhere other than the place you bought it, good luck. I know in my own home town I don’t know anyone that repairs scooters that they didn’t sell. So if Apollo can set up repair/maintenance centres for all their sales then I think you’ll see more people switching over to scooters in general. The price of gas is getting crazy everyday…right here in town it’s about $2.30/litre which in US terms is about $6/US per US gallon. Alternatives are going to be needed and Electric scooters could be part of the solution.
Getting back to the announcement, the unibody frame seems like an awesome idea. It would add strength and I wonder if it’ll improve the IP rating. Living in the PNW, rain is an issue and if a manufacturer can make something I can ride safely in the rain, not just that won’t fry the controller and battery, but has good tires that can handle the rain and fenders to ensure I don’t get sprayed then I’m sold!
I did see the tires were big, 12”
And that they were self healing…finally manufacturers are getting away from inner tubes.
A couple of odd things I saw in the announcement for the Apollo Pro, was the cell phone holder. It didn’t have a vibration dampening holder, it was a part of the stem…I’m not sure how easy it would be to read but the first review should reveal whether that was a good idea or not.
I also thought the theft deterrent integrated SIM card was a good idea and I think they were hinting at future options that could be added to the scooter in the future. I’ll be interested to see what else they can add.
The kickstand is like a Motorcycle I have only seen once before on the UM 2 from Anyhill.
It has drum brakes, which I think is a great choice for someone that doesn’t like adjusting brakes. They’re simpler to maintain but I do wonder how well they work when going at speed.
I think the Apollo Pro could be a game changer and am really interested in hearing what you think. What do you like and what don’t you like about the new Apollo Pro?
Apollo’s Original Announcement Video
