Top 5 Best Electric Scooters for Adults in 2025

It’s tough—maybe even impossible—to name just one scooter as the BEST electric scooter of 2025. The truth is, it all comes down to what you’re looking for. That said, we’ll do our best to answer this question. To get there, we need to consider two things that likely brought you here. First: “What’s the most bad @$$ scooter you can get your hands on right now?” And second: “Which scooter is the best fit for you in 2025?”

Let’s start off with the first question. Nominally the answer to that one is rather straightforward (with the caveat that it’s for on pavement use).  

And the winner is: 

 

What? Not an Apollo!? Well, sorry to say the “baddest” scooter of 2025 is not the Apollo Phantom 2.0 Stellar - as thrilling a machine as it is.  But drool over these specifications of the EMOVE Roadster:

• 80 MPH (that’s almost 130kmh for the imperial units challenged)

• Layered woven carbon fiber

• 74 mile range

• Steering dampener

• 500 pound carrying capacity

• 160A total current capacity at 84V

• Over 30KW total motor power

• Charges in only 5.7 hours!

If these specs check all your boxes, you can stop reading, grab your AmEx, and drop that $6,000 USD right now! Bear in mind that you will be lifting 143 pounds up your stairs or into your car! Still with us? 

Maybe you don’t feel the need to stand on an electric missile with 11” wheels flying at 80 mph. Maybe you’ve got other things to consider—like carrying your scooter up and down stairs, sticking to a budget, or not wanting to deal with a nearly 5-foot-long machine. Or perhaps you live somewhere with a strict 12 mph speed limit, so why even look at something this fast?

There’s a reason most of us don’t drive a Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut (claimed top speed: 330 mph), and the few who do definitely aren’t commuting downtown or parallel parking it on the street. The most extreme option isn’t always the most practical—whether for daily rides or even weekend fun. But hey, it does look pretty cool!

  

The second question – and the more important one that you need to ask yourself - is what YOU consider the best scooter for you in 2025.

The most critical part of making a good choice here is you, your needs and expectations.

A pitfall that so many get stuck on is only looking for the “baddest,” fastest, goes-farthest scooter they can afford. Consider this analogy: even with a billionaire’s budget, should you get a Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut? Maybe, but the Koenigsegg won’t be able to transport any scooter you get to your favorite recreation area for some riding. It probably wouldn’t even fit the appropriate riding gear! Sometimes the “baddest” isn’t the best (for you). A Ford F150 would be a better option in this case.

Key Features to Look for When Choosing an Electric Scooter

Start with a personal assessment before you start looking at scooter capabilities.

1. How big are you (and anyone else who’ll be riding the scooter)?

Scooters have different weight limits, and not all of them are built for taller riders or larger feet. For example, the Apollo Phantom has a much longer and wider deck than the Go, while the City and the more affordable Air also offer more room than the Go. Always check the weight limit (called max load)—make sure it’s higher than your weight and leave some extra capacity for gear, backpacks, or even a big lunch.

2. What kind of terrain will you be riding on?

Smooth pavement? Rough city streets? Packed trails or off-road adventures? Your riding surface plays a big role in choosing the right scooter. If you’re hitting dirt trails, you’ll want long-travel suspension, wide knobby tires, and dual motors. If you’re sticking to the road, street-optimized suspension and smooth tires will give you a better ride and improved braking performance.

3. How fast do you want your scooter to go?

The 40 and even 50+ MPH capabilities of the Phantom 2.0 and Stellar models sound thrilling! Do you really need that kind of speed? Consider that these speeds require special engineering in the scooter, as well as appropriate road conditions. They also need suitable rider safety equipment like full-face helmets and motorcycle-grade clothing. These riding speeds are no longer in the bicycle grade safety gear league. Also, don’t overlook that these speeds on public roads are illegal pretty much globally. Which is not to say that no one does it, rather it’s a question whether you need such speed capability and/or will you ever have the possibility of utilizing it? For most people, riding a scooter at 20 to 25 MPH feels fast and will get a commuter where they need to go in good time, generally without law enforcement’s notice.

There is a place for scooters capable of going 40 MPH (and greater). In addition to their high top speeds, they will climb some steep grades at more reasonable speeds without slowing down, which can be very useful. Scooters designed for high speeds have longer wheelbases, more mass, and dampened steering. They offer more stability even at 25 MPH than a smaller machine will. They may, however, not be as easy to navigate tight steering situations at low speed. Some riders have opportunities and the motivation to experience the thrills of >40 scooter top speed travel, and those options are out there, just know if that applies to you.

4. How far do you really need to go between charges?

Long-range scooters come at a cost—literally and figuratively. They’re not just more expensive upfront; they’re also heavier. That’s why it’s best to get just what you need, plus a little extra.

Take the Apollo Go, for example. It was designed to be as light and compact as possible while still packing enough power to climb hills with ease—making it the ultimate compact commuter. While it won’t go as far on a charge as the City, it’s much lighter, and with dual motors, it can pull a 200 lb rider up hills that might surprise you!

If maximum range is your priority, some scooters out there are class leaders. In the commuter category, the EMOVE Cruiser is worth considering if you’re seriously range-motivated. It comes in both single (52V) and dual motor (60V) versions, with a wide deck that houses a large battery pack. It does weigh quite a bit more than the Apollo City, but it’ll take you much farther on a single charge.

5. How will you store and transport your scooter?

Size and weight really play a part here. Again, looking at the Go, it’s optimized for transporting and storage. One can get on well with a Go commuting from a studio apartment up a flight of stairs to a cubicle in a building, storing the scooter in your apartment and in your cube at work. The EMOVE Roadster - forget about it!

The Apollo Go packs a lot of climbing power and features in a very compact, light package. It has big scooter features in a small package. The short handlebars are plenty stable for the speeds it operates at (15 to mid-20s MPH) but the deck is narrow, and the geometry is optimized for commuting speeds rather than high speeds. But overall, it is a very high-end scooter in a little scooter body.

6. What is the intended use for your electric scooter?

College transport? Daily commuting? Hybrid commuting (scooter + bus or train)? Or just pure fun?

If you’re using a scooter for college, something light, compact, and easy to carry—without needing tons of range, power, or speed—might be all you need. For commuting, factors like distance, road conditions, and storage options at home and work come into play. And if you’re riding purely for fun, your ideal scooter will depend entirely on your style—whether it’s casual cruising or adrenaline-fueled thrill rides.

Here are some examples:

Looking at recreational riding for no holds barred speed thrill seekers, the EMOVE Raodster may actually be the “wise” choice for a select few. For on-road thrill seekers with a dollop of sanity and a sizable yet less than lottery-winning budget, the Apollo Phantom 2.0 Stellar will certainly fit the bill. And will likely be a lot easier to live with (and stay out of jail with) as a more - dare we say  -sensible (for any 50+mph) option. Off-road use is a whole different type of scooter. Think of off-road cars vs street options - very different vehicles.

An often-overlooked aspect of operator needs is transporting the scooter (without injury or damage). The Go is easy to toss in a car, and the City is certainly doable, but the Phantom 2.0 scooters are over 100 pounds and are quite long. They won’t fit in a normal back seat or trunk. A station wagon or crossover with folding seats, SUV, van or pickup are required there. Most of the high-performance scooters are in the 100 pound plus range.

Below examples of High-Performance Scooters:

These 50 mph+ scooters are capable of top speeds that will get anyone's blood moving. Conversely, if not used with very good judgement (and some luck), they can land you in jail or the emergency room. When looking at a 50mph plus capable scooter, unless this is going to be almost exclusively used for racing, track days, or other non-public land use, make sure it’s easy to get along with. Can you operate it at legal and safe speeds? Is the throttle jumpy, how about the smoothness of the brakes? Higher deck heights are nice when hitting road imperfections at high speed, but harder to balance on at lower speeds.

What are the top-rated electric scooters for adults in 2025?

A few examples were mentioned in this article. Check out our other blogs as we post often with new topics.

While electric scooters have been around for a while, the modern lithium battery powered scooters with direct drive motors of today are relatively new. The variety of features and price performance of these, and parallel products in the ebike industry, are evolving at a tremendous pace. This makes it nearly impossible to recommend a “top three commuting scooter.” The needs of riders vary so much, and the models offered are advancing so quickly. This is why it’s so important that you make a thorough assessment of your needs and preferences and take a look at what’s available at the time you are considering a purchase.

There are a number of brands that build quality scooters. EMOVE, Segway, Gotrax, Kaabo, Niu, and Apollo to name a few. Look at their offerings, read reviews on line, check out reviews on YouTube, even the user groups on Facebook. The site electricscootergide.com has been around for a while and is always worth a look.

An excellent place to start is to read our blog article of January 23, 2025 to get familiar with the basics of scooters, Demystifying Electric Scooters: Exploring Types & Functions.

A final word about Apollo and why you may want to put Apollo at the top of your list. Apollo is a North American company that designs, tests, and offers customer service from its corporate base in Canada. Apollo scooters have a design philosophy that emphasizes solid build quality (like cutting down on exposed wires) and extensive after sales customer support. 

Customer feedback plays a pivotal role in the design and development of Apollo products. Apollo scooters are not industry leaders in “How Fast, How Far for How Much”. You can find faster for less. Apollo scooters are industry leaders in “How Well.” How well they work and how nice they are to operate and live with.