Fast Answer for Busy Riders ⚡ (TL;DR)
The MUKUTA 8 Plus is the overall winner here: it delivers serious dual-motor punch, clever practicality with its removable battery, and feels like a compact tank that actually earns every Euro you spend on it. The APOLLO City Pro answers with a smoother, more refined ride, better wet-weather confidence, and fantastic brakes and lighting, but you do pay a noticeable premium for that polish.
Choose the MUKUTA if you want maximum performance and robustness per euro, live in a flat or walk-up, and love the idea of a compact "pocket rocket" that shrugs off daily abuse. Go for the APOLLO City Pro if comfort, water resistance, and techy features matter more to you than price and you mostly roll from garage to lift, not up stairwells.
Both are capable daily commuters, but they solve the same problem with very different philosophies-and one of them feels like the smarter buy. Read on for the full breakdown before you drop four figures on your next ride.
There's a moment every scooter nut eventually reaches: when a basic single-motor commuter no longer cuts it, but you still don't want a gigantic 40-kg monster taking over your hallway. That's exactly where the MUKUTA 8 Plus and APOLLO City Pro come in-two scooters trying to be "real vehicles" without becoming ridiculous.
The MUKUTA 8 Plus is the compact street brawler: short wheelbase, small wheels, big attitude, and a removable battery that makes apartment life finally make sense. The APOLLO City Pro is the suave urban professional: bigger wheels, air tires, fancy regen braking, an app, and a body styled to sit comfortably next to a Tesla.
On paper, they're rivals. On the road, they couldn't feel more different. Let's dig into where each shines, where they stumble, and which one deserves your money.
Who Are These For, and Why Compare Them?
Both scooters sit in that "serious commuter" price tier: well above rental-scooter money, well below hyper-scooter madness. They target riders who want to replace big chunks of their car or public transport use, not just hop from the station to the office.
The APOLLO City Pro positions itself as a premium, design-driven daily vehicle: dual motors, big battery, large air tyres, long deck, strong water protection-aimed at someone happy to invest a bit more for comfort, safety, and polish.
The MUKUTA 8 Plus attacks the same use case from the other end: keep the chassis compact, crank the torque, make it bomb-proof, and then add that removable battery party trick so people in flats can finally own a serious scooter. It's a "high-performance compact", not a toy.
You'd cross-shop them if you:
- Want dual motors and real hill-climbing power
- Need something you can live with daily, not just on sunny Sundays
- Refuse to deal with punctures, or at least want them minimised
- Have around 1.200-1.700 € to spend and want to choose wisely
Design & Build Quality
Park them side by side and you instantly see the philosophy split.
The APOLLO City Pro looks like it was designed by a consumer electronics team: sleek stem, tidy internal cabling, sculpted deck with a rubber mat, and that distinctive single-sided front fork. It's the scooter equivalent of a well-cut suit-nothing sticks out, everything feels considered. It's dense and quiet; when you rock the stem, there's no play, no "Chinese hardware store" soundtrack.
The MUKUTA 8 Plus, in contrast, looks like something you'd find in a cyberpunk mechanic's garage. Chunky arms, thick deck, industrial finishes, and accent colours that say "I don't do subtle". But everything feels overbuilt in a good way: the frame is stiff, the stem clamp closes with a satisfying clunk, and there's a reassuring lack of rattles despite the folding handlebars and removable battery hatch.
Where the MUKUTA quietly impresses is functional design. That removable battery is integrated surprisingly cleanly; the deck is thicker, yes, but it doesn't look like someone just bolted a suitcase under your feet. The new stem clamp cures the old VSETT-style wobble that many of us learnt to hate. It feels like a tough tool first, pretty object second-and that's not a criticism.
The APOLLO fights back with little touches: the flush lighting, internal wiring, and rubber deck all scream "finished product". It feels more premium in hand, but not necessarily more robust; it's just more polished. If you like your scooter to look at home in a design magazine, APOLLO clearly wins that round. If you care more about hard-use durability than award-shelf appeal, the MUKUTA's brutalist charm is hard to argue with.
Ride Comfort & Handling
This is where their wheel choices define their character.
The APOLLO rolls on big, tubeless air tyres with a generous contact patch, backed up by a triple-spring suspension that's firm but forgiving. Over cracked city tarmac, expansion joints, and the usual manhole cover assault course, it glides. After 10-15 km of mixed riding, your knees and wrists still feel fresh. The scooter tracks straight at speed, and the wider bars make steering feel relaxed rather than twitchy.
The MUKUTA 8 Plus has the disadvantage-and advantage-of solid tyres. There's no pneumatic cushion, so you'd expect your spine to file a complaint. But the adjustable torsion suspension does frankly heroic work; for a solid-tyre scooter, it's impressively composed. On normal city surfaces and smooth bike lanes, it's genuinely comfortable. Hit rough, broken backstreets or cobbles, and you'll definitely be reminded what's under you-but it never feels loose or chattery, just firmer.
Handling wise, the smaller wheels on the MUKUTA make it feel more agile and "flickable". You can dart around pedestrians, thread gaps, and change lines quickly-it feels like an overpowered rental on steroids. The trade-off is that at higher speeds you need to be more deliberate; small wheels don't forgive inattentive steering or surprise potholes.
The APOLLO, with its larger tyres and longer wheelbase, is calmer and more planted. It loves sweeping curves and straight-line blasts more than tight slaloms. On fast descents or windy days, it's the one that feels more like a small motorbike and less like a toy.
Boiled down: if your city is glass-smooth and you crave nimble fun, the MUKUTA is a riot. If "city" for you means broken asphalt, tram tracks, and construction scars, the APOLLO pampers you more consistently.
Performance
Both scooters have dual motors with similar headline power, but they deliver it very differently.
The MUKUTA 8 Plus is the punchy one. Throttle it hard in the higher modes and the front wheel will try to scamper away from you. Off the line, it explodes forward, shooting to urban traffic speeds in a blink. In dense traffic, that instant torque is gold: you clear junctions quickly, slip past buses, and slot into gaps before drivers have really processed that the "little scooter" has gone.
Hill climbing is where the MUKUTA feels almost comical for its size. Steep climbs that torture single-motor commuters are dispatched without drama. It holds speed on ramps where you'd expect an 8-inch scooter to die a slow, wheezing death. It feels like someone shrunk a big scooter and forgot to tell the controllers.
The APOLLO City Pro, on the other hand, is smoother and more grown-up. Its dual motors pull strongly, but the acceleration curve is velvet. Instead of launching, it surges-confident, linear, and very controllable. You still reach illegal-in-many-places speeds quickly, but you don't get that same hooligan snap. Some will prefer this; if you're sharing lanes with traffic at higher speeds, it's nice not to feel like you're constantly on a hair trigger.
At the top end, the APOLLO has a bit more headroom. It cruises at higher speeds more comfortably, feeling composed rather than frantic. The MUKUTA can hit its claimed peak, but with those smaller wheels you're right on the edge of what feels sane; most riders will naturally settle into a slightly lower cruise where it feels locked-in and happy.
Braking is a clear philosophical split. The MUKUTA uses discs plus a fairly aggressive electronic brake; it stops hard, but out of the box you'll probably want to dial the regen back so it doesn't feel like you've hit a wall. Once tuned, it's powerful and reliable, very "mechanical" in feel.
The APOLLO's braking setup is one of the best in the commuter world. The separate regen throttle lets you control deceleration with absurd finesse-you can ride entire journeys barely touching the drum levers, gliding to smooth, repeatable stops while trickling energy back into the battery. It's wonderfully satisfying and confidence-inspiring, especially in the wet. Raw stopping distance between the two is comparable; the APOLLO just lets you shape your braking more elegantly.
Battery & Range
On paper, the APOLLO packs a noticeably bigger battery, and out on the road it shows. In normal "ride it like you bought it" mode-mix of speeds, some hills, a rider in the usual 75-90 kg band-you can comfortably get multiple commutes out of a charge. Range anxiety basically disappears for typical city distances, and the fast charging helps: plug it in at lunch and by late afternoon you're essentially back to full.
The MUKUTA 8 Plus doesn't go quite as far on a single pack when ridden with similar enthusiasm. Ride briskly and you're generally looking at a solid one-way+one-way scenario before you really want a wall socket. Push it constantly in the highest mode and that shrinks, as you'd expect.
But here's the twist: the MUKUTA lets you cheat. Because the battery slides out of the deck, you can treat it like a swappable power bank. Leave the scooter in a bike room, carry only the pack upstairs, and charge under your desk. Buy a second pack and your effective range doubles with a thirty-second pit stop. For apartment dwellers and long-haul weekend wanderers, that flexibility is honestly transformative.
Efficiency wise, the APOLLO's larger wheels and pneumatic tyres help it sip energy a little more gracefully at cruising speeds, whereas the MUKUTA's small, solid tyres are always working a bit harder against the road. You feel it in how quickly the battery gauge drops when you really thrash it.
Portability & Practicality
Neither of these is "throw over your shoulder and jog up the stairs" material. They're both in that sturdy, approaching-thirty-kilos territory where you plan your lifts rather than improvise them.
The APOLLO's weight feels centred and solid, but the non-folding wide handlebars and longer body make it somewhat awkward in tight spaces. Carrying it up more than a short run of stairs is a gym session, and getting it through narrow doors or into cramped lifts can require a bit of Tetris finesse. For car transport, it fits most boots, but you do notice that bar width.
The MUKUTA is almost as heavy, but the compact footprint and folding bars make it easier to live with in actual European hallway reality. It tucks under desks, into small car boots, and behind doors without dominating the space. You still won't enjoy lugging it up to the fourth floor, but at least the scooter itself can stay downstairs while the battery joins you.
Day-to-day practicality is where that removable battery again changes the game. If you have a bike room, shed, or locked courtyard, the MUKUTA is brilliant: lock the frame, carry four-odd kilos of battery, done. No wrestling a dirty frame through the flat. With the APOLLO, the whole scooter comes with you if there's no power where you park.
In terms of maintenance practicality, the APOLLO's drum brakes and self-healing tyres are almost "set and forget"-no pads to adjust often, far fewer puncture headaches. The MUKUTA's solid tyres mean punctures are literally impossible, but when you do need tyre work or suspension servicing, access can be a bit more fiddly due to the dense, compact layout.
Safety
Both scooters take safety seriously, but they prioritise different threats.
The APOLLO City Pro is clearly built with bad weather in mind. That high water-resistance rating is rare and genuinely useful: you can ride in serious rain without feeling like you're gambling with the electronics. The tubeless, self-healing tyres drastically cut the risk of sudden deflation drama. Add in a bright, usable headlight that actually illuminates the road, plus integrated turn signals at both ends, and it's one of the safest "be seen and stay upright" packages on the commuter market.
The MUKUTA 8 Plus counters with superb conspicuity. The stem and deck lighting make you look like an extra from Tron, in the best possible way, and the turn signals are actually visible rather than token. In traffic, you're hard to miss, especially from the side angles that most scooters ignore. The NFC immobiliser is a nice anti-joyrider touch too.
The elephant in the room is tyre type. MUKUTA's solid rubber eliminates blowouts-huge for safety at speed-but simply doesn't grip as well on wet paint, metal covers, or genuinely soaked tarmac. The suspension helps keep things controlled, but you still need to ride with extra margin in the rain: slower corner entries, smoother inputs, no heroics.
On braking, both are strong. The MUKUTA's discs plus regen give very sharp stopping if you've dialled them right, while the APOLLO's regen-first system allows beautifully modulated slowdowns and hard stops without drama. At higher speeds or on wet roads, the APOLLO's larger contact patch and rubber compound give it the edge in how "planted" it feels when you're really leaning on the brakes.
Community Feedback
| MUKUTA 8 Plus | APOLLO City Pro |
|---|---|
|
What riders love Explosive torque for a compact chassis; removable battery convenience; rock-solid stem; maintenance-free tyres; excellent suspension for solid wheels; bright, stylish lighting; sturdy overall feel; great hill performance; good value for the performance; low daily faff. |
What riders love Superb ride comfort; best-in-class regen braking feel; strong dual-motor hill power; premium, rattle-free build; serious water resistance; excellent lighting and indicators; low maintenance drums and self-healing tyres; fast charging; sleek design; app customisation. |
|
What riders complain about Heavier than it looks; solid tyres can be skittish in the wet; deck a bit short for big feet; occasional fender rattle; stock e-brake tuning too harsh; big potholes still felt; kickstand angle slightly precarious; noisy charger fan. |
What riders complain about Very heavy to carry upstairs; high purchase price; rear splash protection not perfect in heavy rain; folding hook a bit fiddly; kickstand picky on soft ground; some thumb-throttle fatigue on very long rides; wide bars awkward in tight spaces; loud charger fan. |
Price & Value
This is where the decision quietly crystallises for a lot of people.
The APOLLO City Pro sits firmly in premium territory. You're paying for the bigger battery, better wet-weather protection, more sophisticated suspension, and very polished ecosystem with app and fancy regen. For someone replacing a car or doing long, all-weather commutes, that premium can make emotional sense. But you are undeniably crossing a psychological line on price.
The MUKUTA 8 Plus undercuts it significantly while still delivering dual motors, serious suspension, great lighting, and that unique removable battery. You aren't paying for brand gloss; you're paying for hardware and clever engineering. Euro for Euro, the performance and capability per unit of money is simply stronger on the MUKUTA side. It feels like the deal you boast about to your scooter-nerd friends.
If your budget has hard edges, the APOLLO is a stretch; the MUKUTA feels like an intelligent sweet-spot buy that still gives you a very grown-up machine.
Service & Parts Availability
APOLLO as a brand has put a lot of effort into being "the nice guys" of the scooter world. They have structured support, regional partners, and are generally responsive when something goes wrong. Firmware updates, known-issue revisions, and clear documentation all add up to a smoother ownership experience, especially if you're not the type who enjoys wrenching.
MUKUTA benefits from its bloodline. Built by the same manufacturing ecosystem that gave us the Zero and VSETT ranges, it uses many familiar components that any competent scooter shop will recognise. Controllers, motors, and suspension bits are not exotic, and spares are not rare unicorns. Distribution in Europe is solid through various resellers, though the support experience can vary more depending on which shop you buy from.
If you value a tightly integrated brand-run service ecosystem, APOLLO edges ahead. If you're comfortable with a slightly more "enthusiast" support model but want easy access to generic parts for years to come, the MUKUTA is absolutely fine-and arguably simpler to keep alive in the long term.
Pros & Cons Summary
| MUKUTA 8 Plus | APOLLO City Pro |
|---|---|
Pros
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Pros
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Cons
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Cons
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Parameters Comparison
| Parameter | MUKUTA 8 Plus | APOLLO City Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Motor power (nominal) | Dual 600 W | Dual 500 W |
| Top speed | Ca. 44 km/h | Ca. 51,5 km/h |
| Manufacturer range claim | Bis ca. 70 km | Bis ca. 69,2 km |
| Realistic range (mixed riding) | Ca. 40 km | Ca. 45 km |
| Battery | 48 V 15,6 Ah (ca. 749 Wh), entnehmbar | 48 V 20 Ah (ca. 960 Wh) |
| Weight | Ca. 31 kg (typischer Mittelwert) | Ca. 29,5 kg |
| Brakes | Duale Scheiben + E-Rekuperation | Duale Trommeln + starke Rekuperation |
| Suspension | Vorne & hinten einstellbare Torsion | Vorderfeder + doppelte Hinterfedern |
| Tyres | 8-Zoll Vollgummi, pannensicher | 10-Zoll tubeless, selbstheilend |
| Max load | Ca. 120 kg | Ca. 120 kg |
| IP rating | Ca. IPX4-IPX5 | IP66 |
| Charging time | Ca. 6-8 h | Ca. 4,5 h |
| Price (street) | Ca. 1.187 € | Ca. 1.649 € |
Final Verdict - Which Should You Choose?
If you stripped the logos off both scooters and asked me which one I'd recommend to most riders with their own money, I'd point at the MUKUTA 8 Plus more often than not. It simply delivers a ridiculous amount of performance, robustness, and real-world practicality for its price. The removable battery is not a gimmick-it genuinely solves daily problems that keep many people from owning a "proper" scooter. Yes, the solid tyres are a compromise, but the suspension and overall package make that trade entirely reasonable, especially if flats are your personal nightmare.
The APOLLO City Pro is the more refined machine. If you ride long distances, in all weather, on terrible surfaces, and you appreciate app tweaks, posh regen, and that "finished product" vibe, it's a joy. But you pay a hefty premium for that joy, and for many riders, that extra spend won't actually translate into a dramatically better life with the scooter-just a slightly smoother one.
So: choose the MUKUTA 8 Plus if you want the most capable, hardest-working compact dual-motor scooter per euro, and especially if you live in a flat or value the idea of swappable batteries. Choose the APOLLO City Pro if you're the kind of rider who will exploit its comfort, range and wet-weather competence every single day, and you're happy to pay for polish. Both will put a grin on your face-but the MUKUTA will probably leave a bit more cash in your pocket while it does it.
Numbers Freaks Corner
| Metric | MUKUTA 8 Plus | APOLLO City Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price per Wh (€/Wh) | ✅ 1,59 €/Wh | ❌ 1,72 €/Wh |
| Price per km/h of top speed (€/km/h) | ✅ 26,98 €/km/h | ❌ 32,02 €/km/h |
| Weight per Wh (g/Wh) | ❌ 41,39 g/Wh | ✅ 30,73 g/Wh |
| Weight per km/h (kg/km/h) | ❌ 0,70 kg/km/h | ✅ 0,57 kg/km/h |
| Price per km of real-world range (€/km) | ✅ 29,68 €/km | ❌ 36,64 €/km |
| Weight per km of real-world range (kg/km) | ❌ 0,78 kg/km | ✅ 0,66 kg/km |
| Wh per km efficiency (Wh/km) | ✅ 18,73 Wh/km | ❌ 21,33 Wh/km |
| Power to max speed ratio (W/km/h) | ✅ 27,27 W/km/h | ❌ 19,42 W/km/h |
| Weight to power ratio (kg/W) | ✅ 0,0258 kg/W | ❌ 0,0295 kg/W |
| Average charging speed (W) | ❌ 107,0 W | ✅ 213,3 W |
These metrics put hard numbers on different aspects of efficiency and value: cost versus battery size and speed, how much weight you haul per unit of energy or range, how efficiently each scooter turns watt-hours into kilometres, how aggressively they deploy motor power, and how quickly they refill their batteries. They don't say which scooter is "better" overall-but they do reveal where each machine is mathematically more efficient or better optimised.
Author's Category Battle
| Category | MUKUTA 8 Plus | APOLLO City Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | ❌ Slightly heavier, denser feel | ✅ Marginally lighter, better ratio |
| Range | ❌ Solid but shorter stock | ✅ More real-world distance |
| Max Speed | ❌ Lower top end | ✅ Faster, more headroom |
| Power | ✅ Stronger real shove | ❌ Softer, more civilised |
| Battery Size | ❌ Smaller capacity | ✅ Bigger, longer legs |
| Suspension | ✅ Torsion works brilliantly | ❌ Good, but less controlled |
| Design | ❌ Industrial, more utilitarian | ✅ Sleek, award-friendly look |
| Safety | ❌ Solid tyres hurt wet grip | ✅ Better wet grip, IP rating |
| Practicality | ✅ Removable battery, compact fold | ❌ Fixed pack, wider bars |
| Comfort | ❌ Very good for solids | ✅ Plush, forgiving ride |
| Features | ❌ Fewer digital tricks | ✅ App, regen throttle, extras |
| Serviceability | ✅ Shared parts, easy sourcing | ❌ More proprietary hardware |
| Customer Support | ❌ Depends on reseller | ✅ Strong brand-backed support |
| Fun Factor | ✅ Hooligan "pocket rocket" feel | ❌ Smooth but less cheeky |
| Build Quality | ✅ Tank-like, very solid | ✅ Also excellent, very refined |
| Component Quality | ✅ Robust, proven parts | ✅ High-grade, well chosen |
| Brand Name | ❌ Newer, less mainstream | ✅ Strong, recognised brand |
| Community | ❌ Smaller but enthusiastic | ✅ Larger, active user base |
| Lights (visibility) | ✅ Tron-style, very visible | ✅ Excellent 360° package |
| Lights (illumination) | ❌ Good but not standout | ✅ Strong, road-usable beam |
| Acceleration | ✅ Sharper, more instant | ❌ Smoother, less punchy |
| Arrive with smile factor | ✅ Grin-inducing every ride | ❌ Satisfied, less giddy |
| Arrive relaxed factor | ❌ Slightly more physical | ✅ Calm, low-stress cruising |
| Charging speed | ❌ Slower to refill | ✅ Significantly faster charging |
| Reliability | ✅ Simple, rugged, low drama | ✅ Mature, proven after updates |
| Folded practicality | ✅ Short, bars fold in | ❌ Long, bars stay wide |
| Ease of transport | ✅ Compact shape helps | ❌ Bulkier, awkward indoors |
| Handling | ✅ Agile, playful steering | ✅ Stable, composed at speed |
| Braking performance | ✅ Strong, dual discs + regen | ✅ Excellent, super-controlled |
| Riding position | ❌ Short deck for tall riders | ✅ Roomier, more natural |
| Handlebar quality | ✅ Solid, foldable setup | ✅ Wide, very confidence-inspiring |
| Throttle response | ✅ Immediate, exciting | ✅ Smooth, nicely tuned |
| Dashboard/Display | ✅ Clear, functional | ✅ Integrated, modern look |
| Security (locking) | ✅ NFC immobiliser onboard | ❌ Mainly app lock only |
| Weather protection | ❌ OK, not fully sealed | ✅ Truly rain-ready rating |
| Resale value | ❌ Good but more niche | ✅ Stronger brand pull |
| Tuning potential | ✅ Familiar platform, easy mods | ❌ More closed ecosystem |
| Ease of maintenance | ✅ Solid tyres, shared parts | ✅ Drums, self-healing tyres |
| Value for Money | ✅ Outstanding spec for price | ❌ Great, but pricey jump |
Overall Winner Declaration
In the Numbers Freaks Corner, the MUKUTA 8 Plus scores 6 points against the APOLLO City Pro's 4. In the Author's Category Battle, the MUKUTA 8 Plus gets 22 ✅ versus 27 ✅ for APOLLO City Pro (with a few ties sprinkled in).
Totals: MUKUTA 8 Plus scores 28, APOLLO City Pro scores 31.
Based on the scoring, the APOLLO City Pro is our overall winner. In the end, the MUKUTA 8 Plus feels like the more honest, hard-working machine: it pulls harder than it has any right to, shrugs off daily abuse, and quietly makes life easier with that removable battery, all without torching your bank account. The APOLLO City Pro is wonderfully refined and genuinely luxurious to ride, but for most riders it's a "nice to have" upgrade rather than a "must have" leap. If you want something that makes every commute feel like you got away with something slightly naughty, the MUKUTA is the one that keeps you grinning. The APOLLO will look after you beautifully-but the MUKUTA is the scooter you'll talk about to your friends.
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.