EMOVE Cruiser (2021) Review: Does This 50 Mi Range Scooter Have It All?

EMOVE Cruiser Review

Performance Summary

Acceleration (0 to 15 mph)	3.8 seconds
Acceleration (0 to 20 mph)	6.0 seconds
Acceleration (0 to 25 mph)	9.6 seconds
Acceleration (0 to 30 mph)	21.5 seconds
Top speed	30.5 mph
Braking distance (15 to 0 mph)	10.4 feet
Range	47.0 miles
Hill climb	12.2 seconds

Acceleration

The 2021 Cruiser has a more powerful 1000 watt motor, but is tuned to provide ample range. Its 0 to 20 mph (6.0 seconds) is slower than the old Cruiser, but it’s significantly quicker to 25 mph — perfect for those who like to cruise at 25 mph to 30 mph.

During our tests, the EMOVE Cruiser hit 15 mph in a brisk 3.8 seconds. This is much faster than what you’d experience on a shared scooter like the Segway Ninebot Max.

The Cruiser hit 20 mph in a respectable 6.0 seconds, and 25 mph in 3.8 seconds.

Hill Climb

The EMOVE Cruiser has always been a good hill climber, but the 2021 upgrade has made it exceptional.

You are unlikely to encounter a hill that will stop this scooter, even in San Francisco.

We put the EMOVE through our standardized (200 ft, 10% grade, 165 lb rider) hill climb test, and it reached the peak in 12.2 seconds with an average speed of 11.1 mph.

For comparison, the Xiaomi Mi M365 takes 20.8 seconds to climb the same hill at an average speed of 6.6 mph.

You can compare this performance with that of other scooters we’ve tested on our performance page.

Top Speed

The scooter hit a top speed of 30.5 mph on the flat (GPS-tracked) with a 165 lb rider — twice as fast a typical shared scooter and faster than most other single-motor scooters.

Range

The EMOVE Cruiser has one of longest ranges of any scooter we’ve ever tested– second only to the $4,499 NAMI Burn-E.

The updated Cruiser went 47.0 miles in our real-world test — slightly less than the old Cruiser.

Like a well-designed economy car, the EMOVE Cruiser is very efficient. It packs a large -- LG battery, giving this scooter its herculean range. The controller is also tuned to be energy conserving, making the Cruiser like a giant, rideable Duracell that keeps going, and going, and going.

We test all electric scooters on the same urban test loop with an 165 lb rider in the scooter’s highest performance setting. The range test is designed to simulate a rigorous urban commute (max acceleration, fast riding, rough terrain, many hills). More conservative riding will likely extend the Cruiser’s already remarkable range.

Braking

We give the EMOVE Cruiser high marks for providing an excellent, redundant braking system in the form of dual Xtech 140 mm semi-hydraulic disc brakes. The rear wheel also provides electronic braking.

The semi-hydraulic brakes are a bit easier to operate than cable-actuated disc brakes. They work well, but you can easily lock up both wheels when emergency stopping. Like many scooters, the brakes may need adjustment out of the box to get them dialed into your preferred stopping power.

The EMOVE Cruiser has outstanding 15 mph to 0 mph braking distance of just 10.4 ft. Its long wheelbase, low center of gravity, and great feeling semi-hydraulic brakes beat most comparable scooters.

For context, the shortest recorded braking distance (for any scooter) in our performance tests is around 8 ft.

Ride Quality

On a scooter that can go 47.0 miles on a single charge, you need to be comfortable.

Fortunately the Cruiser is one of the most comfortable. It has a 23.1-inch deck — the longest of any scooter we’ve tested.

Its dual spring suspension and large tubeless pneumatic tires provide a smooth ride. The Cruiser’s weight gives it some heft, providing added damping against vibrations over rough roads.

With a thoughtful feature-packed build, the Cruiser allows you to cruise for impressive distances without getting too fatigued, even if road conditions are poor.

The Cruiser feels planted during hard braking yet stable at speed. It’s also got enough suspension travel for rough pavement and even dirt roads, though we don’t recommend taking it on rocky trails.

It’s no surprise that YouTuber Airrack selected the Cruiser for his 286 mile ride across the state of Florida.

Watch the episode of Scooter Hunters where ESG helped Airrack pick the right scooter for his trip.

EMOVE Cruiser Features

Portability

The EMOVE Cruiser has strong portability features, including folding handlebars, a telescoping and folding stem, but is a bit heavy at 59 lbs for frequent loading/unloading or lifting. 

It has a compact folded footprint of 50 inches long by 10 inches wide by 16 inches tall. For comparison, a typical 27 lb budget scooter is roughly 42 in long by 17 in wide by 19 in tall when folded — just a bit shorter in length, but wider due to lack of folding handlebars.

The pin-style stem folding mechanism is one of the best we’ve seen, and is unique to the EMOVE models. It uses a single pin to lock the stem upright, and also locks when folded down for easier carrying. 

To disengage the pin, sit or stand on the deck while applying forward pressure against the stem. When you rotate the stem into the folded position, the pin will lock it into place. Also, the frame of the folding mechanism provides many locations to secure a lock and store this scooter outside, when you can do so safely.

Cockpit

The cockpit of the EMOVE Cruiser has so many features, the handlebars could be considered a little crowded (though not without purpose). 

The Cruiser has fairly wide 10 inch handlebars with flat-palm rubber hand grips that provide good support for long rides. The width of the handlebars allow for a natural shoulder position, which reduces fatigue and gives optimum control of the scooter. 

At the center of the handlebars are the pull-release mechanisms, allowing you to fold them down. This style is very sturdy when the handlebars are locked into the correct place, but can fail if not seated correctly before riding.

On the left handlebar, you have a brake lever and the button console controlling the electronic horn (green button), headlight (red button), and turn signals (black slider). 

On the right handlebar, there’s a key-start ignition with voltmeter, waterproof display with finger trigger throttle (much like a QS-S4), and brake lever. On the back of the display is a USB port, which Chuck was able to use for low-voltage charging of his smartphone (not advised). This port is intended for flashing updates to the firmware, but can be used for charging in a pinch. 

One awesome usability feature is the use of plug-and-play cabling with a standard 6-pin connector for electrical components, including the throttle display, lights, horn, and so on. With this type of cabling, riders can more easily replace or swap electronics. 

Lights

The Cruiser features deck button lights, two on either side of the deck at the front (white lights) and two at the rear (red lights) for a total of four lights, which act as the turn signals.

When engaged, the turn signals are coupled with an audible beeping, so you don’t forget to turn them off (just like in a car!). The deck lights wrap around the sides of the deck, which helps to maximize visibility from all angles. 

To activate these lights, you have to power them on (button on the side of the deck next to the kickstand), then move the slider left or right to turn on the signals. All controls are fairly easy to operate, though it takes a bit of practice knowing where the turn signal slider is positioned without looking down. 

In most other scooters, the deck button lights serve the purpose of both head/tail lights and turn signals, and are not independent from the brake lights (meaning others cannot tell if you’re signaling to turn or stopping). Also, these light configurations do not include an audible indicator, so you have to look down at the deck to tell if they’re blinking or not. This isn’t an issue with the EMOVE Cruiser.  

The headlight is mounted a bit lower than we recommend for night riding, but is bright and effective at helping you see, especially with the help of the front deck button lights. Like the other electrical components, you can replace the light given it is connected via plug-and-play cabling. The tail light responds to braking, blinking brighter when you apply the brakes. 

For extra safety, we always recommend using additional lights. Check out our guide for staying visible while riding at night.

Tires

The EMOVE Cruiser has 10.0 in  by 3 in dual pneumatic air-filled tires. The tires are largely hidden by huge front and rear fenders that prevent road debris from being thrown onto you.

Tubeless tires, like those of an automobile, seal against the rim of the scooter and provide solid performance and safer handling. They tend to be stronger, thicker, and more flat resistant. If you do end up getting a flat, it should be fairly easy to repair with tire slime.

Deck

The Cruiser has a very generous 23.1-inches by 7.7-inches of deck space. Most riders — even those with large feet — will find the deck supremely comfortable.

The deck is also rounded, which helps with damage of walls, your own legs, or any object you might bump this thing into. Every edge has a protective hard plastic that acts as a bumper.

Build Quality

The EMOVE Cruiser has excellent build quality for its price and a thoughtful, commuter-friendly design.

Given its long range, heavier than average weight capacity, and stacked features, it makes sense that the Cruiser is one of the most popular e-scooters, ever.

The EMOVE Cruiser was built with acute attention to detail, exemplified by things like the front cables, which are protected in a nylon sheath. As mentioned, all cables are plug-and-play, making the Cruiser that much easier to mod, and all electronic components are sealed well, giving the Cruiser significant water resistance. 

In fact, when opening up the deck of our Cruiser, we found that the battery is enclosed in its own protected, center channel, separated from the controller (which is at the very front of the deck). Along either side of the center channel are internal cavities for the cables that run the length of the deck.

The Cruiser has a higher than average IP rating of IPX6  — which is the best in the business.

It should be noted that despite the IP rating, many scooter warranties will not cover water-related damage. If you plan to push the IP rating, make sure you know your retailer’s warranty policy.

Optional Accessories

The Cruiser has a host of optional accessories. Some we universally recommend, whereas other will be best only for some. We installed and tested all these accessories.

Accessory	Installation	Recommend	Price
Thumb throttle	4 min (Easy)	Yes	$69
Twist throttle	6 min (Easy)	Yes	$69
Rear handle	4 min (Easy)	Yes	$25
Trunk kit	30 min (Medium)	Depends	$120
Seat	20 min (Medium)	Yes	$65
Handlebars	45 min (Hard0	No	$94

EMOVE Cruiser Specifications

Make	EMOVE
Model	Cruiser
Weight	52 lb
Folded dimensions	50 by 10 by 16 in
Motor power, continuous	1000 W
Top speed	28 mph
Range	62 mi
Battery capacity	1560 Wh
Battery recharge time	9 to 12 hrs
Max rider weight	350 lb
Brake type	Disc (Semi-Hydraulic) + Disc (Semi-Hydraulic)
Tire type	10.0 in Pneumatic (Tubeless) + Pneumatic (Tubeless)
Built-in lights	Front + Rear
Water resistance	IPX6