The VMAX VX4: An Unstoppable Commuter Scooter

We rode the VMAX VX4 GT a full 30-mile lap around San Francisco (and then some), and climbed a hill twice as steep as our test hill.

VMAX’s flagship may not be the fastest single-motor scooter on the block, but it’s definitely the most tenacious. Read on to learn more about this long-range climber.

VMAX VX4 – $1,199 – $1,449

Swiss electric scooter maker VMAX has genuinely impressed us since we reviewed the lightweight budget VX5 last year. VMAX makes durable, well-built scooters with flexible pricing and long ranges: each model comes in three different battery sizes: LT, ST, and GT, the largest and most expensive option.

The difference between the three tiers comes down to distance-to-empty and cost, but otherwise you get the same level of performance with each model. We tested the largest battery size of the VMAX VX4 – the company’s flagship – and the GT took me a full lap around the city of San Francisco and then some.

The VX4 also displayed impressive stopping power and demonstrated the best hill-climbing ability we’ve ever seen in a single motor scooter. While you won’t get the same high speeds from the VX4 as from competitors, for a lot of riders, especially those on the heavier side, this scooter’s high torque is definitely worth the tradeoff.

Who Is This Scooter For?

This is an exceptional scooter for heavier riders, and aficionados of premium ride quality, as well as those who want longer range or who live in hilly areas and need extra torque for faster climbing.. 

It’s not for buyers who are looking for raw speed vs. price, since the VX4 doesn’t go as fast as some similarly-priced single-motor electric scooters, and you can buy a dual motor scooter for the same price. 

But I think there’s just something to a commuter scooter that hits the sweet spot without wearing you out. The VMAX VX4 is truly unstoppable, impeccably rideable, and designed perfectly for pretty much any commute.

VMAX VX4 GT Specs

Our Full Video Review

VMAX VX4 GT: Performance

Top Speed

Our resident big dawg Ramier, who weights 238 lbs and stands over 6 ft tall, hit 24.4 mph max on the VX4. I stand 5’10” and weigh 165 lbs and I saw a top speed of 25.1 mph on my speed runs. 

The lower top speed of the VMAX VX4 could be thought of as one of the scooter’s cons. Or you can understand it as a reasonable trade–off for the kind of torque the VX4’s 500W motor can produce. 

While 500W may not sound like much power, compared to !000W-2000W electric scooters, this is a high-torque motor, which means a little less speed for a lot more power – 1600W of peak power to be exact. 

High-torque motors are also more efficient, and so can travel farther on a single charge, as we found out in our testing.

Acceleration

In ECO mode, the VX4 produces slower, smoother acceleration tailored for beginners. In Sport and Beast mode, it flies off the line. 

As you’ll see in our video review, this scooter’s acceleration is very, very strong. We measured a time of 3.2 seconds to 15 mph. This beats all the competition at the VX4’s base price, including the dual-motor Apollo Go.

Range

If you want longer range, you need to step up to a bigger battery version of the VX4. The three battery sizes are rated for 34, 46, and 62 miles in ECO mode. I rode the VX4 GT in Beast mode, its highest speed mode, and covered 32.1 miles on our hilly range course. 

Then I really put the VX4 to the test by riding a full lap around the entire city of San Francisco. If these range numbers weren’t accurate, I might end up walking home! 

Instead, I made the full loop, and another 10.1 miles around Daly City, where I live, before the VX4 quit. Riding at moderate tourist speeds (around 15-20 mph) – and hitting a lot of red lights – I covered 39.4 miles.

Along the way, I learned that 1) you can trust ESG range numbers 2) stopping at red lights doesn’t hurt range as much as high speeds 3) Armordilloz tire sealant works! 

Braking

Because of the knobby tires of the VX4, we decided to do two braking tests: one in the dry and one in the wet. Generally the difference between the two is around 10%. 

That 10% difference between dry and wet conditions held true. The VX4 stopped in 12.1 ft from 15 mph in dry conditions – very good for its price class – and 13.4 in the rain. 

The VX4 actually has three brakes: a disc brake in the back, drum brake up front, and regenerative braking in the rear wheel when you grab either lever. Grabbing both, of course, activates all three brakes for maximum stopping power. 

These traction tests are great for measuring how well a scooter can perform in different conditions, and they should also impress upon riders the importance of increasing your stopping distance in wet weather.

Hill Climb

The VX4’s 500W motor can put out 1600W of peak power because it’s designed for high torque operation, especially at lower speeds. This makes the scooter an excellent hill climber. 

I remember the exact moment the VX4 electric scooter won me over. I rounded a corner and faced a 20%-grade hill between myself and the Coit tower. I thought “I’m done”. But, then it did it.

In our hill climb test on a 10% grade, the VX4 beats out all of the base price competition, and even beats the dual motor Apollo Go. It seems to climb faster in ECO mode than in SPORT or BEAST, confirming my intuitions about the motor’s higher torque at lower speeds. 

I also hit a 20% grade and, well – I had to go for it…. Find out how the scooter did in our full video review.

See how the VX4 (base model) competes against similarly-priced competition when it comes to climbing hills and hitting 15 mph from a dead stop.

Ride Quality

After riding the VX4 a full lap around San Francisco, I wanted to keep going and going (and I did). The ride was just exceptional.

I covered every kind of terrain from bad pavement to good pavement to dirt and a little bit of gravel, and the tires and the suspension handled everything.

VMAX VX4 GT: Design, Build & Reliability

I don’t usually say this about single-motor electric scooters, but this one could be great for off-roading, with its near unbreakable build, 10-inch tubeless tires, full suspension, powerful motor, and hybrid, knobby 10″ tires. (That said, ebikes will still be the better option because their larger wheels won’t get stuck in muddy ruts so easily.)

The VX4 is rated IPX6, which is among the highest water resistance ratings that we’ve seen on all three VMAX scooters. And the scooter is UL listed for safe charging. All of those contribute to a high longevity and reliability score of 9.2 out of 10.

VMAX’s high reliability score comes not only from the many features we’ve listed, but also from the Swiss maker’s 2-year warranty, which offers enough peace of mind to make the VX4 your everyday ride for a long time.

VMAX VX4 GT: Is It Worth It? Our Verdict

There are few cons going into a purchase of the VMAX VX4, but I’ll be upfront about one of them: portability. The stem latch is not the best and makes it challenging to carry the scooter. Additionally, the scooter could feel too heavy to carry up and down stairs at 64 pounds. It’s not too much for me, but might be too bulky for others to carry comfortably.

Secondly, lower speed. The VX4 is slower than many similarly-priced single-motor scooters like the EMOVE Cruiser. This is not a scooter for speed freaks, but I really think that 25 mph is as fast as an electric scooter needs to go to be a great city commuter. 

Riding at 25 mph lets you pass cyclists and get over into the left lane to make turns, and it’s all you need to occasionally merge in and out of car traffic. Any faster, and we recommend wearing heavy protective gear and a full face motorcycle helmet.  

You can also buy a dual motor electric scooter for around the same price as the VMAX VX4, but the downside is that you’ll end up with an even less portable ride that you won’t want to carry anywhere. The VX4 is just a great commuter scooter: fast enough to ride around the (entire) city, and powerful enough to take on any hills and rough terrain you hit along the way. 

It’s hard to fully describe the experience of riding the VX4 in words but, ultimately, this is a deeply good electric scooter.