Reviewing this tiny 50 mph electric scooter is the best bad idea on wheels

The Emove RoadRunner Pro is a seated electric scooter that looks like an unassuming little runabout, but don’t let its small stature fool you. This e-scooter has the power and performance to hang with the much bigger dogs. In fact, it’s probably more than you’ll ever need, and that’s why I love it.

Here at Electrek we appreciate all electric two-wheelers, but we’ve got a bit of an extra penchant for the fast and powerful electric two-wheelers.

And that’s exactly what the Emove RoadRunner Pro is. It builds upon the original Emove Roadrunner, which topped out at a mere 36 mph, and now bumps that speed up by around 50% to hit a solid 50 mph (80 km/h).

Or at least it claims to. I noped out in the mid-40’s despite the scooter telling me that it wanted to keep going, so I have no doubt it will get up to 50 mph if you push, you’ll just have to be braver than me.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start with the specs behind this beast, which you’ll find below just after my video review. And trust me, you’ll want to watch the video on this one.

Emove RoadRunner Pro electric scooter video review

Emove RoadRunner Pro tech specs

• Motors: Dual 2,000W hub motors (4 kW total)
• Top speed: 80 km/h (50 mph)
• Range: 80 km (50 mi)
• Battery: 60V 30Ah (1,800 Wh)
• Weight: 52 kg (114 lb)
• Weight capacity: 150 kg (330 lb)
• Brakes: Zoom dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes
• Price: $2,895
• Extras: Color LED display, included head/tail/brake LED lights with turn signals, split-rim tubeless tires, cable-actuated twist throttle, front and rear suspension, upgraded comfort saddle, foot pegs, adjustable height fenders

So much more than I expected

I was as guilty as most people will be when it comes to underestimating this little seated scooter. The small size makes it quite convenient (especially if you’re limited in garage space), but it also means that you probably won’t expect it to be such a powerhouse.

I tossed a leg over and grabbed a bit of throttle for the first time when I instantly heard the sound of spinning rubber. Both my tires were simultaneously peeling out, and I wasn’t even ready to go anywhere.

A quick ease off the throttle and a two-second mental reset later, I was ready to try again. This time I feathered it a bit more purposefully and I was off!

The scooter positively flies. The little 14″ tires combined with the super high power motors make for some seriously impressive torque off the line. The instant acceleration will throw your head back and bring a smile to your stretched face.

I’ve ridden some of the most powerful electric motorcycles on the market, and yet somehow I was being impressed by something that looks like an overgrown kids toy. Darn, they did something right here!

And it makes sense, since this isn’t Voromotor’s first rodeo with the RoadRunner. The original was already a pint-sized performance king, but it had some draw backs. Now they’ve addressed those and make the RoadRunner Pro into a seriously compelling machine.

The lack of rear suspension and the somewhat thin seat on the previous version have been replaced with seriously good full suspension and a very nice seat upgrade.

I felt much more comfortable pushing harder into turns and taking larger bumps in the road, unlike with the previous hardtail version that had a bit of a catapult effect on bigger bumps.

The battery also got a massive upgrade. It’s not a potent 60V and 50Ah pack built with high quality cells, pure nickel and copper strips and uses massive 8AWG wires for the discharge. That’s practically welding wire, folks.

Normally a battery that big wouldn’t be removable, especially not in a scooter, but they managed to retain a removable battery design that makes it easier to charge (especially since you won’t want to lift a 115 lb scooter up the stairs into your apartment).

And there are other major upgrades that you won’t notice day to day, but could come in super handy. The split rims mean you run tubeless for better flat protection, and also make it easier to perform repairs if you do get a flat or eventually change tires.

But what gets me the most here is the price. At just $2,895, your’e getting incredible performance at a budget price. There are light electric motorcycles at this price that don’t go this fast. There are e-bikes that have a fraction of this performance!

Speaking of light electric motorcycles, I’d actually consider this to be one of them. It’s called a “seated e-scooter,” but the line is blurry and largely comes down to appearance, not performance. Anything that can scrape you across the pavement at 50 mph deserves to be treated like a motorcycle. To me, that means a full face helmet, armored riding jacket, gloves, pants, etc. The whole nine yards. I’m not telling you how to dress, but I will tell you how not to dress. This isn’t a tank top and flip-flops scooter, not by a long shot.

It’s an awesome machine, but one that demands respect.

What are the downsides?

I love almost everything about this quirky little e-scooter, but that’s the thing – it’s got quirks.

First of all, the rear turn signals are largely a gimmick. They use a single horizontal row of LEDs and flash in a pattern towards one side or the other. That means the “turn signal” isn’t your typical blinker, but rather an animation in the middle of the scooter. Are drivers going to see and then interpret it correctly? Who knows, but I wouldn’t rely on it. I found myself still using hand signals.

Next, the amazing power that gives it awesome acceleration is almost too powerful. It has a tendency to unload the front wheel thanks to the extremely torquey rear wheel. In fact, both wheels are equally torquey, which means that the unloaded front wheel likes to start an early burnout whenever it can. That might be fun if you like leaving short rubber snakes on the pavement, but it also kills your handling, especially if you want to have full control of your steering on a powerful take off. You learn pretty quickly to feather the throttle, but it’s something to keep in mind.

And lastly, there’s the questionable legality. As I mentioned, I didn’t fully hit 50 mph, but that was only because I didn’t push it all the way there. Once I got into the 40’s, I just felt like I was drawing so much attention that I was worried about having to explain to a cop what the heck it was, and why he or she should let me off with a warning. Your local laws may vary, and you’ll want to check to see how a 50 mph seated electric scooter fits into your existing scooter/motorcycle/moped laws. I can tell you that in Florida where I was testing it, this would qualify as a motorcycle and be treated as such. My motorcycle license is important to me, and I didn’t really want to risk it by flying around town at 50 mph too often.

So what’s the summary?

Here it is: This is an incredible machine. Voromotors really pulled out all the stops when it came to redesigning the scooter. The Emove RoadRunner Pro is what would happen if someone actually built the silly idea for an electric scooter we all dream up.

It’s powerful. It’s fast. It’s got a massive battery. It’s even full of great parts like awesome suspension and a long, comfortable saddle.

But you’ll be well served to use an extra helping of responsibility each time you squat down onto this little hooligan. It’s so well outfitted that it will easily get you into trouble if you aren’t careful with it.