Apollo Explore 2.0 vs NIU KQi 300P: Which Should You Buy? (2026)

Side by side

	Apollo Explore 2.0 62	NIU KQi 300P 52
Motor & speed
Top speed (claimed)	25 mph✓	20 mph
Peak power	1650 W✓	900 W
Nominal power	—	450 W
Drive	Single motor	Single motor
Max incline	26.8%✓	20%
Battery & range
Claimed range	37 mi✓	30 mi
Est. real-world range	20–26 mi✓	17–21 mi
Battery	648 Wh✓	487 Wh
Charge time	8 h	5 h✓
Build
Weight	60 lb	45.97 lb✓
Max load	265 lb	265 lb
Suspension	dual	dual
Brakes	Front Drum + Power RBS™ (regenerative braking)	Dual disc front & rear + regenerative
Water resistance	IP66	IP55
Tyres	10" tubeless	10.5" tubeless
Features
Score (within category)	62/100✓	52/100
Price	$849	$599✓

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 does not publish nominal power for the Apollo Explore 2.0 — 1 of the 15 specifications we track. NIU publishes every specification we track for the NIU KQi 300P. 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 If one of the unpublished figures is the one your decision turns on, ask the seller in writing before you buy: a maker that measures a specification usually states it, and silence is a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 Explore 2.0 is the faster of the pair, 25 mph against 20 mph — a 5 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. The Apollo Explore 2.0 carries more motor on paper, and that surplus shows up in acceleration and on climbs rather than in a higher cruising speed — the place a stronger motor actually earns its keep is the hill you take twice a day. The Apollo Explore 2.0 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 Explore 2.0 holds 648 Wh and the KQi 300P 487 Wh. The Apollo Explore 2.0's 33% 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 Explore 2.0's 37-mile figure realistically works out to about 20–26 miles once you account for a normal rider at real speeds; the KQi 300P's 30 lands at roughly 17–21. 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. Recharging also differs: the NIU KQi 300P is back to full in about 5 hours against 8, which matters if you top up between a morning and evening commute rather than overnight. 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: 60 lb against 46.0 lb, a 14.0 lb difference. If you carry the scooter up stairs or onto a train, the lighter NIU KQi 300P 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. Both run suspension at both ends, so both should ride comfortably over broken ground — a genuine point in common rather than a tie-breaker. Each publishes a water-resistance rating (IP66 and IP55); the higher of the two shrugs off heavier rain, though neither should be ridden through standing water or pressure-washed.

Price, score & value

The NIU KQi 300P is the cheaper of the two, $599 against $849 — a $250 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 Apollo Explore 2.0 scores higher (62/100 to 52/100). 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 $250 buys

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.

peak power

Peak power is a short-burst figure — it describes acceleration headroom rather than what a motor can hold on a sustained climb.

charge time

Charge time matters most if you top up between a morning and an evening commute rather than overnight.

brakes

Hydraulic discs are more consistent at the lever than mechanical discs, and drums trade outright stopping power for lower maintenance — a difference that grows with speed.

price

Price is the one figure that is not a specification — it moves with stock and promotions, so treat any gap as current rather than permanent.

max incline

A climbing grade is quoted under test conditions; a heavier rider reaches the limit sooner than the published figure suggests.

Max load (both 265 lb)identical on both

A load rating covers rider plus cargo, not the rider alone. Where both models publish the same limit, rider weight cannot separate them.

Suspension (both dual)identical on both

Suspension is the component that most changes how a scooter handles broken pavement; where both models carry the same arrangement, road comfort is not a differentiator between them.

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.

Drive (both Single motor)identical on both

A second motor adds traction and acceleration at the cost of weight and battery drain. Where both use the same arrangement, drive layout is not a separator.

Price & where to buy

Who should buy which

Buy the Apollo Explore 2.0 if you want more peak output (1650 W vs 900 W — a decisive 45% edge), or your route has a real gradient (26.8% vs 20% claimed grade). Buy the NIU KQi 300P if you top up between commutes rather than overnight (5 h vs 8 h), or you want the stronger braking hardware. Whichever you pick, 5 specifications are identical across both — voltage, max load, suspension — so those rows cannot decide it. Within their category our score puts the Apollo Explore 2.0 at 62/100 against 52/100.

Bottom line: the Apollo Explore 2.0 is the safer default here — it peaks higher (1650 W vs 900 W). The NIU KQi 300P earns its place if faster (5 h vs 8 h) 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