Apollo City 2022 vs KUKIRIN G2 - Which "Mid-Range Beast" Actually Deserves Your Money?

Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)

The APOLLO City 2022 takes the overall win: it rides more refined, feels more like a finished vehicle than a hot-rodded toy, and adds genuinely useful tech such as regenerative braking, self-healing tyres, higher water resistance and app customisation. It's the better choice if you want a dependable, daily urban workhorse that you can just ride and forget, even in dodgy weather.

The KUKIRIN G2 makes sense if you're counting every euro, want punchy performance and plush suspension for as little money as possible, and don't mind living with slower charging, more basic brakes and weaker brand support. It's the "cheap but cheerful" way into the mid-power segment.

If you care more about long-term reliability, low maintenance and polish, lean Apollo. If you mainly care about upfront price and raw hardware per euro, the KUKIRIN is hard to ignore.

Stay with me and we'll dig into how they actually feel on the road, and where each one quietly trips over its own marketing.

Mid-range electric scooters have become the compact SUVs of micromobility: everybody makes one, everybody claims theirs does everything, and in reality... they all have compromises. The KUKIRIN G2 and the APOLLO City 2022 sit right in that crossfire, promising "Goldilocks" performance without going full hyper-scooter.

I've put real kilometres into both: battered them over cobblestones, dragged them up questionable hills, and done the usual "late-night supermarket run because I forgot the milk" test. On paper they overlap a lot: decent speed, real suspension, proper tyres, not exactly featherweights. On the road, though, they reveal very different personalities.

The KUKIRIN G2 is for riders who want big-scooter feel on a discount, and are willing to accept some rough edges for the savings. The APOLLO City 2022 is for people who'd like their scooter to behave like a small vehicle, not a project. Let's unpack what that actually means before you click "buy now" on the wrong one.

Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?

Both scooters live in that "serious commuter, not quite brutal monster" class. They're much more capable than rental-style toys, but they stop short of the huge, dual-stem, 40-kg insanity machines.

The KUKIRIN G2 plays the budget performance card: strong single rear motor, biggish battery, full suspension, all squeezed into a price that wouldn't buy you a mid-tier phone and a case at an Apple Store. It targets riders upgrading from basic Xiaomi/Segway scooters who want real speed and comfort without doubling their monthly rent.

The APOLLO City 2022, especially in Pro trim, goes for "premium commuter": nicely integrated frame, proprietary parts, regen braking, app control, and higher water resistance, with a price that firmly reminds you it's not a toy. You're paying for polish and support as much as you're paying for watts and watt-hours.

They compete because they sit in the same use-case: medium-length commutes, mixed road surfaces, riders who actually depend on the scooter, not just blast around the park on Sundays. One is the budget shortcut into that life; the other is the more grown-up, longer-view option.

Design & Build Quality

Put them side by side and you can see the philosophical split immediately.

The KUKIRIN G2 looks like a classic "China performance" scooter: chunky frame, visible hardware, aggressive stance, orange accents shouting "I go fast". It's not ugly, just a bit industrial. The display sits proud on the bar, cables are partially hidden but still obvious, and the whole thing feels like it was designed backwards from the spec sheet: big motor here, big battery there, suspension somewhere in between.

The APOLLO City 2022 feels like someone started with a sketchbook, not a spreadsheet. The frame is a smooth, cohesive shape, cabling is tucked away, and the rubber deck and integrated display make it look less "delivery hack" and more "actual product". It's the kind of scooter you can park in a modern office lobby without your facilities manager sighing.

In the hands, the differences continue. The G2's aluminium frame is solid enough, and to its credit it doesn't creak or flex dramatically. But some details - fender mounting, kickstand finesse, display brightness in harsh sun - betray its price point. It feels robust, just not particularly refined.

The Apollo feels denser and more deliberate. The latch clicks with a more reassuring clunk, the fenders are better anchored, and the drum-brake housings and self-healing tyres give the impression of something designed for years of use rather than "we'll see how long it lasts". Early QC issues on some units aside, the general fit and finish is a notch above the KUKIRIN.

If you care about aesthetics and long-term solidity, the Apollo wins this round. If you only care that the frame doesn't fold in half under you, the G2 is serviceable, just less polished.

Ride Comfort & Handling

Both scooters promise that magic carpet ride. Neither exactly reaches "magic", but they're a world away from rigid commuter sticks.

The KUKIRIN G2 runs dual spring suspension front and rear paired with large tubeless tyres. On broken city asphalt and the usual cracked pavements, it does a very decent job: sharp edges are rounded off, and you don't finish a 10-km ride feeling like someone has rearranged your spine. On long stretches of rough cobblestones, you still get some kickback through the bars, but it's tolerable. The chassis is relatively stable, though at higher speeds it can feel a bit busier in the steering than I'd like.

The Apollo's triple-spring setup, combined with its slightly more mature chassis geometry and self-healing tubeless tyres, feels calmer. It doesn't necessarily float over everything like a big hydraulic-suspension monster, but it filters out the choppy stuff better. On bumpy cycle paths or city seams, the deck stays more composed, and there's a bit less headshake when you meet a surprise pothole mid-corner.

In tight handling, both are agile enough for city weaving. The G2 feels a bit more "playful" - read: slightly nervous at speed if you're heavy-handed with the bars. The Apollo feels heavier in the steering but more predictable. When you're tired at the end of the day, that predictability is worth more than you think.

Comfort-wise, I'd happily do a longer ride on either, but if you told me I had to spend an hour threading through a battered European city centre, I'd pick the Apollo. The G2 is fine; the Apollo is just less tiring.

Performance

This is where the spec-sheet warriors will get excited, but let's talk in terms of feel, not just catalog numbers.

The KUKIRIN G2's rear motor gives a surprisingly assertive shove off the line. That sine-wave controller makes low-speed control pleasant; you can creep along in pedestrian zones without the scooter doing its best kangaroo impression. When you open it up in the faster mode, it pulls cleanly up to its upper-40s top-speed bracket, which on a scooter this size is plenty spicy. Hills that make rental scooters wheeze are dealt with at decent pace, though you do feel the motor working on steeper climbs.

The APOLLO City 2022 in single-motor form delivers a slightly gentler launch, but with very smooth, linear power. It's more "mature car" than "tuned hatchback". You still get enough speed to run with city traffic, though heavier riders in hilly areas might find it only just adequate. Step up to the Pro (dual-motor) version and things change: the extra front motor turns hill starts and overtakes into something you actually look forward to. It's not violent, but it's confidently brisk.

Braking is where their personalities really diverge. The KUKIRIN relies on mechanical discs front and rear. When properly adjusted they bite well enough, but they need a bit of mechanical sympathy and occasional tweaking. Modulation is decent, though you'll feel some fade on long descents and in the wet they require more care.

The Apollo's combination of dual drum brakes and a dedicated regen throttle is frankly more sophisticated. Most everyday stops can be handled by your left thumb alone, using motor braking that also sips a little energy back into the pack. When you grab the levers, the sealed drums offer consistent, weather-proof stopping without the warped-rotor drama. Once you get used to that regen control, going back to "all mechanical, all the time" on the G2 feels a bit stone age.

If raw kick-per-euro is your metric, the KUKIRIN holds its own, especially against the single-motor Apollo. But if you weigh refinement, braking confidence and overall control, the City 2022 - especially the Pro - is the better riding machine.

Battery & Range

Both scooters promise ranges that sound great in ads and look much less great when you ride them like an actual human being.

The KUKIRIN G2's battery is decently sized for its price, and in my experience you can squeeze a relaxed week of short commutes out of it if you're light, gentle and stay out of the fastest mode. Ride it in the real world - frequent full-throttle bursts, some hills, no obsessive hypermiling - and you're looking at a solid medium-distance round trip before the battery gauge starts making you think about your route home. It doesn't fall off a cliff in the last stretch, but power does soften as it gets near empty.

The Apollo City 2022, particularly in Pro trim with the larger pack, goes further in the same conditions. Again, ride hard and you won't see the brochure numbers, but in mixed riding it generally nudges ahead of the G2. The regen braking doesn't perform miracles, but in stop-start city riding it extends your usable range just enough to notice across a week of commuting.

Charging is where the difference is stark. The KUKIRIN's stock charger turns a flat pack into a full one roughly by the time the Earth has rotated significantly. It's an overnight job: plug it in after dinner, it's ready for the morning, but lunchtime top-ups are basically pointless. The Apollo, by contrast, charges from low to full in a working morning or afternoon, which makes "charge at the office" a practical reality. That changes how you use the scooter more than you might think.

If you're a once-a-day commuter with plenty of time between rides, the G2's slower charging is bearable. If you're someone who stacks errands, meetings and side trips into your day, the Apollo's faster turnaround is measurably less annoying.

Portability & Practicality

Neither of these is a featherweight. If you want a scooter you can casually carry up three flights every day, you're shopping in the wrong aisle.

The KUKIRIN G2 sits in the mid-20s kg range. Carrying it a few steps or heaving it into a car boot is fine; dragging it up long staircases gets old very quickly. The folding mechanism itself is straightforward and locks reasonably solidly, with minimal stem play when properly adjusted. Folded, it still has that wide-bar, chunky-tyre footprint, so don't expect it to slip neatly into every luggage rack.

The Apollo in single-motor form is about the same weight on paper; the Pro is distinctly heavier. In the hands, they both feel like "this is a vehicle, not a briefcase". The folding latch is one of the better designs in this class, and when locked for riding the stem is impressively rigid. The only real practical annoyance is the hook that's supposed to keep the folded stem latched onto the rear; if you don't balance it just so when carrying, it can pop free, leading to some creative swearing in stairwells.

Day to day, both fold quickly enough to bring into an office or tuck in a corner at home. The Apollo claws back practicality points with its app: being able to lock the drivetrain electronically and tweak speed modes without digging through cryptic display menus is nicer than it sounds when you're rushing for a train. The KUKIRIN is much more "what you see is what you get".

In short: neither scooter is truly portable in the "grab it one-handed and jog for your bus" sense. The Apollo edges ahead in user-friendliness; the KUKIRIN is a bit more basic but not dramatically worse to live with if you don't lift it a lot.

Safety

Safety is more than just brakes, but let's start there.

The KUKIRIN's mechanical discs can haul it down from speed in a respectable distance when they're dialled in. The problem is they gradually drift out of that sweet spot. If you're mechanically inclined and don't mind an occasional tweak, they're fine; if not, you'll just live with spongy levers until one emergency stop reminds you why that was a bad idea.

The Apollo's sealed drums and regen system are closer to "set and forget". There's less outright initial bite than a perfectly tuned hydraulic disc setup, but consistency in the wet and over longer periods is excellent. For a commuter that sees all weather and all seasons, I trust this system more - mainly because it doesn't depend on you becoming a part-time brake technician.

Lighting is... adequate on both, with caveats. The G2 gives you a bright enough headlight for city speeds, rear braking light and even turn signals, which is a lot of kit for the price. In pitch-black rural sections, you'll want an extra bar-mounted torch, but that's par for the course in this bracket. The Apollo's headlight is mounted nicely high and works well in town, yet also falls short on unlit paths if you're moving quickly. Turn signals on the City are neatly integrated but low on the deck; car drivers don't always notice them among the reflections and road clutter.

On the grip and stability front, both run decent-sized tubeless tyres, which already puts them ahead of solid-tyre death sticks. The G2's setup offers good straight-line stability; you don't get that nervous twitch that cheaper scooters suffer from. The Apollo's round-profile tyres and calmer chassis tuning feel more confidence-inspiring when carving around bends or dealing with crosswinds.

Water resistance is an area where the Apollo simply outclasses the KUKIRIN. The City's high rating means you can ride into serious rain without that "will this brick my controller?" anxiety. The G2's more basic protection is fine for splashes and light showers, but I wouldn't make a habit of storm-chasing with it - and the fender coverage in heavy spray is, frankly, optimistic.

Community Feedback

Price & Value

This is where many people will make their decision before reading anything else.

The KUKIRIN G2 sits in a very budget-friendly bracket. For what you pay, you get a motor with real punch, a battery large enough for genuine daily use, full suspension and decent tyres. No, it's not distilled perfection, but from a "how much scooter do I get per euro?" perspective, it's undeniably strong. You are trading away brand polish, after-sales structure and some finesse, but if the wallet is the loudest voice in the room, the G2 argues its case well.

The APOLLO City 2022 costs roughly twice as much. On a pure numbers-per-euro chart, it does not dominate. You can certainly find more brutal acceleration or a slightly larger battery for that kind of money if you're willing to go generic. But the value here isn't just spec output; it's the integrated design, high water resistance, maintenance-saving components, regen braking and a support network that actually exists in Europe. Over a few years of daily commuting, that combination can justify the initial hit, especially if this scooter is replacing, not just supplementing, a car or public transport pass.

If you're squeezing your budget hard, the KUKIRIN offers an appealing shortcut into "proper scooter" territory. If you can afford the Apollo without eating instant noodles for six months, its long-term, low-hassle nature starts to look like the better deal.

Service & Parts Availability

This is the unsexy bit nobody cares about until something breaks.

KUKIRIN is a big presence in the budget online market, which means parts exist, but you'll mostly be hunting through third-party sellers, AliExpress-style platforms, or tapping into owner communities for guidance. There's no real centralised European service structure; you're either handy with tools or you become very close with your local generic scooter technician.

Apollo, for all its startup growing pains, at least makes an effort at structured support. They stock parts, provide documentation and video tutorials, and have a clearer warranty process. In Europe it's still not as plug-and-play as, say, buying a Bosch e-bike from your corner shop, but it's significantly better than "hope the seller replies to my email". The downside of the proprietary design is that you're more tied to their ecosystem - but at least it exists.

If you want the easiest route to keeping your scooter alive for years without becoming a full-time tinkerer, Apollo is the safer bet. If you enjoy a bit of DIY and don't mind digging for parts, the KUKIRIN's generic components are workable, just less supported.

Pros & Cons Summary

Parameters Comparison

Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?

If you strip away the marketing gloss, both scooters land in that "good, but not flawless" territory - which is honestly where most sensible commuters should be shopping.

The KUKIRIN G2 is the obvious choice if your budget is tight and you still want real performance. It gives you a strong motor, a genuinely comfortable suspension setup, and enough battery for meaningful daily use at a price that undercuts most big-name competitors. You do, however, sign up for slow charging, more hands-on brake care, weaker water protection and a less mature support structure. If you enjoy tinkering a bit and just want the most hardware per euro, it's a defensible pick.

The APOLLO City 2022, particularly the Pro, feels more like a complete product. The ride is calmer, the regen-plus-drum braking is in another league for everyday safety and convenience, the self-healing tyres and higher water resistance clearly target real commuters, and the faster charging changes how flexibly you can use it. You pay dearly for that refinement, and it's not some god-tier machine that justifies any price - it's still "only" a mid-range scooter. But if this is your daily vehicle and you can afford it, it's the one I'd rather depend on through winter, pothole season and Monday mornings.

In short: pick the KUKIRIN G2 if you're stretching every euro but still want proper speed and comfort. Pick the APOLLO City 2022 if you want a scooter that behaves more like a sorted urban vehicle than a cheap thrill, and you're willing to invest in that difference.

Numbers Freaks Corner

These metrics strip everything down to maths. Price per Wh and per km/h show how much "energy" or "speed capability" you buy for each euro. Weight-related metrics reveal how much mass you lug around for each unit of performance or range. Wh per km hints at real-world efficiency. Power-to-speed and weight-to-power ratios compare how strongly each scooter is powered relative to its size and top speed. Average charging speed is simply how quickly energy goes back into the battery - crucial if you need fast turnarounds.

Author's Category Battle

Overall Winner Declaration

In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the KUKIRIN G2 scores 5 points against the APOLLO City 2022's 5. In the Author's Category Battle, the KUKIRIN G2 gets 12 ✅ versus 28 ✅ for APOLLO City 2022.

Totals: KUKIRIN G2 scores 17, APOLLO City 2022 scores 33.

Based on the scoring, the APOLLO City 2022 is our overall winner. Between these two, the APOLLO City 2022 simply feels like the more complete companion: calmer, more confident in bad weather, and easier to live with when you depend on it every day. It doesn't dazzle with raw numbers, but it quietly gets more of the important things right. The KUKIRIN G2 fights back hard on price and honest fun, and if your budget is tight it's a perfectly defensible, entertaining choice. But if you can stretch to the Apollo, it's the scooter that will more often leave you stepping off thinking, "that felt like a proper vehicle", not just "that was cheap and fast".

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.