Apollo Explore 20 vs Hiboy X300 - Which "Comfort Commuter" Actually Deserves Your Money?

Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)

The Hiboy X300 edges out overall as the more sensible buy for most riders: it rides comfortably, feels stable on terrible city streets, and undercuts the Apollo Explore 20 on price while still offering a grown-up, confidence-inspiring experience. The Apollo Explore 20 fights back with stronger performance, a more refined software package, and vastly better weather protection, but its price and weight creep into "I expected a bit more" territory.

Choose the Hiboy X300 if you want maximum comfort and stability per euro and don't care about fancy apps or ultimate water-sealing. Choose the Apollo Explore 20 if you value stronger acceleration, higher-end integration, and year-round, all-weather commuting, and you're willing to pay for those niceties.

If you can spare a few minutes, the devil - and the decision - is in the details below.

Both the Apollo Explore 20 and the Hiboy X300 sit in that increasingly crowded "serious adult commuter, but not a death machine" class. They promise real transport rather than toy-like dabbling, and both lean heavily on comfort instead of headline top speed.

I've put proper kilometres on both - over broken pavements, wet tram tracks, and the usual car-door slalom - and they're very clearly chasing the same rider: someone who wants a plush, planted scooter that can replace short car or public transport trips. One sentence each? The Apollo Explore 20 is for the tech-loving all-weather commuter who wants polish and punch. The Hiboy X300 is for the pothole survivor who just wants big wheels, comfort and value.

On paper, they look like siblings. On the road, their priorities - and compromises - are quite different. Let's dig in.

Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?

Both scooters live in the mid-range price band where expectations are... let's say "ambitious". Riders want real range, real comfort, decent speed, and at least the illusion of premium quality - without paying hyper-scooter money.

The Apollo Explore 20 aims to be a "super commuter": serious speed for city limits, long daily range, heavy-duty frame, sophisticated app, and a suspension package that tries to justify its mass and price. It is clearly pitched as a primary vehicle substitute, not an occasional toy.

The Hiboy X300 instead plays the "SUV of scooters" card: big wheels, simple hardware, and a strong emphasis on comfort and stability for less money. It makes fewer promises about being cutting-edge and more about not rattling your skeleton apart on awful city streets.

They share similar battery voltage, similar claimed range, similar top-speed territory, and very similar rider weight limits. If you're shopping for a comfortable, mid-range city scooter and you're allergic to solid tyres, these two are natural rivals.

Design & Build Quality

In the hand, these scooters feel quite different. The Apollo Explore 20 has a tubular steel frame that wraps around the deck, giving it a solid, almost industrial vibe. It feels cohesive and purpose-built, with clean cable routing and a folding mechanism that locks up reassuringly tight. The finish is smart and modern: it looks like a product designed by a brand that cares about aesthetics and software integration, not a generic rebrand.

The Hiboy X300, on the other hand, is more straightforward: thick stem, wide deck, big 12-inch wheels that visually dominate the scooter. It looks robust and "vehicle-ish" rather than sleek - more urban utility than gadget. The welds and plastics are decent, if not exactly luxury. Nothing about it screams premium, but nothing screams "wishful thinking" either.

Where Apollo clearly wins is the perceived refinement. The cockpit, display and integrated lighting feel like one system rather than a bag of parts. Doors close with more of a "thunk" than a "clink", so to speak. Hiboy plays in a lower price bracket and you can feel that: it's solid enough, but you're reminded you bought a value brand whenever you look closely at some components and finishing.

However, Apollo's more sophisticated design brings more complexity - more things to potentially rattle or need firmware love over time - while Hiboy's simpler, chunkier approach feels pleasantly basic in a "fewer points of failure" way. One feels more premium; the other feels more brutally honest.

Ride Comfort & Handling

If comfort is your number one, both of these annihilate basic solid-tyre commuters - but they go about it differently.

The Apollo Explore 20 leans heavily on its triple spring suspension and 10-inch tubeless pneumatic tyres with self-healing gel. The ride is undeniably plush. Over broken tarmac, the deck floats rather than chatters, and expansion joints that would normally sting your knees become a dull thud. On badly patched city streets, you feel the scooter working under you, absorbing the abuse before it reaches your spine.

The Hiboy X300 has a front suspension fork, but the real stars are the 12-inch pneumatic tyres. Big wheels simply change the game: curbs, cracks and tram tracks that would unsettle 8,5-inch setups are almost boringly manageable. Add the wide deck, and the X300 gives you a very "planted" feeling, more like a lightweight moped than a toy scooter.

Handling-wise, the Apollo feels a bit more agile and sportier. Turn-in is quicker, and the steering feels a touch more precise when you're carving through traffic or winding down a cycle path. The suspension also helps keep the tyres in contact with the ground in choppy corners, which adds confidence at higher speeds.

The Hiboy X300 trades some of that flickability for stability. The big wheels and wide footprint make it calmer at speed and delightfully forgiving if your line through a pothole field isn't perfect. It's less playful, more relaxed cruiser. After a long day, the X300 is the one that lets you switch your brain off a bit and just roll, whereas the Apollo invites you to ride a bit more actively.

Performance

This is where Apollo stretches its legs. The Explore 20's motor and controller combo deliver significantly stronger acceleration than the Hiboy. It doesn't snap your neck, but it surges forward in a way that has you clearing junctions cleanly and overtaking slower riders with ease. Ludo mode in particular makes it feel like a "mini-Phantom" - tame compared to a proper dual-motor beast, but lively for a commuter. Hills that make many mid-range scooters whimper are dispatched with a firm, determined pull rather than a slow grind.

The Hiboy X300's motor is more modest. From a standstill, it gets you moving briskly enough for urban use, but you never forget you're on a single mid-power motor with comfort as the brief. Acceleration is smooth, not dramatic. It's happy up to its top speed, but you don't get that extra reservoir of "go" if you're trying to blast past a line of traffic. On steeper climbs, especially with heavier riders, the X300 starts to lose its puff more obviously than the Apollo.

Top-speed sensation also differs. The Explore 20 feels composed close to its ceiling, and the suspension plus frame stiffness keep wobble under control. You're aware you're going fast for a scooter, but you don't feel like you're surfing chaos. The Hiboy X300, with its lower top speed and big wheels, actually feels very secure at its limit; the limitation is simply that it runs out of "oomph" sooner. For many city riders, that's plenty. For anyone with a taste for power, it will feel conservative.

Braking tells a similar story of philosophy rather than outright superiority. Apollo uses front drum plus strong regenerative braking on a separate throttle. The regen does most of the everyday work and feels smooth and intuitive once you get used to modulating it with your thumb. It's not a "grabby" setup, more like a strong engine brake with a mechanical backup.

Hiboy goes with a rear mechanical disc plus electronic motor braking. When dialled in properly, it offers reassuring bite and a more familiar bicycle-like lever feel. The catch? Many riders report needing to tweak it out of the box to avoid rub or sponginess. Once sorted, stopping power is completely adequate for its performance level, but there is more faff up front compared with Apollo's sealed drums and beefy regen.

Battery & Range

On paper, they're suspiciously similar: both run 48 V systems with comparable capacity, and both trumpet roughly the same "lab fantasy" range figure. Out in the wild, ridden by actual humans, the story is more nuanced.

The Apollo Explore 20 is reasonably efficient for its performance. Ride like most people do - a mix of brisk cruising, full-throttle bursts, some hills - and you get a solid, real-world commute there and back for most city use. You can push it into proper "full day of errands" territory if you're gentle. The battery readout and power delivery near empty are well managed: it doesn't suddenly fall on its face, it gently tapers, giving you ample warning that it's time to head home.

The Hiboy X300, with its slightly lower performance ceiling and big but not crazy-tread tyres, also delivers very respectable real-world range. Typical riders land in that same "comfortable daily commuting without anxiety" zone. Its higher-voltage pack and modern cells help it cruise efficiently at its natural pace, and if you stay in the lower modes instead of hammering Sport everywhere, it comfortably stretches into leisure-ride distance.

Charging times are broadly similar: both are overnight or workday charging affairs with the included chargers. Neither is a "lunchtime top-up and go" champion. Apollo does offer faster charging options at extra cost, which is nice if you're a heavy user, but again: you pay for the privilege.

In short: range is not the deciding factor here. Both are firmly in the "good enough for real commuting" bucket. The Apollo lets you enjoy more performance within that envelope; the Hiboy squeezes solid distance out of a more modest motor.

Portability & Practicality

Let's be honest: neither of these is what you'd call "featherweight". If you're planning to carry a scooter like a briefcase, you're shopping in the wrong aisle.

The Apollo Explore 20 is clearly the heavier of the two, and you feel every kilo the moment you try to haul it up stairs or onto a train. The folding mechanism is robust and gives you a compact length, but the non-folding handlebars mean its footprint is still chunky in narrow hallways or crammed car boots. If you have ground-floor storage, a lift, or a garage, it's fine. If not, you'll very quickly start rethinking your life choices - or your gym membership.

The Hiboy X300 is a bit lighter and just a touch easier to wrangle, but the big 12-inch wheels and wide deck mean it still occupies serious physical space. Folded, it's shorter than it looks but taller and bulkier than many people expect. It's not horrible to lift for a single flight of stairs, but repeated carrying - especially in a suit or work clothes - will get old fast.

Practically, both are best suited as "roll from your door to your destination" scooters, not constant folding-carrying companions. Apollo scores with its very high weather rating and low-maintenance drums and tubeless self-healing tyres, which make it an excellent daily workhorse you barely need to touch with tools. Hiboy keeps things simpler but demands you stay on top of tyre pressure and that initial brake setup. Day to day, the Apollo feels a bit more "own it like a car"; the Hiboy feels more "own it like a sturdy bicycle" - occasional tinkering expected.

Safety

Safety is a rare area where both manufacturers actually tried - and it shows.

The Apollo Explore 20 is a visibility monster. The high-mounted stem light, deck lighting, rear light and integrated turn signals make you very hard to miss in traffic. The elevated beam position is particularly useful in cities full of SUVs, as it aims right at drivers' eyelines rather than politely illuminating their bumpers. Add the excellent grip from the tubeless tyres and the confidently stable chassis at speed, and it feels genuinely reassuring in grim weather or darkness.

The braking strategy, with regen on a thumb control and sealed drums, is a quiet win for safety: you're less likely to be dealing with bent rotors, contaminated pads or fading brakes in the rain. It's more about consistent, predictable deceleration than dramatic single-finger stoppies, and for commuting, that's a sensible choice.

The Hiboy X300 counters with sheer mechanical stability. Its giant wheels shrug off many of the small hazards that actually crash scooter riders: gaps, rails, pothole lips, nasty little stones that grab small tyres. That one trait alone prevents plenty of accidents. The lighting is decent and, crucially, you get bright turn signals plus audible confirmation, which stops you tootling around with indicators stuck on indefinitely. For shared paths, the loud bell is a nice real-world detail.

Its braking, when correctly adjusted, has good bite, but because the rear disc is exposed to the elements and the factory setup can be hit-and-miss, there is slightly more owner involvement required to keep it at its best. The IPX5 rating is fine for wet roads and light rain, but doesn't invite quite the same "whatever the sky throws at me" confidence as Apollo's much higher rating.

In essence: Apollo leans into electronics, sealing and visibility; Hiboy leans into physics and wheel size. Both are safer than the average budget toy, but Apollo plays the long game better if you're riding in truly foul weather regularly.

Community Feedback

Price & Value

The uncomfortable truth for Apollo is that they're asking noticeably more money than Hiboy here. And while you do get meaningful upgrades - better weather sealing, a more powerful motor, more sophisticated control electronics, app tuning, and a very polished overall package - you're firmly in the zone where riders start comparing not just to Hiboy, but to other serious brands and even entry-level dual-motor machines.

The Explore 20 does justify a premium over generic offerings through ride quality and thoughtful details. But by the time you look at the sticker and the weight, you can't help thinking: "This had better last a very long time." As a daily commuter workhorse, it probably will, but it doesn't feel like an outrageous bargain - more like a fair, slightly aspirational purchase.

The Hiboy X300, conversely, plays the value card very aggressively. For its asking price, getting those huge pneumatic wheels, front suspension, a decent battery, and a proper lighting and signalling package is genuinely impressive. You're not paying for brand glamour or heavy app development; you're paying for hardware that makes bad roads tolerable.

If you're purely value-driven, the Hiboy is simply easier to swallow. The Apollo has the better spec sheet and refinement; the Hiboy has the better price-to-smiles ratio for the average commuter who just wants a comfortable, capable ride.

Service & Parts Availability

Apollo has worked hard on building a proper brand presence, with structured support, parts distribution and a vocal community. That translates into relatively easy access to replacement components and clear documentation, plus firmware updates and app support. Early years were rocky, but things are much better now, especially in markets where Apollo has dedicated partners.

Hiboy comes from the budget-first world, but has matured considerably. Parts for mainstream models like the X300 are accessible enough through their own channels and third parties, and reported response to tickets has improved. Still, the overall ecosystem feels a bit more "Amazon brand" than "own service network": it works, but you wouldn't call it polished.

When something does break, the Apollo's more modular, brand-specific construction and better documentation make life easier for DIY-inclined owners. On the Hiboy, many bike shops can help with mechanical bits like brakes and tyres, but anything electronic tends to be more "ship and wait" with the brand.

Pros & Cons Summary

Parameters Comparison

Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?

Both scooters answer the same brief - "I want a comfortable, serious commuter that doesn't feel like a toy" - but they solve it with different personalities.

The Apollo Explore 20 is the right choice if you want a scooter that feels like a carefully engineered product rather than a collection of parts. It rides beautifully, accelerates with real conviction, shrugs off foul weather, and demands very little maintenance thanks to its sealed brakes and tubeless self-healing tyres. If your commute is your lifeline and you're out in all seasons, the Explore 20 makes a solid case for its higher price, provided you can live with the bulk and don't need to carry it far.

The Hiboy X300 is the better fit if you're primarily battling bad roads, not bad weather, and you care more about comfort and stability per euro than bleeding-edge features. Its huge wheels and wide deck make it ridiculously forgiving over terrible infrastructure, and it offers a legitimately relaxing ride without brutalising your wallet. Yes, you sacrifice some power, polish and weather sealing, and you'll likely have to tweak the brakes, but as a practical, comfortable city runabout, it's a very compelling package.

If I had to put my own money down for a typical urban rider who wants comfort, safety and sanity in their budget, the Hiboy X300 edges it. If I were commuting hard, in all conditions, and cared about that extra performance and refinement, I'd grit my teeth at the price and weight - and go Apollo.

Numbers Freaks Corner

These metrics strip the scooters down to pure maths: how much you pay per unit of energy, speed, range, or power; how much weight you carry per unit of performance; and how quickly the battery refills. Lower cost and weight numbers are better for efficiency and practicality, while higher power ratios and charging speeds favour performance and uptime. As you can see, Hiboy wins most efficiency and value metrics, while Apollo wins where raw power relative to its speed is concerned.

Author's Category Battle

Overall Winner Declaration

In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the APOLLO Explore 20 scores 2 points against the HIBOY X300's 8. In the Author's Category Battle, the APOLLO Explore 20 gets 32 ✅ versus 11 ✅ for HIBOY X300 (with a few ties sprinkled in).

Totals: APOLLO Explore 20 scores 34, HIBOY X300 scores 19.

Based on the scoring, the APOLLO Explore 20 is our overall winner. Looked at with a rider's heart rather than a spreadsheet, the Hiboy X300 is the scooter that makes the most everyday sense: it smooths out ugly roads, feels reassuringly stable, and doesn't demand a frightening bank transfer to get there. The Apollo Explore 20 is the more sophisticated and capable machine, but it also asks you to accept serious weight and a steeper price for that extra polish and punch. If you crave power, refinement and true all-weather readiness, the Apollo will make you grin every morning. If you just want to float over broken tarmac, spend less, and still feel you're on a proper vehicle rather than a toy, the Hiboy quietly wins the real-life commuting game.

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.