Apollo Ghost Electric Scooter Review

A leading choice among high-end scooters, the Apollo Ghost comes with raging power, an eye-blinding top speed of around 34 mph (54 km/h), and an impressive range of up to 39 miles (62 km). 

Apollo has a long and illustrious history of producing high-quality electric scooters and has been instrumental in growing the electric scooter industry with its affordable, high-end range of eScooters. Released in 2020, the Apollo Ghost is the least expensive dual motor electric scooter released by the company, providing unprecedented power per dollar ratio in its price category.

The Ghost builds on the glory of the best-selling, higher-end, higher-performing Apollo Pro series, serving the same level of quality, reliability, and safety as its predecessors.  It boasts premium suspension and breathtaking acceleration, all packed in a refined, smaller, and more compact package. The Apollo Ghost also introduces several in-demand electric scooter features, including deck lighting, collapsible handlebars, dedicated footrest, keyed-ignition with a voltmeter, and much more.

Apollo Ghost – The Lowdown

The Apollo Ghost electric scooter is a magnificent show of craftsmanship- an electric scooter with a real presence. The scooter strikes a delicate balance of performance, quality, and safety, with the utmost power-for-cost value. Ideally, the scooter is a mid-range scooter, but without the cheapskate antiques that most manufacturers employ to drive down production costs. In fact, it has the least plastic composition of the scooters in its price category. The scooter is by all means streetworthy with its fantastic performance features, stellar build, and swag appearance.

The Ghost is aptly named as it features a skeletal frame that allows you to see through the neck, swing arms, and fender supports. What’s more, this release from Apollo foregoes the company’s signature blue accentuated highlights for a more black and white ghost-themed finish (get it?). As well, like any ghost, the Apollo goes up hills and inclines like it’s trying to levitate- with incredible ease. The skeletal frame lowers the scooter’s weight, rendering it highly portable, which is a welcome improvement to the beefy Apollo Pro series.

An averagely priced scooter, if £1,499 ($2,124) is considered as average, calls for some costly compromises- but not the Ghost. Packed with springy shock absorbers, a sturdy frame, fine-tuned braking and acceleration, zippy speeds, and an abundance of high-end scooter features, the Ghost screams Steal, not Boo! Read on to find out more about this incredible showcase of scooting ingenuity on this Apollo Ghost review.

Apollo Ghost Specifications

Apollo Ghost Cons

Deck covering doesn’t offer sufficient grip in wet conditions

It falls short of range when compared to other electric scooters in the same price range.

Underdamped dual suspension

Apollo Ghost Summary

 Released on Halloween 2020, the Ghost does not fall short of ghost puns, and we do appreciate a little humour. After all, scooting should be fun. The Apollo Ghost is an excellent electric scooter ideal for both beginner and experienced scooter riders. It features a unique sleek design draped in muted black colour. The scooter is quite pretty compared to the tanky, rugged “ugly” look of similar high-performance electric scooters. The frame is constructed with forged aluminium which contributes to its light weight and facilitates a sturdy ride even at high speeds.

The deck is pretty spacious, allowing riders to find a natural and comfortable stance for maximum stability and comfort while riding. The foldable handlebar is of the right length (41’’) and features locking ergonomic grips at the ends for maximum ride comfort. The handlebar harbours the scooter’s functional features for easy access and overall control. The right side of the handlebar is fitted with a QS-S4 display allowing you to easily monitor your speed, riding mode, trip, and battery even under direct sunlight. You can also access the P-settings to configure several aspects of the scooter, including the throttle power and regenerative braking.

Aside from the plush LCD display, the handlebar also features a trigger throttle attached to the display, single/dual motor and eco/turbo button switches on the right side, and key-start ignition with a voltmeter and a bell on the left-hand side. The display also constitutes a USB port to charge your mobile device or your GoPro.

The Apollo Ghost is a serious performer with dual 800W producing a combined 1600W nominal power output and 2000W peak output. With such intense power, the motors offer a top speed of 34 mph (54 km/h) with a 25-degrees hill-climbing capability at full performance. The 52V 18.2aH Dynavolt battery provides a fantastic range of 39 miles (62 km) on Eco mode and 14 miles (23 km) on Turbo mode-just enough range to see you make a round trip from home to work/school and back. The battery takes 12 hours to charge fully. Still, the charging time can be reduced to half with the option of simultaneously using regular dual chargers (scooter has dual charging ports) or a fast charger bought separately.

The Ghost offers you vast choices when it comes to speed and power based on your terrain, size, and preferred power. There are three riding modes along with an Eco or Turbo mode. To contain the enormous power and speed and make for a safe ride, the scooter leverages a dual braking system consisting of front and back disc brakes and regenerative electric braking. As such, you’re assured of braking even in wet conditions. The scooter is also safe to ride at night thanks to the combination of dual front lights, dual rear lights with braking alert, and blue LED deck lighting offering maximum visibility at night and in low light conditions.

The dual spring suspension, 10-inch pneumatic tyres, spacious deck, and ergonomic handlebars ensure the scooter offers a comfortable riding experience. Despite weighing a whopping 64 lbs. (29 Kg), the Ghost is amazingly portable thanks to outstanding portability features, including folding handlebars and built-in fold and lock mechanism allowing the stem to remain attached to the deck, even when folded. This allows the Ghost to be carried and picked up with ease.

Whether you are a seasoned rider or a novice looking to switch to a more robust and fast scooter with handy features, the Apollo Ghost electric scooter is a great fit. With a starting price of approximately  £1,499 ($2,124), the Ghost may just be the best bang you can get for your buck in a dual-motor electric scooter.  Here’s a more comprehensive Apollo Ghost Review.

Performance Overview

The Apollo Ghost electric scooter is made for performance, coming with dual 52V 800W brushless motors that provide a combined 1600W total power and 2000W peak power. The power is enough to propel the scooter to a top speed of 34 mph (54 km/h) and comfortably tackle inclines of up to 25 degrees. Real-world tests under optimum conditions have shown the scooter to reach a higher top speed of 38.4 mph (61.8 km/h), while a heavier rider reaching 36 mph (58 km/h) with all other factors held constant. As well, the Ghost tackles a 200 ft (61 m) distance on a 10% hill grade in 8.7 seconds- scary impressive!

The scooter boasts zippy acceleration with a manufacturer cited 0 to 15 mph (24 km/h) in 3.1 seconds and 0 to 25 mph (40 km/h) in just 5.3 seconds. However, real-world tests have been run to show 0-15 mph (24 km/h) in 2.3 seconds, 0-20 mph (32 km/h) in 3.6 seconds, and 0-30 mph (40 km/h) in 5.3 seconds. The Ghost outperforms the widely popular Kaabo Mantis and Zero 10X on this front. Take maximum caution by wearing the appropriate gear, including a helmet, and comply with the set speed limit in most urban areas. However, Apollo also caters to the need for precise braking. A brake test puts the Ghost decelerating from 15 mph (24 km/h) to a complete stop at an incredible stopping distance of 3.2 m.

Top Speed & Acceleration

The Ghost advertises a top speed of 34 mph (54 km/h), but some users have reported speeds as high as 38.4 mph (61.8 km/h). The scooter is out-of-this-world fast, and riders should be very keen when operating the throttle, especially when launching from a dead stop to avoid being thrown off. Preferably start with a lower gear and shift accordingly. Note that the top speed reduces with a decrease in the battery charge. Full charge means full performance.

The Ghost accelerates from a manufacturer-cited 0-15 mph (24 km/h) in just 3.1 seconds and 0-25 mph (40 km/h) in 5.3 seconds. At the fastest speed mode, i.e., Turbo mode on Gear 3 and setting P8 to 100% power, the scooter manages 0-30 mph (48 km/h) in just 9.22 seconds. The Ghost’s impressive acceleration beats other high-end scooters such as the Zero 10x, which surprisingly features dual 1000W motors. To say the least, the Ghost’s acceleration is the best in its class.

Hill Climbing

When it comes to tackling inclines, the Apollo Ghost’s high-torque motors may not be the most powerful, but the scooter is still an average hill-climbing champ. The scooter can tackle slopes of 25 degrees, less impressive when compared to other scooters in the same price range, such as The Varla Eagle one and Mantis Base that can tackle inclines of 30 degrees and over. 

Interestingly, the steepest city street in the world has a gradient of 19 degrees, i.e. Baldwin Street in New Zealand, you’ll rarely find yourself in situations where you need to conquer steep urban inclines past 25 degrees. To put this in context, Ghost’s max 25 degrees incline capability is just enough for your daily commuting needs. Off-roading is a different story altogether.

Battery Life & Range

The Apollo Ghost is fitted with a 52V 18.2 Ah battery pack encompassing 98 x 18650 (2600mah) Dynavolt Li-Ion cells. This translates to an incredible 946 Watt-hours battery capacity-the same battery you’ll find in the Apollo Explore, available for around £212 ($300) less. By choosing Li-Ion cells from Dynavolt-a global leader in manufacturing high-performance batteries for motorcycles, Apollo evidently decided to upgrade the Ghost to offer higher performance and range. The Dynavolt cells provide a competitive edge over LG and Samsung Li-Ion cells found in most high-end scooters. 

Thanks to the powerful battery, the scooter delivers an impressive 39 miles (62 Km) on conservative power settings and 14 miles (23 Km) on maximum power settings. Of course, the range is dependent on several factors, including the size and weight of the rider, steepness and type of the terrain, and the riding mode, whether Turbo or Eco mode. Such a range guarantees you enough battery for days depending on your commuting distance, terrain, and riding mode.

The battery takes 12 hours to charge to full, but the charging time can be reduced to 6 hours by using a fast charger or dual charger simultaneously connected to the two charging ports at the side of the deck. If using two chargers at once, Apollo recommends using chargers with the same rating. Avoid using a fast charger and a standard charger all at once, as this could easily damage the battery, and you’ll have to replace it sooner than should be necessary.

The battery also integrates a smart power management system to protect against common battery faults such as heat regulation, overvoltage, over-under-current, and much more. As such, you can expect the battery to last for a long time, up to 5 years, depending on how regularly you charge it. 

Motor Configuration

The Apollo Ghost is fitted with dual 52V 800W BLDC motors providing a combined 1600W total power and 2000W peak power. The motor power can be customized to either Eco mode or Turbo mode by switching on/off the yellow button conveniently placed at the right-hand side of the scooters. You can also seamlessly switch between using a single motor drive or dual motors for more power by pressing the red motor button beside the yellow Eco/Turbo switching button. The dual motors are pretty powerful and give you complete control over their functionality based on how much power you consider suitable for a particular terrain or environment.

Construction & Build Quality

The Apollo Ghost’s construction & build quality is no short of quality. The Ghost’s solid structure looks stiff and mean- if it were any meaner, it’d be an assault scooter. Apollo has an excellent reputation for quality, beefy construction and hasn’t disappointed with this model. The overall build quality of the Apollo Ghost is superb, employing a forged aluminium frame that provides excellent sturdiness and durability while keeping the overall weight low. What’s more, the Ghost’s solid frame is hollowed out, resulting in a rugged and lightweight exterior. 

The wobble-free stem coupled with nicely sealed external cabling in a hard plastic coil adds to the scooter’s well-thought-out build. The ergonomic handlebar is constructed with ultra-light carbon fire with flat-palm textured rubber grips on either side, providing maximum comfort when riding. The grips fatten towards the end and angle towards the rider- a neat hack for longer trips.

The front and rear aluminium fenders deflect rain and dirt, keeping the rider’s feet clean and dry. However, the front fender falls short when riding through puddles. Overall, the construction & build quality falls in the premium category, even giving higher-end models a run for their money.

Suspension

The Apollo Ghost is fitted with front and rear spring suspensions, which work alongside the swingarms and the 10-inch pneumatic tyres to provide excellent shock absorption, soaking up vibrations from bumps and rough terrains. While the spring suspensions offer a decent amount of damping, they are pretty rigid, compromising the overall impact absorption. However, they can be adjusted using an Allen wrench to match your weight and desired level of impact absorption. You’ll want to slightly loosen up the suspensions to make them less rigid and offer additional shock absorption.

Ride Quality

The Apollo Ghost glides like a dream. The dual swingarm spring system coupled with the relatively large pneumatic tyres offer plenty of damping on diverse trails ensuring plush rides. Besides, its ergonomic handlebar with grips fattened at the ends and angled towards the rider provides unmatched comfort. The spacious deck is lined with grip tape for support and has excellent 5.5’’ ground clearance that makes riding over obstacles a fun experience. 

The trigger throttle is ergonomically designed as a more comfortable option to thumb throttles or twist grip throttles. Additionally, the length of the stem coupled with the slightly angled front of the deck and reinforced footrest all work in combination to offer the rider plenty of standing position options. 

Braking

With such enormous power and top speed, the Ghost needs to integrate a set of high-performance brakes to contain the high speed ensuring riders and pedestrians stay safe. The scooter is fitted with dual (front and rear) mechanical disc brakes that offer varying stopping power, i.e., 70% at the front and 30% at the back. The varying strength level makes the scooter safer and more efficient when braking with minimal skidding. 

The mechanical braking system is further complemented by electric regenerative braking. The electric re-gen braking adds to the scooter’s range by converting the kinetic energy in the braking to electric energy channeled to the battery compartment. 

In essence, while the Ghost doesn’t feature hydraulic brakes standard in powerful and fast scooters, its brakes are super-sensitive, responsive, and precise.

Portability

Powerful and fast dual motors scooters aren’t usually portable: they aren’t designed for the average commute anyway. Weighing 64 lbs (29 Kg), the Ghost is not the most portable scooter around. However, it struggles to remain portable by integrating amazing portability features into its design. The scooter has foldable handlebars and a built-in fold and lock mechanism allowing the stem to stay attached to the deck, even when folded.

When finished riding, you can simply un-secure the handlebar, fold it to align with the deck, pick it and carry with ease. Folding the scooter is simple but takes time since you need to spend a few seconds twisting a rod between the handlebars to tuck them down and then unsecure a clamp at the bottom of the main stem to fold it down. It also requires some force to unlock the ubiquitous collar with two swing arms. All in all, the scooter folds down to a compact package allowing for ease in portability and storage.

Water Resistance

The Apollo Ghost electric scooter is rated IP54 water-resistant. If the rating is anything to go by, the scooter can withstand light rain, water splashes, and dust ingress. However, it won’t sustain violent, stormy downpours, and the internal components can easily get damaged. It’s best to avoid riding in the rain to prevent any lasting damage.

Lights

Scared of the dark? Why, yet you’re the one riding the Ghost, and a glowing one at that. The Ghost’s excellent lighting system makes it stand out. The scooter is fitted with four low-mounted LED lights-two white ones at the front and two red ones at the back, providing both rear and front visibility. The dual headlight has an opaque diffuser that brightens its glow for maximum visibility. Besides, the scooter incorporates a gorgeous sapphire blue under-deck LED strip which runs the full 46.4 cm deck length. 

 The under-deck lighting adds to the scooter’s aesthetics and enhances visibility from the side. Considering that the lights are low-mounted on the deck, it would be advisable to attach a high-mounted headlight and rear fender blinking light for enhanced visibility, especially at night. 

Tyres

The Apollo Ghost is fitted with plush 10’’x 3’’ pneumatic tyres both at the front and rear. Being pneumatic, i.e., air-filled, the tyres offer excellent traction and provide great damping reducing jarring over bumpy terrains, potholes, occasional rocks, and small cracks. While they are not off-road tyres, they are rugged and wide enough to sustain rough terrains as well as off-road environments you occasionally experience in your journey.  

Better still, the tyres have split rims that allow you to easily change the inner tubes in case of a puncture. The tyres also offer 5.6 inches (14.3 cm) of ground clearance allowing you to easily ride over bumps, potholes, and curbs without having to worry about scratching and damaging the bottom of the deck. Always check your tyre pressure regularly and ensure the tyres are properly inflated before starting your journey. 

Deck

The Apollo Ghost’s is pretty spacious, measuring 46.4 cm long by 22.9 cm wide. However, the deck is quite different from Apollo’s signature decks in that it has significantly less grip tape and lacks the signature blue accent. The Ghost’s deck features two narrow strips of grip tape on the outer edges, leaving 5’’ of anodised aluminium at the middle of the deck “naked.” Although it adds to the scooter’s aesthetics, this is a design failure considering that most riders often place their front foot at the middle of the deck rather than the ends. As such, you may need to add more grip tapes to the centre of the deck to make it less slippery, especially in wet conditions. 

Beneath the deck are dual charging ports located on the right-hand side towards the front of the scooter. They are covered in rubber and easily accessible to allow for convenient charging. A grooved footrest is also attached to the deck and can be used to lift the scooter. The locking latch fixed on the back end notably takes away about an inch of usable deck real estate. 

Controls & Display

 The Apollo Ghost sports an array of features that gives users complete control over the power and speed of the scooter. The dashboard features a QS-S4 display menu with Apollo branding, which allows you to monitor your speed, trip, battery, and riding mode. You can also access the scooter’s P-settings on the LCD menu, allowing you to configure various scooter features, including throttle power and regenerative braking strength.

In addition to the intuitive LCD display, the dashboard also encompasses other controls, including:

• Key-lock ignition
• Battery voltmeter
• Trigger throttle
• Single/Dual motor operation button
• Eco/Turbo button
• Mechanical bell
• Cruise control

The display and controls are easy to use and intuitively placed, providing riders complete control over the scooter.

Reliability, Warranty & Customer Support

The Apollo Ghost is undoubtedly reliable with premium construction & build quality. The high-performance battery facilitates a decent range, ensuring that riders get to their destination.  The robust, high-torque motor powers the scooter to decent top speeds. and does not compromise movement on inclined tracks. The scooter is reliable at night due to the low-mounted lighting, bell, and reflectors, and in the rain due to the water resistance rating. 

Due to its top speeds, the scooter is fitted with reliable braking to ensure riders come to an uncompromised stop. What’s more, the pneumatic tyres and shock absorbers prevent the jarring experienced from obstacles on the track. The standard display keeps riders aware of riding stats that are crucial in planning out the journey.

Additionally, the Apollo Ghost electric scooter comes with a 12-month warranty easily accessible in over 10 servicing locations across the US and Canada. Apollo has amazing customer service providing fast responses and genuinely helpful answers for any issue you may be experiencing with the scooter. Drop your queries via email or chat with the customer support team reps on the website for unmatched service.

Maintenance

Like all electric scooters, the Apollo Ghost requires riders to carry out some maintenance practices to ensure optimum performance and safety. Some of the routine maintenance that should be carried out on the scooter include: 

• Ensure the pressure is always at optimum. 
• Wipe the scooter with a dry towel after riding in wet conditions 
• If you’re not planning on using the scooter for a while, ensure the battery is fully charged and stored in a cool, dry place. 
• Charge the scooter using only the recommended stock charge to avoid undercharging or overcharging the battery. Never use different standard chargers or a standard charger and a fast charger to charge the scooter simultaneously.

Accessories & Upgrades

• Helmet
• Fast Charger
• Polarized Sunglasses
• Knee pads
• Taillight
• Mountable front lights
• Bike lock
• Bike gloves
• Reflective vest
• Cell phone holder
• Air pump

Known Issues

The scooter is reliably built and is of high quality. Most riders do not report issues with the Ghost. Few issues would have to do with;

• The front fender lets splashes through to the rider’s feet when going through puddles.
• The coupler on the handlebar loosens, causing a flex that can be annoying to the rider.
• The spring shocks are a little rigid and may need adjusting to deliver maximum efficiency.

Is this E-Scooter value for money and is it worth buying?

The Apollo Ghost electric scooter offers you the best bang for your buck when it comes to a fast and powerful dual motor electric scooter. It’s one of the best entry-level performance scooters you can consider if you’re looking to upgrade or are just getting started with high-performance electric scooters. The Ghost even outperforms more pricey models in regards to acceleration and top speed. And while the range isn’t its strongest selling point, the scooter holds up pretty well against more expensive options such as the Kaabo Mantis 8 Pro and the Zero 10x.

To conclude, the Apollo Ghost offers excellent value for money. It’s worth buying if you’re considering getting a high-performance electric scooter without breaking the bank.

Apollo Resource

Apollo Website