Solar P1 3.0: the Fastest Electric Scooter Under $1300

Is this the fastest electric scooter you can buy for under $1300?

The dual motor Solar P1 3.0 introduces several improvements over the 2.0 model.

Upgrades include a brighter standard lighting package, wider range of optional Tron lighting colors, and dual sinewave controllers on even the base model.

Solar P1 3.0- $1,299

Solar is a UK company with a US headquarters in Los Angeles. They’ve made high-quality, low-cost, high-speed electric scooters for several years now and released one of our favorite electric dirt bikes, the carbon-frame E-Clipse, earlier this year.

Solar has gone with an old electric scooter frame style for the P1, one seen in classics of the scooter world. This style works to the scooter’s advantage in several respects, which we’ll explore below, but it also comes with some drawbacks.

Who Is This Scooter For?

The P1 3.0 is such a versatile electric scooter that nearly anyone can ride it, from beginners to pros, and appreciate its speed, acceleration, power, and ride quality.

It’s a scooter you’ll grow into if you’re just starting out: a dual-motor electric scooter with 1200W of combined power is not exactly entry level, though a wide range of speed and motor settings let you tame its most aggressive instincts.

But this is also most definitely a scooter built for experienced riders on a budget who dig classic styling, serious performance, and customization options galore.

See the Best Electric Scooters of 2023 here

Our Full Video Review

Solar P1 3.0: Performance & Stats

Top Speed

The P1 3.0 is fast, faster than its predecessor, hitting a top speed of 41.4 mph.

The only scooter in this price class to outclass the P1 3.0 happens to be another Solar model, the EQ, which goes for $150 more.

For further comparison, have a look at our current leaderboard of dual motor scooters in the price range of the Solar P1 3.0:

1. Solar EQ – 41.5 mph
2. Solar P1 3.0 – 41.4 mph
3. Solar P1 2.0 – 40.0 mph
4. Mantis V2 – 37.3 mph
5. Nanrobot D5+ – 37.0 mph
6. Apollo Ghost 2022 – 36.6 mph
7. GOTRAX GX2 – 35.6 mph

Acceleration

This third iteration of Solar’s P1 reaches 30 mph in just 7.5 seconds.

Although this time lags a few milliseconds behind the 2.0, we must note that Paul tested the scooter with the seat attachment, which possibly slowed the P1 down at takeoff.

Hill Climb

The P1 3.0 really shined on our hill test, as you might expect from a powerful dual motor electric scooter like this one. It reached the top of our test hill in 8.6 seconds. We were so impressed that we decided to hit the steepest hill in San Francisco.

“It flew straight up with no problem, averaging about 9 mph. That’s faster than most people can run on flat ground!”

Range

No slouch at all when it comes to range, the P1 3.0 sports a large, 52V battery that carried it 27.7 miles on our test course. 

We should note that we conducted all testing on this particular scooter with the optional $55 seat attached.

Riding seated gives you less wind resistance and maybe a mile or so additional range. 

Braking

The Solar P1 3.0 came to a full stop in 10.3 feet from a speed of 15 mph.

At this price, we like to see hydraulic braking, or semi-hydraulic braking, but the P1 3.0’s mechanical disc brakes performed almost impeccably well in our tests.

In fact, the P1 3.0’s mechanical brakes came up just .2 seconds short next to the pricier Solar EQ’s full hydraulics.

Ride Quality

The P1 3.0 has quad spring suspension up front and hydraulic suspension in the back, as well as chunky 10″ tubeless tires (with preinstalled sealant).

Solar’s dual motor intermediate scooter is ready for any paved surface you throw under it, and maybe the occasional off-road adventure, though we don’t officially recommend it as an off-road scooter.

The scooter has some very nice ergonomics, from a trigger throttle that won’t give you “throttle finger” to the guard over the rear fender that also works as a carrying handle, stem attachment, and sturdy footrest when riding, giving you an even longer riding platform.

Solar P1 3.0: Design, Build & Reliability

The Solar P1 3.0 does well on our new reliability metric, scoring an 8.5 out of 10, bolstered by a two-year warranty, tubeless tires that come with pre-installed sealant, a ton of parts/accessories available on their website, and a design that’s easy to work on, and customize. For example, all of the electrical connectors-except for the main motor cables, are plug and play. 

The Solar P1 3.0 uses a time-tested design to its advantage. From its rugged, durable construction to the ease of user maintenance and repairs, this is genuinely a scooter you can count on to last for many years of frequent use if you take care of it.

“The score is pulled down a little by the use of generic cells in their batteries, but I definitely wouldn’t expect Samsung or LG cells for a scooter of this price with this level of performance.”

There are some nitpicky issues we had with build quality (see our full video review above), but on the whole, you get a lot of performance and flexibility for the price. 

Solar P1 3.0: Is It Worth It? Our Verdict

There will always be those who see classic designs like the Solar P1 3.0 as outdated, but that’s not the way to think about it, in our opinion.

Like a classic tubular steel-frame bicycle, there’s nothing at all wrong with this style. Sure, there’ve been improvements for the sake of aerodynamics, sleek racing profiles, invisible cable routing, and so on. Are these innovations worth hundreds more, especially when they make it difficult or impossible to swap or replace components yourself? 

The fact is, by the numbers, the P1 3.0 outperforms almost every scooter in its price class, one that now includes a few dual motor contenders for less than $1500. 

“Putting aside all of the specs and all of the metrics, if we just look at the riding experience, Solar’s P1 3.0 might be the most fun you can buy for the price. It just has really nice balance of power, handling, and throttle control. It’s also got enough power that even if you ride it a lot, you’re really unlikely to ‘outgrow’ this scooter.” – Paul

Even if you get another electric scooter after the Solar P1 3.0, this is still a ride you won’t want to let go.