Dualtron Thunder 2 Review

Coming Soon from Dualtron – the New Thunder 2, a 10kw Powerhouse with beefed up specifications over the original Dualtron Thunder

The Dualtron Thunder 2 is set to enter the marketplace late 2021. Who could blame Minimotors for wanting to build a sequel to the thunder given the 1st versions success? In fact, the Dualtron Thunder was one of the most successful scooters ever sold by Minimotors – primarily because it was such a well built, high spec scooter for the time.

The Thunder was launched in 2018 and was Minimotors first 5400w electric scooter sporting a phenomenal 35ah battery and dual 2700w motors – it was such a success primarily because it was everything that most electric scooters were not at that time.

Battery technology has made leaps and bounds in the last 5 years, making e scooters far more viable. As we head through 2021 and as batteries evolve, we’re seeing the progressive emergence of scooters like the Thunder 2.

Dualtron Thunder 2 – The Lowdown

The Dualtron Thunder 2 will keep with it the original Thunder look – taking that away wouldn’t make it a Thunder, so instead, Dualtron have TWEAKED the Thunder 1 by uprating some aspects as well as adding new features.  The Thunder was an amazing scooter but it did have its bad points – the original thunder had no rear footrest which often meant people would inadvertently use the rear mudguard as a foot rest when it wasn’t suited for any weight.

The original thunder also lacked a strong enough stem clamp – some users reported clamps cracking and failing as the original stem clamp was too thin. The Dualtron Thunder 2 2021 version features the same style of clamp used on the ULTRA 2.

The Thunder 2 has other smart and innovative improvements such as a new rear mudguard which doubles up as a handle which is welcomed considering most people with the original thunder had to buy an aftermarket rear footrest / handle.

Another nice introduction and one that makes sense is that the Thunder 2 FINALLY has indicators – one quirk with the original thunder was that it had orange LED indicator lights that ONLY worked as hazards / braking but not as functional indicators which was very odd.

The Thunder 2 also sports bigger cells (21700 over 18650) and a larger 40ah battery from LG. The motors on the Dualtron Thunder 2 are going to be beefier with 10,080w combined peak output or 5040w per motor peak.

Dualtron 2 Specifications

Dualtron Thunder 2 Cons

 Max Load Quoted as 120kg which is lower than expected

 Still no IP65 Rating or Confirmed IP54

  Rubber deck likely to be more slippery when wet over grip tape

 Rear Mudguard is Unsightly

Dualtron Thunder 2 Summary

We’re expecting the Dualtron Thunder 2 not to disappoint. The original Dualtron Thunder is a legend in the electric scooting world and even though it had its bad points (i.e. Very expensive, weak stem clamp, mudguard bolts that like to go missing, no steering damper or stock dampening) the good points made the scooter totally worthwhile.

The Dualtron Thunder 2 is almost DOUBLE the power of the original, which means we’ll see the Thunder enter the Bronco Xtreme 11 and Weped Territory.

What’s good is that Minimotors have taken into consideration power output over cell discharge – obviously drawing up to 10kw at peak will mean the battery cells will need to cope with a high discharge rate. The 21700 cells offer the advantage of a bigger current draw and also more power stored per cell.

The Original Dualtron Thunder sported a 35ah LG Battery with 18650 cells at a system voltage of 60v – giving it a total WH capacity of  2100wh. The Dualtron Thunder 2 runs at 72v with a 40ah battery using 21700 LG cells with a total capacity of 2880wh.

Performance Overview

So whilst we obviously haven’t had a chance to get our hands on the Dualtron Thunder 2 it’s not hard to guess what the performance will be like. Based on the Bronco 11 Xtreme peaking at 8400w, the Thunder 2 MAY have a performance edge over the Xtreme depending on the controller performance, tolerances, power delivery, and more.

We know also from the Bronco that putting out 8kw (8000w)+ starts becoming a problem for traction, so with the Bronco wheel spinning from the moment you hit the throttle, it’s very likely that the Dualtron Thunder 2 will do the same thing.

The Weped FF puts out 12,000w, so a big more powerful than the Thunder 2, but the FF limits current output initially so that the rider gets brutal acceleration after initial take off.

We doubt Dualtron will do the same in the Thunder 2, it’ll probably be like the Bronco, a beast to handle!

We’d also imagine real world top speed to be around 65-70 mph (104 – 112 km/h). 

Given the Dualtron X2 is capable of 65 mph (104 km/h) , the Thunder 2 puts out MORE power and weighs a lot less, so it’s likely to have a higher top speed.

How well the Dualtron Thunder 2 will perform will depend heavily on the controllers Minimotors use. The Bronco 11 Xtreme uses 180amp controllers which are pure sinewave whilst the controllers in the Thunder 2 have not yet been confirmed. We’re hoping to see bigger, beefier controllers in the Thunder 2, but, we doubt they’ll be sinewave.

Top Speed & Acceleration

The quoted top speed for the Dualtron Thunder 2 is 62 mph (100 km/h) however we’d imagine that it’ll be more towards 68 mph (110km/h) rider weight / terrain dependent.  The top speed of the original Dualtron Thunder was quoted as 49 mph (80 km/h) but it wasn’t uncommon for lighter riders to regularly be able to top 53 mph (85km/h). The Thunder 2 has substantially MORE motor power than the original thunder so we’d expect that to be reflected in top speed and acceleration.

Battery Life & Range

The Dualtron Thunder 2 is likely to have a range of 50-70 miles (80-110km) depending on how it’s ridden.  We’ll be aiming to do an endurance test in eco / sport to see what real life range is really like. The battery is a high capacity and bear in mind the Thunder 2 only weighs 47 kg (103 lbs) we should see some really good endurance. 

Motor Configuration

The Thunder 2 offers the same configuration as other Dualtron Scooters, both single and dual motor mode are available through the new multi-switch on the handlebars. FINALLY Dualtron dropped the cheap red and yellow buttons, replaced with much nicer chrome effect buttons that enable a rider to toggle between single / dual motor mode.

Because of the sheer amount of power available, even a single motor with 5kw peak output will mean eco rides on one motor are now possible, even on gradients. Traditionally lower power scooters required dual motor mode for inclines, but, with the Dualtron Thunder 2, we’d expect that single motor to cope with gradients of up to 20-30% without the need for the second motor (Although it does depend on the SOC and weight of rider).

Construction & Build Quality

The build quality of MOST Dualtron scooters is very good. We’re expecting the same high standard from Dualtron. The original thunder out of the box was absolutely fantastic. Everything felt high quality and the overall robustness of the scooter was unquestionable. The Dualtron Thunder 2 looks beefier, more rigid with strengthened components, paying obvious attention to the stem clamp. The Dualtron Thunder 2 is set to use the same frame alloy and will retain the EY3 and NUTT brakes. Whilst the EY3 display is great, it’s ageing rapidly. Modern scooters like the Nami Burn-E are using phone style LCD panels with lots of additional information, we would like to have seen this on the Thunder 2, so it is a bit disappointing from that respect.

Suspension

The Dualtron Thunder 2 will use the same cartridge style suspension as the original thunder. This is OK, the cartridge system worked relatively well before and with the range of cartridges available, people could choose what suspension setting they wanted by changing the cartridge over. 

Again, we think Minimotors may need to look at other options for the future, scooters like the Bronco use a rear gas suspension unit which offers a customisable ride without having to change anything other than using the dials on the unit to adjust dampening. 

Ride Quality

The ride quality on the Dualtron Thunder 2 is likely to be the same as the original Thunder. We’d imagine it’d be more stable at speed thanks to the 11″ ultra wide tyres giving the scooter more physical contact with the ground. The overall ride quality will be dictated by the suspension setting used. The rear footrest will make it easier for riders to have a more aggressive riding stance.

Braking

The Thunder 2 looks like it will be using the same NUTT brakes with 160mm rotors, nothing has changed from the original model. The Thunder 2 may feature regenerative braking with ABS.

Portability

At 47kg (103lbs) the Thunder 2 isn’t overly portable. Whilst you can fold it down and transport it – it won’t be as easy as the original Thunder. The bigger motors, battery and additional features have added over 5 kg (11 lbs)of weight from the first model. The dimensions unfolded will be 1208 x 609 x 1267 MM (LWH) and folded 1208 x 317 x 577 MM (LWH)

Lights

The Thunder 2 still relies on deck lighting – again we would have thought Minimotors would have considered adding lights that are front facing at stem level. The deck lights look sharp but they don’t really offer much forward illumination at night. The Thunder 2 will sport the same RGB lighting on the stem but, they are introducing more RGB lighting to the side of the deck and to the suspension arms themselves. Expect the Thunder 2 to look more like a christmas tree! 

Tyres

The Thunder 2 will feature wide profile 11″ tubeless tyres which will make the scooter more stable at high speed. The tubeless tyres will mean a thicker tyre wall making it more resistant to punctures. From the pictures we’ve seen it looks like the valves are still fairly hard to access between the motor rim and hub motor.

Deck

The deck of the Thunder 2 remains quite small but the extended rear foot plate will make foot positioning when riding easier. The deck replaces the original Dualtron griptape with a rubber surface. Whilst cosmetically it might look nicer, we’re wondering how it will perform if it gets muddy / slightly damp. The sides of the deck will sport the same plastics that protrude offering a layer of protection to the deck if the scooter is dropped. The same side deck lights are available at the front (4 bright white LEDS) whilst the back will feature the same brake lights / orange indicator lights. The rear footrest will also sport a narrow, wide brake light.

Controls & Display

The Thunder 2 will use the same MINIMOTORS EY3 which is good but not good. The EY3 is great but given the original Thunder was released in 2018, we would have expected after 3-4 years to see an uprated display. The controls on the handlebar are inherited from the Dualtron Storm and offer a nicer, easier way to flick between motor modes / speed modes and indicators. 

Water Resistance

The Thunder 2 is likely to feature basic IP54 water resistance but this hasn’t been confirmed in the specs as far as we could see. 

Reliability, Warranty & Customer Support

As far as warranties, reliability and customer support go – we think the Thunder 2 will be a very reliable, robust scooter capable of thousands of miles of trouble free riding. The warranty by default is 24 months on parts (not on wear and tear) only failure of parts. This excludes the battery. We’d have liked to have seen a 2 year warranty on the battery given it makes up for half the scooters cost.  Customer support will be dependent on where you buy – there are numerous UK and US outlets for Dualtron so support will be based on those centres. Actual Dualtron support from Minimotors themselves – we’re unsure in that aspect.

Maintenance

The Thunder 2 will be relatively low maintenance. It’s important to keep the tyres pumped up, check on brake pads and to make sure the battery has properly cycled charges. From first use battery performance may take a few charges/discharges to become optimal.

Hill Climbing

The Dualtron Thunder 2 will be able to climb steep gradients of 30-40%.

Accessories & Upgrades

The Thunder 2 will no doubt be customisable like the original thunder. We know a lot of riders customise their scooters with custom decks, Carbon Revo parts & aftermarket parts.

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

We’re 100% confident that the Dualtron Thunder 2 will be a worthy purchase. The expected sale price in the UK is likely to be £3,700 ($5,270) which although expensive, is actually not a bad price for such a beefed up model considering the original Thunder was £3,100 ($4,394). With the Thunder 2 offering so much more, we feel it is better value for money.  The overall pricing is based on the quality so we’d be happy to part with £3,700 ($5,270) for the Thunder 2 when it arrives in the UK late Autumn.

Dualtron Resource

Dualtron Official Website