Ready to leave the pavement behind? In 2025, all terrain electric scooters are no longer just a niche option—they're the go-to for riders who crave performance, durability, and the thrill of off-road adventures. Whether you're tackling gravel paths, forest trails, or city streets, these rugged machines are designed to deliver a smooth and powerful ride on any surface.
In this guide, we break down the top terrain electric scooters of 2025, focusing on power, battery life, suspension systems, build quality, and real-world performance—so you can find your perfect scooter for every ride.
The Evolution of All Terrain Electric Scooters
Put wheels on something, and humans will want to race it, and then take it off the pavement.
Figure 1 foundational wheeled devices, road racing versions, off-road versions
Electric Scooters are of course, no exception to this rule.
Not long ago, electric scooters were mostly seen zipping through urban streets. But in recent years, we've seen a dramatic shift. Thanks to innovations in motor power, adjustable hydraulic suspension, and off-road tires, electric scooters have evolved into full-blown off-road machines.
Today’s best off road electric scooters offer not only raw power but also the kind of ride comfort and control you’d expect from a premium vehicle. They’re engineered for everything from steep hills and rocky trails to long-range exploration.
Figure 2 M365 scooter, Emove Roadster high performance road scooter, Kaabo Wolf King GTR all-terrain scooter
Here we are going to focus on all-terrain scooters and what goes into creating the best all-terrain electric scooters. Note to all readers: we say “best”, but like we’ve mentioned in other blog posts, the definition of best is very subjective - it really depends on your use case and preference. In this article we’re defining as “best” the most sold scooters & best rated scooters by electric scooter reviewers.
Riding into 2025: How Innovations Have Redefined Off-Road Mobility
In 2025, off road electric scooters aren’t just about big wheels and more torque. They're smarter, more efficient, and more capable. New models feature advanced suspension systems, dual motors for added traction, and upgraded controllers that offer pinpoint acceleration and braking. Paired with longer battery life and rugged materials, they make off-roading feel effortless.
All-terrain or off-road electric scooters utilize a lot of design elements from mountain bicycles and off-road motorcycles.
To illustrate these points, let’s look at a foundational electric scooter - the Xiaomi Mi M365 Scooter. This scooter was released in December of 2016. And- if you’re not sure about what we’re talking about - you most likely would recognize it as the core of the Bird Rental scooter fleet (with some modifications). The M365 is not suitable as an all-terrain scooter (pictured left in the image above). If you take a look at this scooter, you’ll see that it's small, has no suspension at all, and the tires don’t have tread. All of this makes it inappropriate for all-terrain.
Now, take a look at the scooter on the right - the Kaabo Wolf King GTR- this is one of the best all-terrain scooters available. Why? Take a closer look - it carries all-terrain tires, ensuring a more comfortable and slip-free ride. It's rugged and heavier - important so you don't fly off on a rough road. Better suspension and overall tougher.
These aren’t the only two scooters available out there though, there are many other options available for all-terrain scooters, the Wolf King GTR is a leading example of an off-road focused machine Other scooters such as the Imotion RS (the scooter in the middle) have features that can make them excellent performers - but, you will need to do some modifications like equipping it with the proper tires.
What Makes an Electric Scooter “All Terrain”?
All terrain electric scooters are defined by three key factors:
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Suspension: Hydraulic or spring suspension systems absorb impact from rough terrain.
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Tires: Off-road or hybrid tires provide grip on both trails and city streets.
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Power: High motor power (usually dual motors) allows for climbing hills and navigating obstacles.
These features combine to create a vehicle built for stability, safety, and a smooth and comfortable ride in unpredictable environments.
Key Features That Define Off-Road Excellence
Let’s go through feature by feature and discuss the “whys” for each feature (in no particular order).
Motor power
Most modern single motor scooters are rear wheel drive. Off-road, the front wheel will tend to dive into the dirt rather than stay on top of it. An off-road scooter should have dual motors. The M365 uses a single motor with 250 nominal watts; it is front wheel drive only. The GTR is a dual motor at 2,000 watts each, delivering more power to the road, with all wheel drive for improved traction and handling. Higher power is also important, as all-terrain riding typically includes inclines that require increased power to be able to ascend, and higher rolling resistance of unpaved surfaces.
Increased battery capacity
The M356 has a 36v, 8ah, 288-Watt hour battery while the GTR battery is 72v, 35ah 2520-Watt hours, almost a full 10x the capacity of the M365! This battery takes the GTR farther, faster, and supports the increased power that moving 139 pounds of scooter requires over the 27-pound M365. The battery on the GTR is also removable, potentially allowing riders to keep an extra charged battery for extended off-road sessions.
Rugged Durability and Suspension Systems
The M365 being a suburban and city low performance machine is light and easy to ride, under those conditions, but cannot handle the rough and uneven surfaces that are encountered off-road. The GTR has a dual front fork type suspension very similar to off-road motorcycles. It also features a fully adjustable mono shock hydraulic rear suspension, again like off-road motorcycles. The dual fork arms maintain rigidity and strength all the way from the wheels to the handlebars, contributing to the off-road worthy strength of the scooter. As compared to a road-focused electric scooter with suspension, the travel of the suspension on an off-road capable scooter like the GTR is generally longer, allowing for the increased demands of very uneven riding surfaces and even jumps.
Figure 3 Rear hydraulic suspension unit, Front hydraulic forks as used in the Kaabo Wolf King GTR
The Imotion RS scooters have an additional adjustment for ride height available to influence the suspension travel and deck height, allowing for customization for various surfaces and terrain.
Tires and tread
The M365 has 8.5” x 2” air-filled tires with tubes. These roll well without a lot of resistance. They are, however, a challenge to replace and do not perform well on unpaved surfaces. Their small diameter does not track as well as larger diameter tires over obstacles, their near smooth tread does not offer much grip on loose surfaces like dirt or pebbles. Their thin width does not distribute weight well across softer surfaces either. The GTR tires are tubeless, offering easier patching and tire changes. They are 12” x 4”, with deep tread, offering much-improved traction on soft and loose surfaces.
An additional feature of the Wolf King GTR is the use of a separate rim from the motor assembly. This allows for two sets of tires that can be more easily swapped for tire repairs, or separate street and off-road tire sets.
Figure 4, M365 tire and tube, GTR tire, GTR removable rim.
Lighting
The M365 has a single rather low-powered headlight, whereas the GTR has a much brighter dual headlight unit, placed at mid-level. On a road-based electric scooter, higher is often better as the headlight not only illuminates the road in front but also makes the scooter visible for oncoming traffic. In the all-terrain scenario, lower placement can assist in casting shadows on uneven surfaces alerting the operator to upcoming bumps.
IP rating and water/mud handling
IP Ratings, short for Ingress Protection ratings, are an international standard that rates the degree of protection casings, fittings and enclosures offer from incursion of solid objects (dust and dirt) and liquids (water and mud). One should look for IP66, or better yet IP67, on an all-terrain scooter. The first digit, 6, means that the scooter won’t suffer from ingress of dust or larger dirt particles. If the second digit is 6, water splashes from all directions will have limited or no entry. However, if the second digit is 7, the scooter can be ridden through deep puddles, likely without issue due to water incursion. In this case, the Wolf King GTR comes up a bit short with an IPX5 rating. The Imotion RS is IPX6 for the body and IPX7 for the battery, a superior rating for water resistance.
Off-road style fenders/mud guards
As in motorcycles, the fenders are shorter, and mounted a greater distance away for an all-terrain electric scooter like the GTR than on the M365 and high-speed road machines like the Emove Roadster pictured in the middle of the scooter college above. This clearance and size is less likely to become fouled with mud and less likely to be broken when the scooter falls over, which is much more likely to happen with off-road riding.
Availability of replacement and aftermarket parts
All-terrain riding is much harder on the electric scooter than smooth pavement. Increased vibration and jumps take their toll on parts. There is also a greatly increased chance of the scooter falling over or crashing. While the best all-terrain scooters are built to be more robust than their road counterparts, even this cannot completely negate the increased wear and tear that these machines endure. Parts wear out and break. It’s important to make sure that the electric scooter you purchase has good manufacturer support for parts, as well as the possibility of aftermarket parts. These include tires, lights, brake levers and critical parts like rims and motors.
A serious consideration
If you want an all-terrain experience, is a scooter really the right machine for you? This blog’s alternate title could have been “All-terrain electric scooters, well if you must…”.
Making the Ultimate Choice
Mountain bikes are lighter, have larger wheels, even more capable suspension, and are more stable. They are even available in ebike versions with pedal-assist. Emotos like the Surron Light Bee are fully electric and very capable all-terrain vehicles.
Figure 5 Suron Emoto electric all-terrain electric motorcycle
The challenges of the electric scooter in the off-road environment may be part of the attraction. In the case of the Suron, these are prohibited on public roads and bike paths. This prohibition is often enforced, where as all-terrain capable electric scooters (which are still technically prohibited), are rarely cited when sensibly ridden.
All-terrain electric scooter for on-road use
Just as pavement-focused scooters are less than ideal for off-road or all-terrain use, all-terrain focused scooters are less than ideal for street riding. Knobby or semi-knobby tires are rough riding and give less than optimal pavement traction, impacting cornering and stopping. Suspension is not ideal for street riding either. Some scooters like the Imotion RS are flexible enough to be set up for road or all-terrain, however the tires would ideally be changed to suit the surface.
What about Apollo
Generally, Apollo models are suitable for trails (not the Go so much, due to thin tires and short front suspension travel), however, the design intent of the current line is not all-terrain focused. This is evidenced by road-surface focused tire treads and equipment such as turn signals. Apollo scooters also benefit from the use with an attached cell phone, which would be less than ideal in a real harsh all-terrain environment. Hard-core off-road riding is best done with an all-terrain focused scooter.
Maintenance and Safety Essentials
Before hitting rough terrain, make sure your scooter is ready:
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Tighten bolts regularly
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Keep tires properly inflated
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Clean and dry after muddy rides
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Inspect brakes and suspension often
Safety also means riding with the right gear: a certified helmet, gloves, and reflective clothing—especially on unfamiliar trails or during off-road adventures.
Choosing the Right Scooter for You
With so many options on the market, here’s what to consider:
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Where will you ride most often? (City streets vs. off road trails)
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How far do you need to go? (Battery life matters)
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How important is portability? (Weight and folding size vary)
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Do you prioritize power or comfort? (Some models excel in both)
Final Tips: Expert Advice for a Satisfying and Safe Ride
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Don’t go all in on motor power alone—suspension and tire quality are just as crucial.
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Start with trail-friendly terrain before tackling steeper or more technical rides.
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Stay on top of maintenance to extend your scooter’s life and performance.
Ready to Ride?
2025 is shaping up to be the year of all terrain electric scooters. With smart upgrades, increased durability, and rider-first designs, there’s never been a better time to take your ride off the beaten path. Whether you're an explorer, commuter, or weekend warrior, there's a terrain electric scooter out there built for your journey.
