Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)
The Apollo Air 2022 is the stronger overall package for most riders: it rides smoother, feels more mature on the road, and backs that up with better safety hardware and a more confidence-inspiring chassis. If your daily reality is a mix of dodgy tarmac, tram tracks and surprise potholes, the Air simply copes better and keeps you more relaxed.
The CITY BOSS RX5 makes a case only if you're laser-focused on keeping the price down while still getting a punchy 500 W motor and a reasonably capable commuter, and you don't mind compromises in refinement, wheels, and braking. It suits riders who mostly stick to shorter, smoother city hops and value certification and simple mechanics over plush comfort.
If you care about the actual ride more than brochure buzzwords, the Apollo Air 2022 is where your money feels better spent. Read on and I'll walk you through where each scooter shines - and where the marketing gloss starts to crack.
Electric scooters around this power level are the workhorses of modern commuting: quick enough to replace a bus pass, light enough to live with, and (usually) civilised enough for daily abuse. On paper, the CITY BOSS RX5 and Apollo Air 2022 sit in exactly that sweet spot: single 500 W motors, mid-sized batteries, weights you can just about forgive, and a clear focus on urban duty rather than off-road antics.
I've clocked many kilometres on both, from polished city boulevards to the kind of patched-up asphalt that looks like a history book of roadworks. One scooter constantly feels like a well-thought-out vehicle, the other like a decent idea let down by a few too many cost-cutting decisions. Both will get you to work. Only one consistently feels like it was designed by people who ride every day.
The RX5 is for riders who want "specs for the money" and don't look too closely at the fine print. The Air 2022 is for riders who've done one season on a cheap scooter, sworn never again, and now want something that simply rides well. Let's dig in.
Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?
These two occupy the same psychological price tier even if the actual price tags don't quite match. The CITY BOSS RX5 sits in the upper mid-range, nudging into "serious commuter" territory but still marketed as approachable. The Apollo Air 2022 aims a step higher in budget but equally targets single-motor commuters who don't want a 30 kg monster dominating their hallway.
Both offer similar headline power and broadly similar top speeds, aimed at riders who:
- Commute daily across a city or large town
- Want a scooter that can handle hills without begging for mercy
- Expect some comfort, not just bare-metal brutality
- Need something that can, in theory, be carried up a few stairs
They're natural rivals: same motor class, same weight class, same "grown-up commuter" pitch. The difference lies in how each brand decided to spend the design budget - and which corners they chose to cut.
Design & Build Quality
Put the two scooters side by side and the design philosophies are obvious. The Apollo Air 2022 looks like a single, cohesive object: clean lines, internal cabling, a stiff, chunky stem and a deck wrapped in a tidy rubber mat. It has that "finished product" aura - the kind that doesn't scream for aftermarket fixes from day one.
The CITY BOSS RX5, in contrast, feels more utilitarian. The aerospace aluminium frame is solid enough and the welds are respectable, but visually it's closer to a well-specced OEM platform than a purpose-built design. The front split rim is clever from a maintenance point of view, but the overall look and feel are less refined, more "good mid-range scooter" than "premium commuter".
In your hands, the difference continues. The Air's stem is impressively stiff with almost no perceptible flex, and its folding mechanism, while not the friendliest, does lock the front end into a reassuringly solid unit once closed. On the RX5, the quick-fold lever is undeniably convenient and reasonably tight, but the whole front assembly doesn't have quite the same vault-door feel. It's acceptable, not outstanding.
Ergonomically, the Air's wider bars, sculpted grips and integrated cockpit feel more sorted. The RX5 counters with height-adjustable handlebars and a transflective display that's superb in strong sunlight, which is genuinely useful. Still, the Apollo's cockpit gives off the more premium impression once you've spent time with both.
Ride Comfort & Handling
This is where the Apollo Air starts to stretch its legs. Its combination of front dual-fork suspension and large pneumatic tyres delivers a ride that's unusually plush in this class. On broken city tarmac, expansion joints and the usual patchwork of potholes, the Air doesn't so much survive as glide. After a 10 km cross-town dash, you step off feeling like you've just taken a slightly brisk stroll.
The CITY BOSS RX5 fights a harder battle. It has springs at both ends, which sounds great on paper, but they're working with smaller wheels and a mixed tyre setup: air at the front, solid at the rear. On reasonably smooth bike paths, it's fine - even comfortable. Start stringing together cobbles, cracks and patched asphalt, and the rear end in particular starts sending more of the story up through your legs. After several kilometres of rougher surfaces, your knees know exactly which wheel has the solid rubber.
Handling tells a similar story. Both scooters benefit from decent bar width, so stability at commuter speeds is generally okay. But the bigger, softer 10-inch tyres on the Air give it a calm, planted feel when you're carving around bends or dodging puddles. You can lean into turns with more confidence and it tends to track faithfully through mid-corner bumps, where the RX5 can feel a bit more skittish and "busy" underneath you.
If your daily route is mostly smooth cycleways, the RX5's comfort is workable. If your city thinks "road maintenance" means spraying some gravel and hoping for the best, the Apollo feels significantly more forgiving.
Performance
Both scooters are driven by 500 W rear hub motors, and both are absolutely a step above the wheezing rental-spec machines that die on the slightest incline. In back-to-back use, though, they have quite different personalities.
The CITY BOSS RX5, running at higher voltage, feels punchy off the line. From a traffic light, it steps forward briskly and holds pace with the flow well enough that you don't feel like the weak link in the bike lane. On moderate hills it keeps a respectable trot; on steeper climbs it slows but rarely feels like it's about to give up entirely - as long as you're not at the top of the weight limit.
The Apollo Air 2022 is less about drama and more about control. Acceleration is smooth and progressive rather than "all at once", which makes it friendlier for newer riders and nicer in dense traffic. It still gets up to its top cruising speed briskly enough that you're not staring at people's rear wheels for half the commute, but it does so with a bit more composure.
Top-speed experience is similar on both: quick enough that you need to pay attention, but not so quick you feel you ought to be wearing leathers. The key difference is how relaxed each feels near its ceiling. The Apollo, with its larger tyres and more sorted chassis, feels more stable and less twitchy when you're flat-out on a long stretch. The RX5 will do the same speeds, but the combination of smaller wheels and lighter-feeling front end makes you more conscious of surface imperfections.
Braking performance is where their approaches really diverge. The RX5 relies on a single rear disc. Adjusted properly, it offers decent stopping power and a bit of feel, but under hard braking all the work is happening at the back - not ideal for short, drama-free stops, especially on wet or slippery surfaces.
The Apollo Air gives you a front drum plus strong, well-tuned rear regenerative braking. In practice, that means you have both wheels contributing, plenty of control from low lever effort, and the option to modulate speed just with the regen paddle in many situations. Emergency stops feel shorter and more controlled on the Air; the RX5 can do them, but it feels like you're asking more of the hardware than it really wants to give.
Battery & Range
On paper, the CITY BOSS RX5 actually has the larger battery. In the real world, that translates into a comfortable commuting radius that will cover a typical return journey with some margin - as long as you're not riding flat-out everywhere or pushing the upper weight limit. Expect to charge every day or two if you're doing medium-length commutes.
The Apollo Air 2022 runs a slightly smaller pack but uses it efficiently. In mixed riding - fast sections, stop-start traffic, a few hills - it generally manages similar real-world distances to the RX5, sometimes slightly more if you ride with a bit of mechanical sympathy. Voltage sag on the Air becomes noticeable towards the end of the pack, with a softer punch and a bit of speed trimming, especially if you insist on Sport mode all the way down. The RX5 also tails off with state of charge, but its higher voltage helps it feel less breathless until you're really scraping the bottom.
Charging is slower on the Air; it's more of an overnight or all-day-at-the-office affair. The RX5 fills faster, so if you like the idea of topping up during work and going out again fully juiced in the evening, that's a small point in its favour. Both chargers are perfectly ordinary, brick-and-cable affairs rather than anything exotic.
The RX5 does have a party trick: a USB port on the display to top up your phone. It's handy if you're running navigation all day, though you still have to remember that every percent you feed into your phone isn't turning the rear wheel.
Portability & Practicality
Both of these sit in the "you can carry it, but you won't enjoy it" weight class. The numbers differ only slightly; your back won't notice the difference. Carrying either up a flight of stairs is fine. Three flights, daily? That enthusiasm will fade quickly.
Folding is where the philosophies split. The CITY BOSS RX5 has a genuinely quick, simple fold. You can drop the stem, click it into place and be walking onto a train in roughly the time it took you to read this sentence. The folded package is reasonably compact, lengthwise slim, and quite easy to stash under a desk or in a car boot.
The Apollo Air 2022 trades some of that convenience for solidity. Its latch lives low down, requires a bit more effort and a short bow to street level, and the handlebars don't fold, so you're left with a wider, more awkward shape to negotiate through tight spaces. On a crowded train or in a small hallway, the Air's bar width becomes very obvious.
Day-to-day practicality is a closer fight. The RX5's mudguards do a respectable job of keeping road spray off your clothes, and that transflective display is genuinely brilliant under direct sun - you can see your speed at a glance even at midday in summer. The Air counters with better water resistance and a very tidy, easy-to-clean deck surface. Neither is what I'd call truly "grab and go everywhere" portable, but both are workable as part of a car-plus-scooter or train-plus-scooter routine.
Safety
Safety is where the Apollo Air 2022 pulls into a clear lead, even if the RX5 has a few standout features of its own.
The Air's braking setup - front drum plus rear regen - gives you real redundancy and far more balanced stopping. The drum is enclosed and shrugs off rain and grime with very little maintenance, while the regen handles a surprising amount of daily slowing-down with barely a whisper. The feeling at the lever and the left-hand regen control is predictable and progressive, which is exactly what you want when some driver discovers their indicator for the first time mid-junction.
The RX5's solitary rear disc is better than the nameless friction setups on bargain-bin scooters, but it's still just that: one brake, on the rear wheel. If you're light on the lever, it's adequate. Ask it for full emergency stopping repeatedly on a wet day and you're more aware of its limits than on the Apollo.
Lighting reverses the roles a bit. The RX5 offers a seriously bright front light for this class, mounted low but powerful enough that you can actually see the road ahead on unlit sections. The rear light is battery-powered and decent for being seen. The Apollo's high-mounted headlight is okay in town but not impressive on darker routes; you can see enough to be legal, but I'd still recommend an auxiliary light if you ride at night away from street lamps.
Tyres and wheels, though, are no contest. The Apollo's larger air-filled tyres are simply safer over potholes, rails and ruts. They buy you more grip, more forgiveness and far fewer "oh, that was close" moments. The RX5's smaller diameter and solid rear tyre mean you have to ride more actively and pick your lines more carefully if the road surface turns ugly.
Community Feedback
| CITY BOSS RX5 | APOLLO Air 2022 |
|---|---|
|
What riders love Punchy motor for its class; bright front light; transflective display; fast, simple folding; adjustable handlebars; decent comfort for short to medium commutes; easy front tyre service thanks to split rim; brand seen as reliable in its region. |
What riders love Exceptionally smooth ride; stable handling at speed; solid, rattle-free chassis; dual braking with regen; clean aesthetics; app customisation; good water resistance; low day-to-day maintenance; "grown-up vehicle" feel. |
|
What riders complain about Heavier than they'd like to carry; harshness from the rear solid tyre on rough roads; only one brake; small wheels nervous over big potholes; range drops hard with heavier riders; parts can feel pricey; no app or smart features; charge time nothing special. |
What riders complain about Misleading "Air" name given the weight; awkward, low folding latch; headlight not bright enough for dark paths; wide bars awkward indoors; tyre valves fiddly; noticeable power fade at lower battery levels; initial app setup to unlock speed confuses some. |
Price & Value
On price alone, the CITY BOSS RX5 undercuts the Apollo quite noticeably. If your absolute ceiling is somewhere in the RX5's range, the Air 2022 simply won't be in the running. For that lower price, you do get a reasonably strong motor, a properly usable battery, dual suspension and some well-chosen touches like the bright light and USB port.
The catch is that you feel where the money was saved: smaller wheels, simpler braking, less polished ride and a generally more generic-feeling chassis. It's not terrible value, but it's also not the screaming deal it looks like once you stop reading the spec sheet and start riding over real streets.
The Apollo Air 2022 asks you to dig noticeably deeper into your wallet, and if you're only counting watt-hours and peak speeds, it doesn't look like a bargain. The value only becomes clear when you factor in ride quality, braking performance, water resistance, app tuning, and the simple fact that you're much less tempted to replace it after a season. As an everyday vehicle rather than a toy, it earns its higher price - even if it's not exactly cheap.
Service & Parts Availability
CITY BOSS positions itself strongly on spares and service within Europe, with a clear emphasis on modularity and a "right to repair" stance. The split front rim and widely available parts catalogue are genuine benefits if you're comfortable with basic tools or have a local shop willing to work on it. Within its main markets, support is generally considered decent, though it doesn't have a huge international community behind it.
Apollo, by contrast, has a large, very visible community and a more global footprint, especially in North America and increasingly in Europe. Parts, how-tos and troubleshooting tips are easy to find, and the brand's own support has a better reputation than the average online-only importer. You're still dealing with an e-mobility company, not a century-old car maker, so expectations should be realistic, but overall the Air 2022 is easier to live with long-term if you like having a crowd of fellow owners to lean on.
Pros & Cons Summary
| CITY BOSS RX5 | APOLLO Air 2022 |
|---|---|
Pros
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Pros
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Cons
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Cons
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Parameters Comparison
| Parameter | CITY BOSS RX5 | APOLLO Air 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Power | 500 W rear hub | 500 W rear hub |
| Top Speed | ca. 35 km/h | ca. 35 km/h |
| Range (advertised) | 35 km | 50 km |
| Range (realistic) | 25-30 km | 30-37 km |
| Battery | 48 V 13 Ah (624 Wh) | 36 V 15 Ah (540 Wh) |
| Weight | 17,3 kg | 17,6 kg |
| Brakes | Rear mechanical disc | Front drum + rear regen |
| Suspension | Front and rear shocks | Front dual fork |
| Tyres | 8" front pneumatic, 8" rear solid | 10" pneumatic (front & rear) |
| Max Load | 120 kg | 100-120 kg |
| IP Rating | Not specified / light rain use | IP54 |
| Charging Time | 5-7 hours | 7-9 hours |
| Price | 689 € | 919 € |
Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?
If you strip away the marketing and just look at how these feel after a month of daily use, the Apollo Air 2022 comes out ahead. It rides better, stops better, deals with bad roads better, and gives you a stronger sense that the whole package has been thought through as a commuter vehicle rather than as a spec sheet. It's not flawless, but it's the scooter I'd rather be on in mixed traffic and unpredictable weather.
The CITY BOSS RX5 survives this comparison, but doesn't win it. For the money, it gives you solid power, a healthy battery, legal-friendly certification and some nice touches like that transflective display and split rim. If your budget stops where the Apollo's price begins, and your riding is mostly on decent paths with only occasional rough patches, the RX5 can be a workable - if slightly rough-around-the-edges - companion.
If you can afford the stretch, though, the Air 2022 simply feels like the more grown-up choice. It's the scooter that encourages you to take the long way home, not just the cheapest way.
Numbers Freaks Corner
| Metric | CITY BOSS RX5 | APOLLO Air 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Price per Wh (€/Wh) | ✅ 1,10 €/Wh | ❌ 1,70 €/Wh |
| Price per km/h of top speed (€/km/h) | ✅ 19,69 €/km/h | ❌ 26,26 €/km/h |
| Weight per Wh (g/Wh) | ✅ 27,72 g/Wh | ❌ 32,59 g/Wh |
| Weight per km/h (kg/km/h) | ✅ 0,49 kg/km/h | ❌ 0,50 kg/km/h |
| Price per km of real-world range (€/km) | ✅ 25,05 €/km | ❌ 27,46 €/km |
| Weight per km of real-world range (kg/km) | ❌ 0,63 kg/km | ✅ 0,53 kg/km |
| Wh per km efficiency (Wh/km) | ❌ 22,69 Wh/km | ✅ 16,12 Wh/km |
| Power to max speed ratio (W/km/h) | ✅ 14,29 W/km/h | ✅ 14,29 W/km/h |
| Weight to power ratio (kg/W) | ✅ 0,0346 kg/W | ❌ 0,0352 kg/W |
| Average charging speed (W) | ✅ 104,00 W | ❌ 67,50 W |
These metrics isolate different aspects of "value physics": how much battery and speed you get per euro, how heavy each scooter is relative to its energy or performance, how efficiently they turn watt-hours into kilometres, and how quickly they refill. Lower cost per Wh or per kilometre favours budget-leaning designs, while better efficiency and lower weight-per-range figures reward scooters that use their energy more intelligently. Power-to-speed and weight-to-power show how much shove you have relative to top speed and mass, and average charging speed tells you how fast a flat pack becomes a usable scooter again.
Author's Category Battle
| Category | CITY BOSS RX5 | APOLLO Air 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | ✅ Fractionally lighter | ❌ Slightly heavier |
| Range | ❌ Shorter real range | ✅ Goes further daily |
| Max Speed | ✅ Similar, no app lock | ❌ Needs app unlock |
| Power | ✅ Punchy, high-voltage feel | ❌ Smoother, less urgent |
| Battery Size | ✅ Larger capacity pack | ❌ Smaller battery |
| Suspension | ❌ Busy, held back | ✅ Plush front setup |
| Design | ❌ Functional, generic look | ✅ Clean, cohesive styling |
| Safety | ❌ Single rear brake only | ✅ Dual brakes, bigger tyres |
| Practicality | ✅ Faster, simpler folding | ❌ Awkward fold, wide bars |
| Comfort | ❌ Rear solid tyre harsh | ✅ Smooth, forgiving ride |
| Features | ❌ Basic, few smart tricks | ✅ App, regen, tuning |
| Serviceability | ✅ Split rim, modular parts | ❌ More closed front end |
| Customer Support | ❌ Regional, smaller footprint | ✅ Strong brand support |
| Fun Factor | ❌ Feels workmanlike | ✅ Glides, invites detours |
| Build Quality | ❌ Solid but unrefined | ✅ Stiff, rattle-free frame |
| Component Quality | ❌ Cost-sensitive choices | ✅ Higher-grade touchpoints |
| Brand Name | ❌ Smaller, regional brand | ✅ Globally recognised |
| Community | ❌ Limited, niche groups | ✅ Large, active community |
| Lights (visibility) | ✅ Very bright front | ❌ Adequate but weaker |
| Lights (illumination) | ✅ Better road lighting | ❌ Needs extra light |
| Acceleration | ✅ Sharper initial punch | ❌ Calmer, linear pull |
| Arrive with smile factor | ❌ Does the job | ✅ Genuinely enjoyable |
| Arrive relaxed factor | ❌ Harsher, more effort | ✅ Less fatigue, calmer |
| Charging speed | ✅ Faster average charging | ❌ Slower to refill |
| Reliability | ✅ Simple, proven layout | ✅ Mature, well-tested |
| Folded practicality | ✅ Compact, easy to stash | ❌ Wide, awkward footprint |
| Ease of transport | ✅ Slightly easier to lug | ❌ Marginally heavier, bulkier |
| Handling | ❌ Nervous on rough stuff | ✅ Stable, predictable |
| Braking performance | ❌ Rear-biased, limited | ✅ Strong, well-balanced |
| Riding position | ✅ Adjustable bar height | ❌ Fixed, less adaptable |
| Handlebar quality | ❌ Functional, nothing special | ✅ Wide, ergonomic, solid |
| Throttle response | ❌ Cruder, less tunable | ✅ Smooth, app-tunable |
| Dashboard/Display | ✅ Transflective, sun-proof | ❌ Standard LCD, fine |
| Security (locking) | ❌ Nothing notable built-in | ❌ Also nothing special |
| Weather protection | ❌ Basic, unofficial rating | ✅ IP54, better sealing |
| Resale value | ❌ Harder resale, niche | ✅ Stronger second-hand demand |
| Tuning potential | ❌ Limited ecosystem | ✅ App and community mods |
| Ease of maintenance | ✅ Split rim, modular parts | ❌ Tyre, valve annoyances |
| Value for Money | ❌ Looks good, rides average | ✅ Costly but feels worth |
Overall Winner Declaration
In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the CITY BOSS RX5 scores 8 points against the APOLLO Air 2022's 3. In the Author's Category Battle, the CITY BOSS RX5 gets 16 ✅ versus 23 ✅ for APOLLO Air 2022.
Totals: CITY BOSS RX5 scores 24, APOLLO Air 2022 scores 26.
Based on the scoring, the APOLLO Air 2022 is our overall winner. In the end, the Apollo Air 2022 simply feels like the more complete scooter - the one you actually look forward to riding rather than just tolerating because it's cheaper than a monthly train pass. Its calm, planted ride and reassuring brakes make everyday chaos feel that bit less chaotic. The CITY BOSS RX5 will still get you across town and has a few smart ideas, but it never quite shakes the sense of being a competent compromise. If you can justify the extra outlay, the Air 2022 rewards you every single commute with a smoother, more confidence-inspiring experience.
That's our verdict when we try to stay objective – but hey, riding is mostly about emotions anyway, so pick the one that will make you look forward to your commute every single day.