Apollo Air 2022
$999
It’s been an exciting season for Apollo, and things keep getting better and better. Apollo could have gone with the traditional route, where a majority of brands just continuously release new scooter models. BUT, they already had such incredible scooters in the market and instead chose to upgrade their existing ones. The Apollo Air and Air Pro are at the budget end of Apollo’s offerings–and they get a third iteration that we’re simply calling the Apollo Air 2022.
Just to give you a perspective of what the Air was—when we first did the review, it got over a quarter million views on our channel. And this scooter was just everywhere. Now, the New Apollo Air 2022 electric scooter receives a much bigger update than we expected, with a new color, way higher specs, and even a new mystery lever at the left handlebar. We’ve been testing Apollo’s latest scooter all week, and we’re excited to let you in on why they call it the SUV of electric scooters.
Technical Specifications
| Tested top speed: 19.9 mph* | |
| Tested range: 19.5 mi* | |
| Weight: 39 lb* | |
| Max rider weight: 220 lb | |
| Water resistance: IP54 |
Highlights
| Ultra Smooth Ride | |
| Easy to Read Display Even in Bright Sunlight | |
| Excellent Brakes that are Impossible to Get Wrong | |
| Outstanding App lets You Control Basically Everything! | |
| Looks Good Whether You’re Riding it Or Carrying it into the Office | |
| The Wider Handlebars make it a Little Harder to Fit into the Trunk | |
| It’s a Little More Expensive than the Air Pro .But Still a Good Value Considering What You Get. |
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Apollo Air 2022 Electric Scooter Summary
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Canadian scooter company Apollo is a premium brand, so it makes sense they would make a premium entry-level scooter. This scooter has a presence, and you can also see it in the specs. The Air e-scooter occupies a small folded footprint and weighs next to nothing (not literally, though). However, within the small frame, you get a bigger motor than the one on the original Air, and an even larger battery–all this without gaining an ounce more than 2 pounds.
The ride quality earns this scooter the title– ‘SUV of Entry-Level Scooters .’ While most entry-level scooters are adored for their cost savings and commuting efficiency, it’s never the quality of the ride that has people talking, until now.
The Apollo Air 2022 electric scooter comes equipped with a pair of large, plush 10-inch air-filled tires and a set of front spring suspension that even out road imperfections, giving one of the smoothest rides on a commuter scooter.
Besides that, this scooter is solidly built and one that can last you through many years of riding. Each piece fits perfectly in the puzzle to give you a reliable, everyday means of commuting–and one that’s both fun and safe to ride.
We now give you a step-by-step breakdown of the performance–read through to see if the Air 2022 electric scooter is the scooter for you.
Our Take: Low Dollar Fee for Top Dollar Performance–Apollo’s Most Affordable Scooter Reimagined for the More Demanding Rider.
Apollo Air 2022 Alternatives and Competitors
Ninebot Max Vs. Apollo Air 2022
Has a longer range, and slightly faster hill climbing, but lower top speed, and much less comfortable ride
Uscooters GT-Sport/Fluid Mosquito Vs. Apollo Air 2022
More portable, with a higher top speed, but less range and are at the opposite end of the spectrum of the Air for ride comfort
KQi3 Pro Vs. Apollo Air 2022
Better Hill climber, and lower price but heavier and has lower top speed
Comparison Table
Model
Top Speed**
Range**
Weight**
Price
NIU KQi3 Pro
18.6 mph
20.9 mi
45 lb
$799
Apollo Air 2022
19.9 mph
19.5 mi
39 lb
$999
Segway Ninebot Max
18.4 mph
21.6 mi
43 lb
$899
UScooters GT Sport
30.0 mph
13.8 mi
30 lb
$1,099
Is It Good for Bigger, Heavier Riders?
The Apollo Air 2022 electric scooter is one of the best alternatives for heavier riders in the sub-$1,000 category.
The 500-watt motor scooter can carry a max load of 220 lbs, which is not the most accommodating, but for heavier riders closer to this upper limit;the scooter will serve them well. The motor is complimented by a large, energy-dense 540 wh battery that provides enough power to carry heavy riders through more demanding terrain.
The scooter’s design is also accommodative for big and tall riders. The handlebars are wide at 24-inches, allowing riders to stretch out, and they sit tall at 40-inches preventing hunched stances. The long and wide deck is accommodative for larger feet as well.
And with a thrilling top speed and amazing braking, heavy riders should feel confident and excited about taking the Air 2022 out for a spin.
Apollo Air 2022 Electric Scooter Review
Performance Summary
| Acceleration (0 to 15 mph) | 5.6 seconds |
| Acceleration (0 to 20 mph) | 11.8 seconds |
| Top speed | 19.9 mph |
| Braking distance (15 to 0 mph) | 10.4 feet |
| Range | 19.5 miles |
| Hill climb | 18.6 seconds |
Acceleration
The Apollo Air Pro gets to 15.0 mph in just 5.4 seconds. The acceleration is fast, beating the Air Pro by almost half a second and right on par with the Ninebot Max. Uscooters GT Sport reached 15.0 mph in 5.0 seconds, while the Fluid Mosquito did 5.1 secs, and the KQi3 Pro did 5.2 seconds.
Top Speed
We took the Air 2022 out on a speed test, and it delivered a satisfying max speed of 19.9 mph against the manufacturer-stated 22.0 mph. 20.0 mph is a sweet spot when it comes to commuting because it maximizes range while still letting you flow with traffic when you need to. It gives us a higher top speed than the Air Pro that, which maxed at 18.8 mph, the KQi3 Pro at 18.6 mph, and the Ninebot Max at 17.8 mph.
You can also take advantage of the dedicated riding modes and set your preferred top speed:
- Eco mode caps the top speed at 9.0 mph
- Comfort mode goes up to 12.5 mph
- Sport mode unlocks the scooter’s top speed.
If you happen to go over the set speed limit, the scooter gives a beep warning
Hill Climb
The Apollo Air 2022 electric scooter managed to reach the top of our 200 ft 10% hill climb. in 18.6 seconds at an average speed of 7.3 mph. It is an average hill climber compared to scooters in its class, but it is still faster than its predecessor, the Air Pro, by 3 seconds
Range and Battery
The range increased from 17.7 miles for the Air Pro to 19.5 miles for Air 2022. Not as much as we expected given the much larger battery, but it also makes sense taking into account that the motor grew by almost the same percentage.
The battery is 44% bigger, and the motor grew by 42%–but how does the Air 2022 squeeze in more power, more battery, more top speed, more everything, and only gain 2 lbs on our test scale vs. the Air Pro? The secret is in the 21700 battery cells. They have more energy per pound than the more common 18650 type cells used in the previous Apollo Air. It will take you 5-7 hours to fully charge this battery.
Regardless, the Air 2022 and the Air Pro are both excellent options for long range commuters. The Ninebot Max does better with 28.1 miles of tested range. However, it outdoes all other comparable scooters–the Fluid Mosquito at 16.6 miles, the KQi2 at 15.7 miles, and the GT Sport at 13.8 miles.
End of Range Test
When it comes to the end of battery experience, on the plus side, you won’t get stranded because you’ll definitely feel the end coming. On the minus side, on the last 3.6 miles, the scooter drops to about half speed. But this still definitely beats pushing the scooter through that stretch.
Braking
The braking on the Air 2022 is undeniably one of the best in its class. The scooter stops from 15 mph to 0 in just 10.4 ft. This is incredibly good for a scooter in its price class–and only the KQi3 Pro beats this remarkable stopping in the sub $1,000 category–stopping from 15 mph in 10.0 ft.
Apollo combines regen braking with mechanical braking in a way that clearly works (more on that to come).
Ride Quality
Affordable and relatively affordable scooters come with huge tradeoffs, and the most obvious one is in the ride quality. At ESG, we’ve ridden well over 100 different scooter models, and this is hands-down the smoothest ride you can find for under $1,000. If you live in a town with really bad pavement and are looking for a scooter in this price range, we can confidently say this is as good as it gets. We even have an ESG-exclusive coupon code to help you save some coins.
The Air 2022 rolls on big 10-inch air-filled tires that run a plush 35 pounds of pressure. It also helps that the motorcycle-style forks work so well, and you will especially enjoy taking the scooter over bumps and hopping off curbs. It’s rare to have a suspension and air-filled combination at this price point, so we can confidently recommend this as the smoothest ride in its category.
We LOVE the brakes. Apollo are absolute masters when it comes to combining regen and mechanical braking in a way that just works.
At the left handlebar, there’s what looks like a second throttle lever: It’s a dedicated regen brake. You can dial in the intensity of the brake using the app. For normal riding around, this is the one to use. It’s smooth, easy to use, recharges your battery when you brake, and if you use it all the time, your brake pads will basically last forever.
At the right handlebar, is a single lever that controls both the front drum and rear regenerative braking at a go. This is the masterful part: the lever perfectly combines variable regenerative braking with mechanical braking, resulting in the best brakes you can get for under $1,000. There are scooters that can out-stop it by inches, but what makes this different is that they’re strong, but you can’t get them wrong–just like a car. Mash on them as hard as you can, and you’re going to stop fast!
Many electric scooters at this price point, including the Ninebot Max, make you kick to start the scooter, but we love that Apollo gives us the option in the app to turn on “zero start.” And another SUV-like feature is that you get to stretch out–the bars are our favorite height at 40-inches from the deck but are now 3 inches wider for more stability. You can also release your hands off the throttle and enjoy cruise control on this e-scooter.
Apollo Air 2022 Electric Scooter Features
Portability
The Apollo Air 2022 electric scooter retains one of the best elements of the previous Air versions–its portability. The scooter is light at an ESG-tested 38.8 lbs, meaning you won’t struggle too much lifting it off the ground.
If you’re using it as a last-mile commute, the folded dimensions are small enough to easily stuff in your trunk. The folded scooter occupies 48 inches x24 inches x 23 inches. And folding it is easy, thanks to the stem latch that is super quick and feels really good.
Cockpit
The dash is a pretty standard one–a tiny LCD panel at the stem’s cap, with a single button. It displays the speed, battery status lights on/off, cruise control, and the riding mode. However, you can connect the scooter via Bluetooth to Apollo’s app to access more functionality and metrics.
Apollo leveled up their app, which can now…
- Check charge level and remaining miles of range
- Set ride mode
- Set the top speed limit
- Set an alert to beep at you when you hit top speed
- Tune acceleration and braking response,
- Toggle cruise control on and off,
- And Here’s one we haven’t seen before–you can set the time it takes for cruise control to kick in
- Turn on Zero start
- Update your scooter’s firmware.
Lights
The Air has a high-mounted LED headlight that’s located right below the cockpit. The uni-directional beam is strong, but if you plan on doing a lot of night riding, you might need a complementary after-market light.
The rear fender also has a taillight mounted that doubles as a brake light to communicate intent with trailing traffic.
The sides also come with orange reflectors to increase visibility when riding in low-light conditions.
Tires
The Apollo Air 2022 electric scooter runs on large 10-inch x 2-inch inner tube pneumatic tires. The tires on this scooter have been upgraded and are now Aramid reinforced with improved tubes for fewer flats. The tires run a plush 35 lbs of pressure and are very comfortable to ride on.
Deck
We love the new deck on the Air 2022. The one on the Air Pro was already good, but the new Air e-scooter comes with a larger deck, now measuring 20 inches x 8 inches, with a 4-inches clearance. The deck is rubberized to give riders a good grip, and this kind of padding makes the deck a lot easier to clean.
Build Quality
Apollo is uncompromising in build quality, and their scooters always lean on the more stylish end of the design spectrum. The original was good–but the Air 2022 features some upgrades that take the whole game a notch higher.
We have to admit we’ve missed the blue that Apollo used on their older scooters, but we also love that they’ve gone from black to the new Graphite Grey on the Apollo City and the Air 2022. We also love that the cables remain neatly routed within the sturdy aluminum frame.
We liked the simplicity of the old latch, but it took a firm shove to get all the way closed. The new latch is the same one used on the Apollo City–it’s faster, has zero wobbles, and looks great with a little orange accent.
Fender protection is outstanding, as always, but the ingress protection has leveled up from IPX4 to IP54. This means that the scooter can withstand light showers and splashing through shallow puddles–and it also means that the scooter is heavily protected against smaller pieces of debris that can affect the scooter’s running when accumulated.
Safety
The scooter is inherently safe thanks to the superior build quality and an attention to detail for riding requirements. The Air 2022 is stable and has a smooth throttle and good lights, which inspire confidence with even the newer riders.
However, the best safety features have to be the way the big tires and suspension help the Air 2022 roll over potholes like they aren’t even there and the brakes that let even brand new riders stop like an expert.
Warranty
Apollo issues a good standard warranty for all its electric scooters, including the Apollo Air. Your e-scooter is covered by a 12-month warranty against manufacturing defects on parts like the frame, battery, motor, lights, controllers, stem, handlebar, and throttle. Apollo offers a further 24-month protection plan on the Air electric scooter for the brake pads, inner tube and tires, and fender. The scooter’s rims, brake caliper/disc, and a kickstand are also covered for a period of 30 days or the first 6.2 miles
Apollo Air 2022 Electric Scooter: Review Conclusion
The $1,000 price category is tough for scooter makers because they know riders have a ton of very good scooters to choose from at this price point. Honestly, there is no shortage of scooters that can hit similar performance per dollar benchmarks to the Air 2022. But when it comes to riding quality, in this price range, though, there is just no contest.
The Air 2022 does it best. Like an SUV, it just rolls right over whatever is in your way, and features like the regen brakes and big wide bars give you a feeling that you’re scooting on a whole other level.
2022 is the year to get yourself a scooter with great value for money. And if you’re hoping to get yourself the Air 2022, here’s a link to where you can get it for the best price and an exclusive ESG coupon for even more savings.
Apollo Air 2022 Electric Scooter Specifications
| Make | Apollo |
| Model | Air 2022 |
| Weight | 39 lb |
| Folded dimensions | 48 by 24 by 23 in |
| Motor power, continuous | 500 W |
| Top speed | 22 mph |
| Range | 31 mi |
| Battery capacity | 540 Wh |
| Battery recharge time | hrs |
| Max rider weight | 220 lb |
| Brake type | Drum + Regenerative |
| Tire type | 10.0 in Pneumatic (Inner Tube) + Pneumatic (Inner Tube) |
| Built-in lights | Front + Rear |
| Water resistance | IP54 |
