Gotrax APEX Series Electric Scooter for Adult, 12/18 Miles Max Range, 15.5/18 Mph Top Speed, 250W/350W Motor, All Aluminum Body, Large Digital Display Foldable Commuting Escooter, UL-2272 Certified

The media could not be loaded. I was never a “scooter person” until I got a large, heavy and expensive scooter two years ago. I soon was using it for places I used to drive to — to the store, to get a hair cut, etc. While I love that scooter, it was so big, bulky and heavy I never took it anywhere. I wanted something small that I could easily carry up/down stairs and load in to a car without back strain.This Gotrax Apex Max, at half the cost of my bigger scooter, is something I am glad to have in addition to my “heavy lifting” big scooter.Assembly went super quick — much easier than my other scooter. The unit comes in two pieces — the base with the wheels and handlebar shaft, and the handlebar with display. There are basically three steps:1. Pull out a cable from the shaft and handlebar and connect them together, then stuff it back in the shaft.2. Put the brake cable end in a slot and run the cable through it.3. Put the handlebars in to the shaft and use the included Allen wrench and two screws to tighten it in place.The power supply is a base with the barrel connector on it, and a separate power cable that plugs in to it. There is a rubber cap you pop open to get to the charging jack, then you just plug it all in.The manual says a RED light on the charger means charging, and GREEN means charged. When I plugged mine up, it immediately went to green and stayed green. However, turning on the scooter shows a battery meter with a four segment display which only showed three of them full. I found out later that I just did not have the barrel connector plugged all the way in. The charger shows green even when not plugged in. My second charge, I figured this out and was able to fully charge the scooter.First ride only got 8 miles, due to not being fully charged. When the battery is on the last block of the four-segment display, it gives you no warning — it just starts to blink and that’s it. The intent of a short-range scooter like this is that you’d charge it regularly, versus a larger scooter that you might only charge every few dozen rides.At 32 pounds, the scooter is about the same weight as four gallons of milk. When my back is having problems, I cannot carry my other scooter, so I expect this one will be very good at saving my back.I contacted support to ask some questions (before I figured out how the charger plug works). I wrote them on Aug 28 4:38 pm, and they responded Aug 31 1:16am. That is a surprisingly fast response time, considering how late in the day I wrote them.While my big scooter can handle large hills, smaller scooters like this are designed for more level community. I used the level app in my phone to test some hills. At a 2% incline, the scooter had no issue. Once the angle got to be around 5%, the scooter would slow down. It can still handle small hills — it just takes longer to get up to speed. Anything too steeper and this small scooter can’t do it. (I have two very large hills I travel regularly; I use my big scooter for that, and this for everything else.)Folding down handlebar takes two hands. One has to left a lever and the other has to pull out a captive-pin. This is tricky to do at first, then becomes simple once you figure it out.There is one power button on the control. It does the following:1. Press it to turn power on.2. Hold it down for about 5 seconds to turn power off.3. Tap it to turn the headlight/taillight on. Tap again to turn it off.4. Hold it for about 2-3 seconds to change gears (1 or 2, adjusting the max speed).According to the Gotrax website, you can get up to 15 miles on a charge. I assume this to mean on flat surfaces with a lightweight rider. Since the scooter claims to handle riders of up to 265 pounds, I do not expect you’d see that same range with a heavier rider. I have taken my to 12, then I charge it back up since when you run out, it just stops. You get down to the last block of the four-segment power display then it shuts off the motor and starts blinking.If you think you might become a scooter person, the thing to consider is: where will you be riding? If you have alot of hills, or are a heavier person and/or need extended range, you need to look at some of the higher end Gotrax models. If you want something for running around the neighborhood and do not have steep hills, this is where I’d start — its lightweight so you may actually use it. If you get a big heavy scooter and have to carry it up/down stairs to ride it, you may find yourself just getting in the car instead.I have a much better/fancier scooter with more features, but now I only take it out when I need to go extended distances or tackle big hills. For all other trips, I am using this Gotrax. I even took it in the car on a weekend road trip so I’d have something with me in case I needed to run to a store to get something.

sturdy and reliable - review update - Gotrax APEX XL Electric Scooter, Internal Honeycomb Solid Tires 250 Watt motor up to 15.5mph-March 30, 2024 Update - updated solid tire version-EXECUTIVE SUMMARYWith modifications such as its new honeycomb internal structure solid tires (see photo figure 6), its new base of tiller reinforcement band (see photo figure 5), disc brakes, cruise control, real 15 mph flat surface top speed, and the all metal undercarriage plate it had already (see photo figure 4), this 250 Watt entry level Electric Kick Scooter is a five star product.-Among the most important attributes of the entry level Gotrax APEX XL Electric Kick Scooter are its sturdiness and its reliability.-CONSTRUCTION FEATURES (UPDATED)- sturdy all metal undercarriage base plate (essential for any and all e-scooters!)- heavy duty reinforcement band at the base of its tiller (its vertical mast) (see photo figure 5)- Superbly designed folding mechanism that folds at its base platform, not higher up (see photo figure 3)- large bright LCD control panel- stainless steel disc brakes.- honeycomb internal structure solid tires (no more flat inner tubes) and actually a smoother ride!- (see photo figure 6)--USER INTERACTION FEATURES- drive by wire acceleration with cruise control.- stainless steel disc braking combined with electric eABS integrated with its motor- LCD control display with accurate and easy to read speed and battery consumption.-EASE OF ASSEMBLYThe Gotrax APEX XL electric scooter arrives mostly assembled.All that needs to be done to complete assembly is to attach the handlebar unit and the brake cable.Gotrax provides the required Allen Wrench in the Gotrax APEX XL electric scooter box.-INTENDED USAGEThe entry level Gotrax APEX XL Electric Kick Scooter appears to be intended for people who live in flatter cities. For people who live in cities such as Chicago, Houston, Manhattan, and so on, and even cities with hills but with some flat sections, such as Seattle, this entry level scooter is a fine choice. Don't expect a 250 Watt motor scooter to be able to travel quickly up steep hills. That isn't this scooter's intended capability. For anyone who lives in cities with hills such as San Francisco, Gotrax makes scooters such as their G4 model with dual front and back 600 Watt motors and full spring suspension.-EXPECTATIONS SPEED AND RANGEThis is a 250 Watt entry level electric scooter. The Gotrax APEX XL Electric Scooter is a scooter for use around relatively flat areas, such as city riding. The Gotrax APEX XL Electric Scooter is great for a work commuter to put into a car's trunk, park upon city arrival, and then use to get around the city quickly. The Gotrax APEX XL Electric Scooter is also a scooter that does not weigh so much that it cannot be carried on a subway. It's fine to carry onto a subway like Seattle's Link light rail, the Washington, D.C. Metro, or the Boston T subway lines.-After using the Gotrax APEX XL Electric Scooter, even before the updated version of the Gotrax APEX XL Electric Scooter, I had already been planning to purchase the dual 600 Watt motor Gotrax G4 (see item B0C32PDRKJ), to be able to take on the steep hills of the city where I live. Yes, planning on owning more than one electric scooter!-SUGGESTIONS FOR GOTRAX- For the next update to the Gotrax APEX XL Electric Scooter, Gotrax needs to move the front reflector up higher on the forks cover so that it does not cover the Allen bolt underneath it. (see photo figure 7)- Add the front forks cowling units to the parts available on the Gotrax website.- List Gotrax electric scooter replacement parts on the amazon website, in addition to the Gotrax site.-GOTRAX CUSTOMER SUPPORTAmong the most important things Gotrax has done is to provide replacement parts for sale on their website. Much like owning a car, motorcycle, or bicycle, vehicles will eventually need replacement parts, such as the plastic fenders, and most importantly their battery (e-scooter batteries do not and cannot last forever).-CONCLUSIONSThe updated Gotrax APEX XL Electric Kick Scooter is a good choice for anyone looking for an economical entry level electric scooter. For someone who would like to try out the Electric Kick Scooter experience before investing in a high-end scooter such as the dual 600 Watt motor Gotrax G4 the Gotrax APEX XL Electric Kick Scooter is a smart starter scooter choice. With the sturdiness of the Gotrax APEX XL Electric Kick Scooter and its reliable day to day riding experience, its a keeper.