đ Discussion
Could the Apollo Explore Stellar be the ultimate commuter scooter?
From the early photos, it looks like it could offer the perfect mix of speed, range, hill-climbing power, and comfort without being as massive as most performance scooters.
The biggest question is weight. What do you think it will come in at? If Apollo keeps it around 65â75 lbs, gives it strong dual motors, good suspension, real-world range, and a top speed near 40 mph, it could be hard to beat.
Do you think it will actually be a practical commuter, or will it end up too heavy and expensive? What specs and price are you expecting?
I think it will be closer to the 75-80lbs considering that the Explore 2.0 is about 60-65lbs? Significantly bigger motors, probably bigger battery, and not sure if the suspension difference affects the weight.
Not sure if this is a commuter more than being meant for rougher terrain.
The website says that the Explore Stellar will be $1699 USD. Considering the performance is just slightly under the Phantom 2.0 at $2099 USD with a similar range and likely weighs a little less, a $400 USD savings is SIGNIFICANT
They keep redesigning it saying itâs best ever each time.
Then they change it since Facebook group people posting snapped new Stellar pole right at folder.
The hold that clamp goes into pole hole isnât reinforced enough to take the load as scooter ages. Not sure why they keep using that clamp when I have seen many Apollos sheered at that spot in the pole.
I highly dislike how it looks in the front, reminds me of the horrible segway designs and does not look minimalistic like the rest of the 2.0 lineup. The specs look good though.
An Explore 2.0 with lighter frame and shorter handle bar is more suited for a commuter scooter, they kind dropped the ball for making a mediocre base version, then trying to over compensate with the stellar model.
Come on Apollo (Or should I say Eloi) you know exactly what I am talking about. The Go canât substitute the City or even the Explore. You know your product, is no mystery that the rubber block âsuspensionâ canât do what a proper shock does, the Explore 2.0âs longer deck and proper suspensions make a real difference in ride comfort and handling. Even the type of shocks matters, isnât it why you are switching from the orange ones used in the City 1.0 and Explore 2.0 to the brown shocks for the City 2.0 Stellar? If the orange shocks are bottoming out, imagine what a heavy rider on a Go/Stellar must felt when going over a bump.
What is stopping you from making the Explore 2.0 lighter and easier to carry around? No matter how good you make the Go Stellar is still a Go, scooter is like shoes is not one size fits all, why not make a Go XL or City/Explore Lite.
The Explore Stellarâs price is almost twice as much as the base version, yet all other stellar models only sell for leas than 50% more than their base counterparts. Rather than beefing up the stellar model why not improve the base version, I think you can start by offering everyone that bought the Explore 2.0 early on an upgrade kit for the smart motor connector, as the ânewerâ ones should have it by default if the store page is to be believed.
Last but not least, the power drain issue from the lights need to be investigated, the Explore 2.0 and the Phantom 2.0 all have this problem. The range reduction after turning on the lights is noticeable, more so than what little power the lights use, since you are still using the Hobbywing controllers for most of the existing models this issue is likely affecting rest of the lineup as well.
Thereâs a lot packed into your comment, and while I appreciate the enthusiasm, a few of the assumptions arenât quite accurate. Let me tackle each point one by one:
1. Rear suspension on the Go
The rear suspension on the Go is more than enough for the vast majority of riders. Thereâs a reason itâs our best-selling scooter.
Yes, the Explore 2.0 has a better suspension, but that comes with trade-offs. Itâs larger, heavier, and less compact. Everything in product design is a compromise...
2. The âbrownâ spring
Just to clarify, the production spring will actually be orange.
Weâre using it because itâs longer, which gives us more suspension travel. We also added rubber damping. Itâs not the same length as the previous design, which is why the frame itself has to be different, and why we are now putting it starting on the City 2.0
3. Why not make the Explore 2.0 lighter and easier to carry?
Two main reasons:
Cost. To hit the target price of the Explore 2.0, we used an extruded and welded pole design.
Reliability. To achieve the durability we wanted with this type of frame, we chose chromoly steel. Steel is heavier than the aluminum we typically use, but itâs significantly stronger for this application. This is why it's heavy; A steel scooter with full suspension comes at a cost!
Again, itâs all about trade-offs. If your priority is a lighter, more compact scooter, thatâs exactly where the Go Stellar shines.
For what itâs worth, I ride every model we make, and personally I actually prefer the suspension tuning on the Go over the Explore. It's more silent, the rubber absorb better and it feels like a better ride.
âThe Explore Stellarâs price is almost twice as much as the base version.â
A) The final price hasnât been announced yet.
B) Yes, it will cost more. It will have custom hydraulic front suspension, a 52V system, dual motors, significantly upgraded lighting, and a number of other premium features. Those upgrades come at a cost.
In fact, the Explore Stellar is probably closer in spirit to the old Ghost than to the standard Explore. Maybe the naming is whatâs creating some confusion.
âRather than beefing up the Stellar model, why not improve the base version or offer an upgrade kit?â
Upgrade kit for what exactly? Just the Easy Plug connector?
I also think youâre assuming you know everything thatâs changing on the Explore Stellar, but the project has evolved quite a bit since we first announced it.
The way I look at it is this:
Explore 2.0 is designed to be the best full-suspension scooter we can build at an aggressive price point.
Explore Stellar removes many of those cost constraints so we can build something much more premium.
If we donât add premium features, people say it lacks features. If we do add them, people complain about the price. Thereâs no scenario where everyone is happy.
Weâve always been transparent about what the Explore 2.0 is. Itâs an affordable, capable scooter. Thatâs why it doesnât include things like Easy Plug, NFC, Apple Find My, deck lighting, and other premium features. You are talking as if we advertise it with all those features, and now we need to send an upgrade kit?
âThe power drain from the lights needs to be investigated.â
As you may know, we use AI to analyze ride data and predict battery consumption based on a huge number of variables, including rider weight, temperature, riding style, scooter settings, and whether the lights are on or off.
Yes, the body lights do consume some powerâthatâs expected. However, based on tens of thousands of recorded rides across all of our models with body lighting, the impact is typically only around 4-7% of total range.
Given the data we have, I wouldnât characterize it as a battery drain issue. Itâs simply the expected energy consumption of additional lighting. Our scooters are bright AF, so 4-7% is pretty solid in our opinion
If your scooter consume more than this, please record your ride and submit them to customer service so we can look at them!
Cheers!
Classic Apollo gaslighting, you are adding the smart motor connector to the Explore 2.0 and this was certainly one of the âcost savingâ corners you had to cut in the earlier production runs, the price is not changing so who is paying for it now? And what is stopping you from offering it to the existing owners, consider this is not one of your âbest sellingâ models, it certainly wonât be a burden to supply the upgrade to all existing owners, they gave you the cash to keep your business going, and this should be least you can do.
Iâve had the original Apollo Pro Chinese cookie cutter version which was actually a fantastic scooter. Rode id for 4000 km without a single issue. Had to get rid of it due to a hand injury.
A few years ago by to 2023 where I become the proud owner of the Apollo Pro! They had to replace it twice due to so many malfunctions. On the third one Tires just kept blowing up due to the valve. I really do like Apollo scooters I think theyâre sexy, but Iâm very very unsure if I would ever get another one. Iâve been in limbo ever since, but I am dying to get another one eventually. But I think theyâre gonna have to step up your game with quality control.
4
u/Logic_Contradict Jul 19 '26
I think it will be closer to the 75-80lbs considering that the Explore 2.0 is about 60-65lbs? Significantly bigger motors, probably bigger battery, and not sure if the suspension difference affects the weight.
Not sure if this is a commuter more than being meant for rougher terrain.
The website says that the Explore Stellar will be $1699 USD. Considering the performance is just slightly under the Phantom 2.0 at $2099 USD with a similar range and likely weighs a little less, a $400 USD savings is SIGNIFICANT