As electric scooters continue to evolve into powerful, road-ready vehicles, one innovation stands out: the dual motor electric scooter. In this guide, we'll explore what a dual motor build really means and why it matters (and even some why-nots).
What Is a Dual Motor Electric Scooter?
First, the basics: What is a dual motor scooter? Electric scooters are two wheeled electrically powered vehicles. Most of us remember the unpowered scooters that we had when we were kids. So much fun, but also - not for grown ups and definitely not for commuting. I don’t think we would be getting very far if we were using these for commuting.
Take these scooters for children, add motors and battery and you have a basic electric scooter. Are all scooters dual motors? No.
A dual motor electric scooter is equipped with two separate motors—one in each wheel—rather than a single motor driving just one wheel. This configuration significantly boosts the scooter's performance, providing all-wheel drive capabilities, superior traction, and better handling.
While early electric scooters like the Razor or M365 were compact and low-powered, today’s electric scooter dual motor designs are engineered for performance, long-range travel, and advanced rider control. These models are particularly popular among commuters, thrill-seekers, and riders navigating hilly or challenging terrain.
As electric scooters became more popular as transportation and recreational devices, their capabilities increased, meeting customer demand for more speed, range, comfort, and other performance aspects.
Typical core enhancements have included: suspension systems, better braking systems, improved tire types, brighter lighting, turn signals, more powerful batteries and motors.
An initial improvement was moving the motor to the rear of the scooter, which increased traction when climbing hills. Previously, the front wheel may not have had enough weight on it to maintain good traction on an incline. Frequently on inclines, most of the rider weight is on the rear wheel. This is different in an automobile where the weight of the front-mounted engine keeps weight on the front wheels allowing front wheel drive cars to maintain good hill climbing traction.
Scooters evolved from there, with increasing amounts of motor power available in the batteries, controllers, and motors.
The next evolution was adding an additional motor, one inside the hub of each wheel, creating the category of dual motor scooters.
Before we rave about the advantages of dual motor scooters, let’s consider the list (a short one) of disadvantages to having dual motor scooters.
What are the disadvantages of owning a dual motor scooter:
1) They are heavier, 2) They’re more complex, 3) They are pricier.
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They are Heavier: Modern electric scooters have frames and other structural parts made largely from strong yet lightweight materials. The battery packs and motors make up a significant percentage of the overall weight of the scooter. Obviously, doubling the number of motors comes with a weight penalty.
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They’re more complex: The active electrical parts of the electric scooter consist of three basic parts: the battery system, the controller system, and the motor(s). A dual motor system will often have two controllers, or a more complex single controller, as well as two motors rather than just one.
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They are pricier: The controller and motor are significant cost components in the electric scooter. Having more controllers (or a more complex one), as well as the cost of an additional motor with all other things being constant, results in an increased cost.
They weigh more, they are more complex, they cost more; why choose a dual motor scooter at all?
The short answer is better performance!
Are Dual Motor Electric Scooters Worth It?
Let’s break that down the performance impact of a dual motor system a bit more.
What performance advantages does having dual motors provide to an electric scooter? 1) All wheel drive, 2) Twice the power, 3) Better heat distribution. 4) With an Apollo electric scooter - superior braking. 5) With dual controller systems - the ability to do certain tricks.
All wheel drive
A scooter being a two wheeled vehicle, requires excellent traction. Losing it can cause unrecoverable instability. Dual motor, all wheel drive offers superior traction in more challenging situations. Hill climbing, uneven or loose road surfaces in particular, benefit from all wheel drive as does travel on turf and sand.
Twice the power
Dual motor scooters utilize a motor in each wheel, enabling them to achieve twice the power of a comparable single-motor scooter. This increased power translates to enhanced capabilities, including the ability to ascend steeper inclines, accelerate more rapidly, and attain and maintain higher speeds. The limited space within the small wheel diameters restricts the size of individual direct-drive motors, making the dual-motor configuration an effective solution for maximizing power output.
Better heat distribution
High performance scooters have motors that can deliver a lot of power from a relatively small package. At the same time, that motor must dissipate a fair amount of heat so it doesn’t overheat and get damaged.
Using dual motors effectively doubles the heat dissipation capabilities for a given amount of power applied to the motors. A dual motor 2000 watt scooter will be much less likely to overheat than a single motor 2000 watt scooter operated the same way.
Superior braking
Apollo is the industry leader in regenerative braking technology. Dual motor systems allow regenerative braking on both wheels rather than just one. Consider, however, that the overwhelming potential advantage of a regenerative braking system is not actually the return of energy to the battery system. Rather it is, if properly engineered, the actual braking characteristics, which can be superior to any friction based braking system, including hydraulic systems.
With Apollo’s Power RBS (regenerative braking system) Braking is progressive, consistently controllable, and predictable. It is in a league of its own. This is all on top of the additional range that returning energy to the battery system yields.
Another advantage of dual motor progressive braking systems offered on Apollo scooters is the ability to rely almost entirely upon regenerative braking to slow down or stop the scooter. In this case brake pads, disc drums will last for the life of the scooter without the need for maintenance or replacement.
Doing tricks
Many dual motor scooters utilize dual controllers, which allows them to operate with front wheel, back wheel, or dual motor drive. Under “normal conditions” there is little or no advantage in operating a dual motor scooter on a single motor. It is not really more power efficient. Therefore, Apollo uses dual motor controllers, decreasing complexity, wiring etc.
However, there are certain tricks or stunts that riders may wish to engage in where a choice of single motor front or rear drive may facilitate executing the move. Having the ability to operate with one’s choice of which wheel is driving the scooter is desirable for these stunts.
Dual Motor Scooter Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How does a dual motor build improve acceleration and speed?
A: Dual motors deliver torque to both wheels, resulting in faster starts and higher top speeds.
Q: Can a dual motor electric scooter handle steep hills better?
A: Yes, significantly. Power to both wheels ensures consistent traction and momentum on inclines. Plus, dual motor scooters typically have more powerful motors. Remember to look at the peak power to know which scooter is more powerful.
Q: How does dual motor technology affect battery life?
A: While they use more power, efficient systems and regenerative braking can help conserve battery under certain conditions.
Q: Are dual motor scooters safer?
A: Yes. Better traction, improved braking, and increased control all contribute to a safer ride; but of course it ultimately comes down to wearing the right safety gear and driving with caution.
Q. Can you switch from Single to Dual motor on Apollo Scooters?
A: Apollo scooters use a specially designed single controller system to supply energy to dual motor scooters. This simplifies the wiring of the scooter and improves reliability and ease of maintenance, however you can’t manually choose to use one or two motors.
Q. Is maintenance more difficult with a dual motor scooter?
A: Generally motors are fairly maintenance free. They are direct drive and, unlike hub motor e-bikes, have no internal gears to wear out. They do, however, have wheel bearings, but so do wheels without motors. Dual motors can increase the challenge of tire replacement. The non-motorized wheel on a single motor scooter is not wired to the scooter with a power and control wiring harness.
Recent Apollo designs have in-line quick connectors facilitating complete removal of the motorized wheel for tire changes, with not much more complexity as a non-motorized wheel. Additionally Apollo scooters, and many other quality brands come equipped with tubeless self-sealing tires that greatly reduce the need for riders to do tire repairs and changes.
Q. Are dual motor scooters worth the extra cost?
A: This will depend on what you are going to use your scooter for. In those cases where performance demands are low, lightest weight is important, so you’d probably want to go for a single motor. An example might be a student at a college who climbs stairs to a compact dorm room and only travels across a relatively small college campus. Speeds will be low, weight for carrying up the stairs important, terrain will be relatively flat, and budget when it’s adding to their student loans is critical. There’s a place for “low performance” minimalist scooters! A dual motor scooter may not be worth the extra cost and weight in situations like this.
However, in the performance space, or the more challenging commuter space, anywhere that hills or challenging road surfaces will be encountered, using a dual motor scooter can be a game changer. Consider the Apollo Go. It is a very small scooter, indeed. It appears externally similar to many minimalist scooters, however its dual motor system can take a rider up some very steep hills, it is quite surprising in that aspect.
Conclusion: Dual Motors for the Win
For riders who demand power, performance, and peace of mind, electric scooter dual motor builds are the future. Whether you're commuting in a hilly city or enjoying off-road adventures, the benefits far outweigh the added weight and cost.
With innovations from leading brands like Apollo, dual motor scooters continue to redefine what’s possible on two wheels. Cost and some increased weight will always be an issue. Given the ability to afford a dual motor scooter, the advantages are almost always greater than the disadvantages. There is, however, still a place for the single motor scooter where cost or very light weight are highly important.
Ready to own the road? Get your Apollo Scooter today!
