Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)
The GOTRAX GX2 edges out as the overall winner here: it delivers noticeably stronger performance and better value for the money, even if it lacks a bit of polish. If you care most about punchy acceleration, confident hill climbing and squeezing every euro out of your budget, the GX2 is the more compelling - if slightly rough-around-the-edges - choice.
The Apollo City Pro makes more sense if you ride a lot in the rain, value sleek integration, turn signals and app polish, and prefer a smoother, more civilised commute over raw power. It feels more "finished" as a product, but you pay extra for that without getting more speed or range.
Both are heavy, both are far from perfect, and neither is a miracle machine - but they solve urban commuting in very different ways. Keep reading if you want the real, road-tested nuances that spec sheets quietly gloss over.
Electric scooters have grown up. The Apollo City Pro and GOTRAX GX2 are perfect examples of this awkward adolescence: both try very hard to be "real vehicles", not folding toys - yet each still trips over its own shoelaces in different ways.
I've spent long days on both: rush-hour commutes, wet cobblestones, late-night back-street blasts, and more than a few "why is this thing so heavy" stair moments. One is the design-driven, app-connected urban gentleman. The other is the brutally pragmatic power tool that happens to have a throttle.
If you're torn between them, you're basically choosing between refinement and brute value. One for the rider who likes things tidy and controlled; the other for the rider who wants as much scooter as possible for the least possible money. Let's dig in and find out which one actually fits your life.
Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?
Both scooters live in the same broad league: mid-to-upper range dual-motor commuters that promise to kill your car habit without demanding race-scooter money. They sit comfortably above the basic Xiaomi-style commuters, but below the full-blown, 40-kg "please don't crash this" monsters.
The Apollo City Pro aims at the premium-commuter crowd: people who want a daily machine that looks sharp in front of an office, feels integrated, and doesn't fall apart after one winter of rain. Think: design-conscious city rider who's willing to pay extra so their scooter feels like a finished product.
The GOTRAX GX2 targets riders who've outgrown budget scooters and want dual-motor punch without entering silly-money territory. It's for someone who looks at spec sheets, shrugs at a slightly rough UX, and says, "If it climbs hills hard and doesn't snap in half, I'm happy."
They cost broadly similar money, share dual motors, similar battery size, similar claimed ranges and top speeds - so on paper they're direct competitors. In reality, they feel very different once you're actually standing on them.
Design & Build Quality
Pick up an Apollo City Pro (or attempt to), and it feels like a tightly packaged consumer product. The lines are clean, cables are mostly hidden, the deck is finished with a single rubber mat, and the lights and indicators look like they belong there, not like an afterthought. The single-sided front fork and symmetrical rear swingarms give it a distinctly modern, almost "Cyberpunk commuter" look. It's more MacBook than mechanic's toolbox.
The GOTRAX GX2 is the opposite philosophy. It wears its bolts proudly on the outside. The thick stem, exposed suspension arms and chunky frame shout "industrial" in that slightly try-hard way - like it desperately wants to be a small motorcycle. The cabling is decently managed for the price, but you never forget this is a mass-market product: functional, sturdy, but not winning design awards any time soon.
In the hands, the Apollo feels denser and more refined. There are fewer rattles out of the box; the deck rubber is nicer; the overall impression is of a single, coherent product. The GX2 feels strong and overbuilt in a good way, but you're always aware that aesthetics came second to "make it solid and powerful on a budget". Both feel sturdy enough to survive daily abuse; only one feels intentionally beautiful.
Ride Comfort & Handling
On broken city tarmac and cobblestones, the Apollo City Pro plays the comfort card well. Its triple-spring setup - one up front, two at the rear - is tuned relatively firmly, but there's just enough compliance to take the sting out of potholes and manhole covers. Paired with its 10-inch tubeless tyres, it does a good job of turning ugly surfaces into a muted background hum rather than a daily chiropractic session.
The GOTRAX GX2 counters with dual spring suspension front and rear and slightly wider tyres. The ride is surprisingly forgiving for a scooter in its price bracket. At moderate speeds over cracked pavement and the inevitable "temporary" roadworks that last five years, the GX2 softens impacts well, and that extra tyre width gives a reassuringly planted feel when leaning through bends.
Handling-wise, the Apollo feels a touch more composed and predictable. Its wide handlebars and well-tuned geometry give you a sense of controlled, stable steering - confident at speed without being twitchy. The GX2, thanks to its weight and broad tyres, is very stable once rolling, but it can feel a bit more "tractorish" in tight, slow manoeuvres. The hefty stem and mass make quick weaving through pedestrians feel slightly more labour-intensive.
Over a long commute, the City Pro's ergonomics win by a small margin. The bar width, deck angles and rear kick plate all work together to let you shift stance easily and brace naturally under braking. The GX2 is comfortable, but more "good enough for the price" than genuinely refined.
Performance
Both scooters are fast enough that you stop thinking "electric toy" and start thinking "this deserves decent protective gear". But they go about delivering speed differently.
The Apollo City Pro's dual motors provide brisk, controlled acceleration. It doesn't snap your neck back; it just builds speed with a smooth, confident surge that feels almost too civilised for something capable of traffic-level speeds. Apollo's controller tuning is clearly focused on making the power feel predictable. It will happily sit at the upper end of legal bike-lane speeds and still have breathing room if you want to stretch its legs on a wide boulevard.
The GOTRAX GX2 is more straightforwardly eager. Coming from a basic 350 W scooter, your first full-throttle launch on the GX2 feels like someone removed gravity. It has stronger punch off the line and more urgency through the mid-range than the Apollo. You twist your thumb, and it simply goes - no drama, but noticeably more shove. Uphill, especially with a heavier rider, the difference is obvious: the GX2 hangs onto speed better and feels less strained on nasty gradients.
Top-speed sensation favours the GX2 slightly as well. Where the Apollo feels composed but a bit conservative in its delivery, the GX2 gives that "this is quite silly for a scooter" vibe once you let it run. Neither is a racetrack missile - and both will be electronically tamed in many European jurisdictions anyway - but if you want the bigger grin when you open the throttle, the GOTRAX takes it.
Braking is a more nuanced story. The Apollo's dual drum brakes combined with its regenerative "left thumb" brake are one of the more elegant systems in this class. You can ride almost entirely using regen, modulating speed smoothly and topping up the battery, with the drums stepping in only when you really need them. It feels refined and confidence-inspiring.
The GX2's dual disc brakes plus electronic braking are stronger on paper and do provide very firm stopping when you grab a full handful. You feel the bite. But they're more conventional and a bit less polished in feel; it's effective rather than sophisticated. For pure stopping power, both are solid. For control and everyday smoothness, the Apollo has the edge.
Battery & Range
Here's where things get almost comically symmetrical: both scooters run very similar battery packs, with enough capacity that "commuter range" is more than a marketing phrase. In real life, ridden like an actual human - mixed modes, some hills, not babying the throttle - both will comfortably cover a typical return commute in a European city with range in hand.
On the Apollo City Pro, you're realistically looking at several days of average commuting between charges if your daily distance is modest and you're not flat-out everywhere. Push it hard in its most aggressive mode with a heavier rider, and the range drops, but not to the "I'm sweating watching the battery gauge" level. The regen braking helps eke out a bit more, especially in stop-start traffic.
The GOTRAX GX2, with its similar battery but more eager motors, drinks a little more when you let it party. Ride it in full "let's overtake everything" mode and you'll start to notice the gauge sliding down faster than on the Apollo at a similar pace. Ride more conservatively - lower mode, smoother speed, fewer hill sprints - and it can stretch the distance to comparable levels.
Charging is a clear Apollo win. Its pack refills in roughly half a working day; plug it in after lunch and you're ready for the ride home with a full tank. The GX2 takes more of a "set it and forget it overnight" approach. If you're the type who frequently forgets to plug in until you see 10 % on the display in the morning, the Apollo's faster turnaround is more forgiving.
Neither scooter is going to challenge an e-bike in efficiency, but both deliver enough real-world range that most urban riders will be limited more by time and weather than battery capacity.
Portability & Practicality
This is where reality hits. Both of these scooters are heavy chunks of metal, and neither deserves the word "portable" unless your gym includes deadlifts.
The Apollo City Pro, at just under thirty kilos, is marginally less punishing. Carrying it up a short flight of stairs is doable; carrying it up several floors on a regular basis will have you questioning your life choices. The folding mechanism is robust and confidence-inspiring when locked, but the hook that secures stem to deck when folded can be fiddly until muscle memory kicks in. Once folded, it's still long and awkward in a crowded train corridor, especially with those non-folding handlebars hogging lateral space.
The GOTRAX GX2 takes that and says, "Hold my beer." It's several kilos heavier again, and you feel every gram once you try to lift it into a car boot or up even a single flight of stairs. The stem is so thick that smaller hands genuinely struggle to get a secure one-handed grip. The folding mechanism is solid enough but needs a bit more attention: some owners have reported the upright latch coming loose if not checked, so treating the pre-ride latch check as mandatory is wise.
In day-to-day use, both are much happier living on the ground floor or in a lift-equipped building. Park, plug, ride. As commuting tools for door-to-door rides, they're excellent. As part of a multi-modal routine involving frequent lifting onto buses and trains, they're both somewhere between inconvenient and downright unrealistic.
Safety
Safety isn't just about brakes and helmets; it's about how the whole scooter behaves when the city does something stupid in front of you.
The Apollo City Pro scores strongly here. Its regen-plus-drum braking gives you controlled, predictable stopping without surprise lock-ups. The integrated lighting package - bright forward beam, prominent brake light, and crucially, built-in turn signals - makes a real difference when mixing with traffic. Being able to indicate without taking a hand off the bars is a small luxury that very quickly feels non-negotiable once you've used it. Add in its high water-resistance rating and self-healing tyres, and you've got a scooter that takes wet-weather commuting more seriously than most.
The GX2, while less feature-rich, is not unsafe by any stretch. Its dual discs plus motor braking can haul you down hard when needed, and the heavy, wide chassis gives you a reassuringly planted feel at speed. The headlight and reactive tail light are sufficiently bright to keep you visible in urban night riding, and the frame stiffness helps avoid unnerving wobbles when you hit fast patches. However, it lags behind the Apollo on finer points: no integrated indicators, lower water-resistance rating, and no self-healing rubber to save you from that inevitable bit of glass.
At high speed, both feel stable, but the Apollo's overall polish - lighting, weather sealing, braking finesse - nudges it ahead as the scooter I'd rather be on when the heavens open and a driver decides their indicator is optional.
Community Feedback
| Apollo City Pro | GOTRAX GX2 |
|---|---|
| What riders love | What riders love |
| Smooth, "floating" ride feel; excellent regenerative braking; strong but civilised dual-motor power; high water resistance; self-healing tubeless tyres; integrated turn signals and bright lighting; low maintenance drum brakes; fast charging; premium, tidy design; solid app with useful customisation. | Punchy acceleration and torque; impressive hill-climbing; very solid, confidence-inspiring frame; comfortable dual suspension; strong brakes; outstanding performance-per-euro; stable at high speed; simple assembly; rugged industrial look; reactive tail light appreciated for safety. |
| What riders complain about | What riders complain about |
| Heavy and awkward on stairs; high purchase price; rear mudguard can spray water; folding hook can be finicky; kickstand fussy on soft or uneven ground; some thumb-throttle fatigue on longer rides; wide bars awkward in narrow spaces; charger fan noise. | Very heavy, hard to lift; "Park Mode" interrupting stop-and-go flow; poor, buggy app; thick stem uncomfortable to grip; folding latch needs careful checking; kickstand marginal for the weight; inconsistent customer service experiences; no built-in turn signals; long charging time; display visibility in bright sun. |
Price & Value
In raw pricing terms, the GOTRAX GX2 undercuts the Apollo City Pro by a noticeable chunk. And it does that while offering more aggressive motors and similar battery capacity. If you're evaluating purely on how much speed and hill-climbing you can buy per euro, the GX2 wins by a comfortable margin.
The Apollo asks you to pay extra for polish: cleaner integration, better water resistance, self-healing tyres, finer brake feel, integrated indicators, faster charging and a more mature app. None of those directly make you go faster or further, but they make living with the scooter nicer and, arguably, safer in the long run. Whether that's worth the price difference depends on how sensitive you are to creature comforts and refinement.
If your budget has a hard ceiling and you prioritise performance per euro, the GX2 is clearly the more rational choice. If you're willing to pay above that ceiling for a scooter that feels more cohesive and less like a bundle of high-spec parts, the Apollo starts to look more reasonable - just not exactly a bargain.
Service & Parts Availability
Apollo has built a reputation for taking customer feedback seriously and iterating on hardware and firmware relatively quickly. Their support in Europe is better than many smaller import brands, with reasonably accessible parts and a community that's already documented a lot of quirks and fixes. You're still dealing with an electric scooter company, not a premium car dealer, but the experience tends to be above the industry average.
GOTRAX, being a high-volume brand, can be a bit of a lottery. You do benefit from scale: lots of units sold means lots of parts floating around and plenty of unofficial knowledge online. But you also see mixed stories about support responsiveness and warranty handling. They have improved over the years, but expectations should be set at "serviceable", not "white-glove". In Europe, availability of official parts is acceptable but not outstanding.
For long-term peace of mind and a smoother support experience, the Apollo has the more reassuring track record. The GX2 counters by being cheaper in the first place - if you're handy with tools and don't mind getting your hands dirty, that may matter less.
Pros & Cons Summary
| Apollo City Pro | GOTRAX GX2 |
|---|---|
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Cons
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Cons
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Parameters Comparison
| Parameter | Apollo City Pro | GOTRAX GX2 |
|---|---|---|
| Motor power (rated) | Dual 500 W (2 motors) | Dual 800 W (2 motors) |
| Top speed | ≈ 51,5 km/h | ≈ 56,3 km/h |
| Battery capacity | 960 Wh (48 V, 20 Ah) | 960 Wh (48 V, 20 Ah) |
| Claimed max range | ≈ 69,2 km (Eco) | ≈ 64,4 km |
| Typical real-world range | ≈ 40-50 km | ≈ 35-45 km |
| Weight | 29,5 kg | 34,5 kg |
| Brakes | Dual drum + regen throttle | Front & rear disc + e-brake |
| Suspension | Front spring + dual rear springs | Dual spring (front & rear) |
| Tyres | 10" tubeless self-healing pneumatic | 10" x 3" pneumatic |
| Max rider load | 120 kg | 136 kg |
| IP rating | IP66 | IP54 |
| Charging time | ≈ 4,5 h | ≈ 7 h |
| Approx. price | ≈ 1.649 € | ≈ 1.391 € |
Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?
The Apollo City Pro is the scooter you buy if you want your daily ride to feel integrated, tidy and slightly posh. It's smoother, quieter in its behaviour, better in the rain and more thoughtful in its safety and UX details. It still has its annoyances - weight, price and that slightly fussy folding hook - but as a "serious urban vehicle" it feels well-rounded, if a little overpriced for the actual performance you get.
The GOTRAX GX2 is the scooter you buy when you look at the Apollo's price tag, raise an eyebrow and say, "I'd rather my money went into motors." It's heavier, rougher around the edges and not as elegant, but it delivers stronger acceleration, excellent hill capability and very solid ride comfort for less money. You accept the long charge time, mediocre app and quirks like Park Mode because the core ride is fun and capable.
If your priorities are power, value and you don't mind living with a few rough edges, the GX2 is the more compelling overall package. If you ride a lot in bad weather, want integrated turn signals, faster charging and a scooter that feels more refined than fast, the Apollo City Pro makes sense - just know that you're paying a premium for polish rather than outright performance.
Numbers Freaks Corner
| Metric | Apollo City Pro | GOTRAX GX2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price per Wh (€/Wh) | ❌ 1,72 €/Wh | ✅ 1,45 €/Wh |
| Price per km/h of top speed (€/km/h) | ❌ 32,03 €/km/h | ✅ 24,69 €/km/h |
| Weight per Wh (g/Wh) | ✅ 30,73 g/Wh | ❌ 35,94 g/Wh |
| Weight per km/h (kg/km/h) | ✅ 0,57 kg/km/h | ❌ 0,61 kg/km/h |
| Price per km of real-world range (€/km) | ❌ 36,64 €/km | ✅ 34,78 €/km |
| Weight per km of real-world range (kg/km) | ✅ 0,66 kg/km | ❌ 0,86 kg/km |
| Wh per km efficiency (Wh/km) | ✅ 21,33 Wh/km | ❌ 24,00 Wh/km |
| Power to max speed ratio (W/km/h) | ❌ 19,42 W/km/h | ✅ 28,41 W/km/h |
| Weight to power ratio (kg/W) | ❌ 0,0295 kg/W | ✅ 0,0216 kg/W |
| Average charging speed (W) | ✅ 213,33 W | ❌ 137,14 W |
These metrics put hard numbers on things you feel intuitively on the road. The price-related rows show how much you pay for each unit of battery, speed or range. The weight-based metrics capture how much mass you're dragging around for that performance, which matters both for efficiency and your back on the stairs. Efficiency (Wh/km) tells you how gently each scooter sips from the battery at realistic ranges, while the power and charging metrics highlight which machine turns watts into speed more aggressively, and which one spends less time tethered to a wall socket.
Author's Category Battle
| Category | Apollo City Pro | GOTRAX GX2 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | ✅ Lighter, slightly less brutal | ❌ Noticeably heavier to lift |
| Range | ✅ Slightly better real range | ❌ Uses more juice |
| Max Speed | ❌ Slightly slower top end | ✅ Faster, more headroom |
| Power | ❌ Respectable but restrained | ✅ Stronger motors, more shove |
| Battery Size | ✅ Same capacity, better use | ✅ Same capacity, more punch |
| Suspension | ✅ More polished, well tuned | ❌ Good, but less refined |
| Design | ✅ Sleek, integrated, award-worthy | ❌ Functional, industrial brute |
| Safety | ✅ IP66, signals, self-healing | ❌ Lacks signals, lower IP |
| Practicality | ✅ Faster charge, better weather | ❌ Heavier, longer charging |
| Comfort | ✅ Smoother, better ergonomics | ❌ Comfortable but more basic |
| Features | ✅ App, signals, regen throttle | ❌ Fewer smart features |
| Serviceability | ✅ Drums, tubeless, less faff | ❌ More wear items, heavier |
| Customer Support | ✅ Generally better reputation | ❌ More mixed experiences |
| Fun Factor | ❌ Civilised, slightly muted | ✅ Punchy, more hooligan |
| Build Quality | ✅ More cohesive, fewer rattles | ❌ Solid but less refined |
| Component Quality | ✅ Higher-end finishing touches | ❌ More cost-cut compromises |
| Brand Name | ✅ Premium-leaning commuter image | ❌ Budget-brand perception |
| Community | ✅ Engaged, feedback-driven users | ✅ Huge, mainstream user base |
| Lights (visibility) | ✅ 360° with turn signals | ❌ Good, but basic |
| Lights (illumination) | ✅ Strong, well-aimed headlight | ❌ Adequate, less refined |
| Acceleration | ❌ Smooth but calmer | ✅ Sharper, more thrilling |
| Arrive with smile factor | ❌ Satisfying, not exhilarating | ✅ Grin-inducing launches |
| Arrive relaxed factor | ✅ Calmer, more composed | ❌ More intense, busier ride |
| Charging speed | ✅ Much quicker top-up | ❌ Long overnight charges |
| Reliability | ✅ Mature design, good feedback | ❌ Fine, but brand patchy |
| Folded practicality | ✅ Slightly lighter, smaller bars | ❌ Heavier, awkward stem |
| Ease of transport | ✅ Less horrible on stairs | ❌ Brutal to carry |
| Handling | ✅ More precise, predictable | ❌ Stable but more cumbersome |
| Braking performance | ✅ Very controlled, regen-focused | ❌ Strong, less nuanced |
| Riding position | ✅ Well-sorted stance | ❌ Good, slightly less refined |
| Handlebar quality | ✅ Wider, nicer cockpit | ❌ Functional, less premium |
| Throttle response | ✅ Smooth, controllable ramp | ❌ More abrupt, less subtle |
| Dashboard/Display | ✅ Clear, integrated feel | ❌ Harder to read in sun |
| Security (locking) | ✅ App lock, integrated feel | ❌ Basic, no extras |
| Weather protection | ✅ IP66, better for rain | ❌ IP54, more limited |
| Resale value | ✅ Holds value reasonably | ❌ Budget brand depreciates |
| Tuning potential | ❌ More locked-down system | ✅ Strong motors, mod-friendly |
| Ease of maintenance | ✅ Drums, self-healing tyres | ❌ More frequent wear parts |
| Value for Money | ❌ Premium price, modest gains | ✅ Strong performance per euro |
Overall Winner Declaration
In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the APOLLO City Pro scores 5 points against the GOTRAX GX2's 5. In the Author's Category Battle, the APOLLO City Pro gets 32 ✅ versus 9 ✅ for GOTRAX GX2.
Totals: APOLLO City Pro scores 37, GOTRAX GX2 scores 14.
Based on the scoring, the APOLLO City Pro is our overall winner. Riding both back-to-back, the GX2 feels like the scooter that gives you more of the "why I bought this thing" feeling: the stronger surge, the hills that suddenly stop being obstacles, the sense that you squeezed real performance out of a sensible budget. It's not the prettiest or the most polished, but it does the core job with a big, unapologetic grin. The Apollo City Pro is easier to live with day after day - calmer, smarter in bad weather and clearly more thoughtfully put together - but it never quite shakes the sense that you're paying a noticeable premium for niceness rather than for capability. If you want the complete emotional package of power, fun and decent value, the GOTRAX GX2 edges ahead; if your heart leans toward refinement and rainy-day commuting, the Apollo will quietly make more sense every time the clouds roll in.
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.