Apollo City vs Segway Max G3: Which Should You Buy? (2026)
The Apollo City and the Segway Max G3 land close enough on price and class to be genuine cross-shops — $1,299 against $1,050, sitting in adjacent tiers (premium and commuter). Every figure below is the manufacturer's published claim or a value we compute from it; where a maker leaves a spec unpublished we show a dash rather than guess, and a blank is never counted against a scooter. One habit to carry into any range comparison is to halve the claim. The City claims 43 miles but realistically returns about 24–30; the Max G3's 50-mile claim works out to roughly 28–35. The sections that follow work through where each one leads, and the verdict above already names the pick for most buyers — the detail below is there to overturn it if your priorities differ.
Side by side
| Motor & speed | ||
| Top speed (claimed) | 32 mph✓ | 28 mph |
| Peak power | 2000 W | 2000 W |
| Nominal power | 1000 W✓ | 850 W |
| Drive | Dual motor✓ | Single motor |
| Max incline | 46.6%✓ | 30% |
| Battery & range | ||
| Claimed range | 43 mi | 50 mi✓ |
| Est. real-world range | 24–30 mi | 28–35 mi✓ |
| Battery | 960 Wh✓ | 597 Wh |
| Charge time | 4.5 h | — |
| Build | ||
| Weight | 65 lb | 54.2 lb✓ |
| Max load | 265 lb | 286 lb✓ |
| Suspension | dual | — |
| Brakes | Dual drum + regenerative | — |
| Water resistance | IP66 | IPX6 |
| Tyres | 10" tubeless | 11" tubeless |
| Features | ||
| Score (within category) | 65/100 | 71/100✓ |
| Price | $1,299 | $1,050✓ |
A green ✓ marks the better figure on that row. “—” means the manufacturer does not publish it; a blank is never counted as a loss. Scores compare each model within its own category.
What the makers don't publish
Apollo publishes every specification we track for the Apollo City. Segway (Ninebot) does not publish charge time, suspension, and brake hardware for the Segway Max G3 — 3 of the 15 specifications we track. We show a dash for each of those rather than estimate, and a missing figure is never counted against a scooter in our scoring — the component is dropped and the remaining weights renormalise. Those rows cannot be compared head to head, so treat this as a comparison of what is published rather than a complete picture. If one of the unpublished figures is the one your decision turns on, ask the seller in writing before you buy: a maker that measures a specification usually states it, and silence is a reasonable prompt to look harder.
Motor & speed
The Apollo City is the faster of the pair, 32 mph against 28 mph — a 4 mph gap that shows on open stretches but rarely in traffic, where junctions and shared paths set the pace regardless of what the scooter can do. At the City's speeds, braking matters more than the extra miles per hour: check the build section below, because stopping distance climbs faster than speed does. Motor output is broadly matched, so neither will feel dramatically stronger pulling away from a stop. Only the Apollo City runs dual motors, which trade some weight and battery drain for noticeably stronger grip and pull, especially on loose or wet ground — useful if your route is anything but smooth, wasteful if it is. The Apollo City also claims the steeper hill-climbing grade, worth noting if your commute has a real gradient rather than a gentle rise. Read any top-speed figure as a maximum reached under ideal conditions; rider weight and gradient both pull it down in the real world, so treat these numbers as a ceiling rather than a cruising promise.
Battery & range
Battery capacity is the honest way to compare range, because watt-hours cannot be marketed around: the City holds 960 Wh and the Max G3 597 Wh. The Apollo City's 61% larger pack will out-last the other on the same route whatever the two brochures claim, and it is the single number to trust most in this section. Both claims deserve the usual discount. The City's 43-mile figure realistically works out to about 24–30 miles once you account for a normal rider at real speeds; the Max G3's 50 lands at roughly 28–35. Plan around the lower end of whichever band matters to you: if your daily round trip does not fit inside it with margin to spare, the range difference here is the deciding factor and you should pick the bigger battery. Whichever you choose, remember that both figures assume a fresh battery; a pack loses roughly 20–30% of its capacity after a couple of years of daily cycling, so a used example of either will fall short of these numbers.
Build & ride
Weight is where the daily reality lives: 65 lb against 54.2 lb, a 10.8 lb difference. If you carry the scooter up stairs or onto a train, the lighter Segway Max G3 is the one you will actually keep using — the difference between a scooter that gets ridden and one that gathers dust is often a single flight of steps. Only the Apollo City has suspension at both ends, the single upgrade that most changes how a scooter feels on cracked city pavement; the other leans on its tyres to take the edge off, which works but not as well. Each publishes a water-resistance rating (IP66 and IPX6); the higher of the two shrugs off heavier rain, though neither should be ridden through standing water or pressure-washed.
Price, score & value
The Segway Max G3 is the cheaper of the two, $1,050 against $1,299 — a $249 gap. Whether that gap is worth closing depends entirely on whether the pricier scooter's advantages above line up with your priorities. Within their category the Segway Max G3 scores higher (71/100 to 65/100). Remember that our scores are within-category judgements — this comparison is only meaningful because both sit in the same or an adjacent class. If value per dollar is your lens, use the cost-of-ownership calculator on this site: a slightly cheaper scooter with pneumatic tyres can cost more to run over a few years than a pricier one on solid tyres, and the sticker price alone hides that.
What the extra $249 buys
The Apollo City costs $249 more. That buys:
- battery capacity: 960 Wh vs 597 Wh
- max incline: 46.6% vs 30%
- drive: dual motor vs single motor
- suspension: dual vs none
- water resistance: IP66 vs IPX6
- nominal power: 1000 W vs 850 W
- top speed: 32 mph vs 28 mph
- system voltage: 48 V vs 46.8 V
- weight: 65 lb vs 54.2 lb
- claimed range: 50 mi vs 43 mi
- tyre diameter: 11" vs 10"
- max load: 286 lb vs 265 lb
It does not buy:
- peak power (both 2000 W)
- tyre type (both tubeless)
Where the City wins
The Apollo City carries the bigger battery (960 Wh vs 597 Wh), claims a steeper grade (46.6% vs 30%), runs dual motors, has more suspension (dual vs none), is better sealed against water (IP66 vs IPX6), carries more nominal power (1000 W vs 850 W), is faster (32 mph vs 28 mph), and runs a higher-voltage system (48 V vs 46.8 V). That is a meaningful spread of advantages, not a single headline number.
Where the Max G3 wins
The Segway Max G3 costs less ($1,050 vs $1,299), is lighter to carry (54.2 lb vs 65 lb), claims more range (50 mi vs 43 mi), runs a larger tyre (11" vs 10"), and takes a heavier load (286 lb vs 265 lb). Together those make it the stronger sheet in several areas.
What these numbers actually govern
Here is what each of these measures controls in general — both the ones that separate these two and the ones they share. These describe the measure, not a claim about how either scooter rides, which we have not tested.
- battery capacity
- Watt-hours are the single best predictor of range, because capacity is the one range input that cannot be marketed around.
- max incline
- A climbing grade is quoted under test conditions; a heavier rider reaches the limit sooner than the published figure suggests.
- drive
- A second motor adds traction and acceleration at the cost of weight and battery drain — the trade is worth it on loose or steep ground and wasteful on flat pavement.
- suspension
- Suspension at both ends changes how a scooter handles broken pavement more than any other single component; a single unit covers one end only, and none leaves the tyres to do the work.
- water resistance
- An IP rating describes water resistance, not immersion — it covers rain and splashes, never standing water or a pressure washer.
- Tyre type (both tubeless)identical on both
- Pneumatic and tubeless tyres absorb road imperfections that solid tyres pass into the deck; solid tyres trade that comfort for never puncturing. A shared construction means the same trade on both.
Price & where to buy
Prices are snapshots from our tracker and can change. We may earn a commission on purchases made through these links — this never affects rankings.
Prices are snapshots from our tracker and can change. We may earn a commission on purchases made through these links — this never affects rankings.
Who should buy which
Buy the Apollo City if you want the bigger battery (960 Wh vs 597 Wh — a decisive 38% edge), or your route has a real gradient (46.6% vs 30% claimed grade). Buy the Segway Max G3 if you want to spend less ($1,050 vs $1,299), or you carry it up stairs or onto transit (54.2 lb vs 65 lb — a clear 17% edge). Whichever you pick, 2 specifications are identical across both — peak power, tyre type — so those rows cannot decide it. Within their category our score puts the Segway Max G3 at 71/100 against 65/100.
Bottom line: the Segway Max G3 is the safer default here — it costs less ($1,050 vs $1,299). The Apollo City earns its place if the bigger battery (960 Wh vs 597 Wh) matters more to you. Every figure here is the manufacturer's published claim or a value we compute from it, linked back to each maker's own specification so you can check it yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Apollo City or the Segway Max G3 better overall?
Within their category, the Segway Max G3 scores 71/100 and the Apollo City scores 65/100. Our scores compare models within their own category, and the two are close enough here that your priorities — carry weight, range, price — should decide it rather than the raw number.
Which one has better real-world range?
Estimated at 55–70% of the claim, the City works out to about 24–30 miles and the Max G3 to about 28–35. The one with the larger battery (960 Wh vs 597 Wh) holds its distance better under load.
Which is cheaper to buy?
The Segway Max G3 is the cheaper of the two at $1,050 against $1,299. Prices are tracked snapshots and can change — check the current figure on each model's page before buying.
Which is easier to carry and store?
The Segway Max G3 is lighter at 54.2 lb versus 65 lb, so it is the better pick if you carry a scooter up stairs or onto transit. Both fold for storage; weight is the deciding factor here, not folded size.
Can I ride either one in the rain?
Both publish a water rating — City is IP66 and Max G3 is IPX6. Higher ratings (IPX6, IP66) handle sustained rain; IPX4–IPX5 covers light rain and splashes but not a downpour. Neither should be submerged or pressure-washed.
Full specifications and sources: Apollo City · Segway Max G3

