2021 Evolve Pro-R Review

Video Review

Written Review

Power — 2x 1200 nominal watts, 1500 peak watts hub motors… 3000 peak watts total

Speed  — 44 mph

Battery and Range — 60 volt 21 ah, 45 miles or 21 ah, 40 miles, Samsung cells

Display — Color LCD

Frame and weight — 6061 Aluminum alloy, 80 pound curb weight, 330 pound weight capacity

Suspension —  Front and rear springs

Brakes — Hydraulic disc, 140 mm rotors

Warranty — 1 year limited warranty, 7-day return for unopened boxes

Price — Starting at $2,481.88 USD

Today we’re reviewing the Evolve Pro-R and let me just say, you better buckle up because with a 44 mph top speed, this is one dangerously fast electric scooter. The Evolv Pro-R is solidly built from top to bottom with absolutely zero rattling, shimmies or shakes while nearing that ludicrous 44 mph top speed. The Evolv Pro-R is built like a tank but performs like a Formula 1 race car. We’ve reviewed a few other similarly designed electric scooters, but the Evolv Pro-R easily wins the title of best in class, and with an eye-watering starting price of $2,481.88 USD, it had better. Right, let’s dive into the specs.

Pretty much every spec on the Evolv Pro-R is impressive, but let’s go ahead and start with the motors. We’ve got a hub motor in the front and rear wheel, each with a nominal output of 1200 watts and a peak output of 1500 watts, for a combined total of 3000 peak watts of power. Yes, I said 3000 watts. Now that is power you can feel. These motors are so powerful in fact that there’s almost no way to keep the front wheel from slipping a bit when slamming the throttle from a dead stop. The torque hits like a freight train off the line. Keep the throttle pinned and the Evolv Pro-R just keeps accelerating, and accelerating and accelerating until you finally hit that terrifying top speed of 44 mph. The Evolv Pro-R’s wheelbase and handlebar width are slightly shorter than some of its competitors, which does make it feel a bit more squirrelly, but also more nimble. This electric scooter is absolutely ideal for carving through slow-moving traffic on city streets, or opening up the throttle on lonely straight aways. 

To power those monster motors the Evolv Pro-R has a 60 volt, 21 amp hour battery with Samsung cells, offering a max estimated range of 40 miles in the lowest settings. Crank up the power output though and those motors will gulp down those electrons in a hurry. Real world range at max output, you can realistically expect 20 miles per charge, give or take 5 miles depending on rider weight, terrain, and environmental factors. And this is why we’re hoping Evolv might offer an even higher capacity battery at some point in the future. 

The battery is stored inside the deck, keeping the center of gravity low and the leaving the Evolv Pro-R feeling very well balanced. There are two charging ports on the right side of the deck, which means if you have two chargers, you can charge it up twice as fast. The battery isn’t hot swappable though, so even if you had a spare it would take some time to swap them out.

The Evolv Pro-R has a curb weight of nearly 80 pounds, which is comparable to other similar scooters and really doesn’t feel half as heavy as it sounds when you’re riding it. We’ve already talked about how beefy this ride is, but it’s worth reiterating the overall build quality and the fit and finish. In short, it’s superb. And that’s an adjective you’re going to want to hear when describing a ride that can hit 44 mph. The last thing you want at those speeds is a mechanical issue. 

The suspension here is also something to write home about, not because it’s unique so much as it is just really high quality. Whatever Evolv did with their suspension they did it right, because it feels noticeably more responsive than its competitors. The suspension is also robust enough, and the tires are grippy enough, that the Evolv Pro-R would even make a great off-road trail blazer. 

Another important aspect of the fame to call out is the collar that keeps the handlebars locked in place. The collar locks tightly around the handlebars and is held in place by not one, but two oversized quick release levers that really cinch it down tight. This is a pretty critical feature because, again, we’re looking at 44 mph top speeds here and it is absolutely imperative that the handlebars stay 100% locked in place no matter what you throw at it.

When you are ready to fold the Evolv Pro-R, however, it takes just a few seconds to unlatch the quick release levers, lift the collar and fold down the handlebar stem. When you’re ready to redeploy the handlebars, just lift them back up, drop the collar and close those quick release levers back up. This might be the easiest and quickest folding system we’ve seen yet.

The brakes on the Evolv Pro-R are also excellent quality, with dual hydraulic disc brakes and 140 mm rotors in the front and rear wheels. The stopping power is almost as absurd as the acceleration. Slam that front brake hard without properly shifting your weight and you’re 100% going to flip over the handlebars… you have been warned. 

Wire management on the Evolv Pro-R is great as well, with the bulk of the wires being internally routed through the frame. The few wires that are exposed are wrapped, leaving everything looking neat and organized, and also minimizing the risk that a loose cable might get snagged. 

There are integrated lights on the Evolv Pro-R, and while they do help illuminate the path a bit, they really serve as a way to increase your visibility to others. If you plan on riding at night, you’re probably going to want to get an aftermarket light with at least 2,000 lumens of output. 

The display on the Evolv Pro-R is a color LCD display that has all the pertinent information, but it’s not overly bright and might be hard to see in direct sunlight. The same can be said for the independent voltage meter. It’s a great piece of gear and the ideal way to see exactly how much juice is left in the battery, but it’s just not very bright. 

The ergonomic grips are not only comfortable, but also, well, grippy. They also have lockers on both ends so there’s really no way of them slipping around, which is great. On the left side of the handlebars we’ve got a bell and few buttons to toggle between single and dual motors, and eco and power modes. You can also control output with the display by changing “gears.”

At $2,481.88 USD, The Evolv Pro-R is quite a bit more expensive than its competitors, but it’s also quite a bit nicer. Every component is expertly selected and tuned, and the amount of power that comes out of these motors is nothing short of unbelievable. The Evolv Pro-R truly is a best in class electric scooter.

See more of the Evolv Pro-R: