The Zero 8 Pro is the sixth model in the Zero collection. On paper, it is one of the most advanced e-scooters currently available. But how does the Z8 Pro perform in practice? Can the scooter rightfully bear the ‘Pro’ label? We took it to the streets of Amsterdam for an in-depth test.
The Zero 8 Pro in this review was provided by Zeroscooters.co.uk.
Long story short
The Zero 8 Pro has just about everything you are looking for in a high-end electric scooter. And above all: you feel safe as a rider on this scooter. The dual braking system, hand-operated indicators and sublime suspension ensure optimal riding comfort.
The fast acceleration and top speed of 53 km/h make the scooter suitable for the sporty rider. Moreover, with its rugged, matt green, appearance, you may be seen on this two-wheeler. With a price tag of less than £796,90, this is a solid scooter competitor.
The 5 main pluses and minuses
| Plus points | Minuses |
| + Takes off quickly and has a maximum speed of 53 km/h | – The scooter weighs 20 kg and will not be easy for everyone to lift |
| + Features easy-to-operate indicators | – At 105 cm long, not practical to carry on public transport on a daily basis |
| + Adjustable handlebars up to a height of 116 cm | |
| + A tall and wide 55 cm deck | |
| + The detached front fork and present front and rear suspension catch bumps well |
Unboxing
The Z8 Pro lands on your doormat in a hefty package. The whole thing weighs just under 25 kg. If you open the box, you will find the following items here (in addition to the scooter):
- 1X Charger
- 1X Toolkit
- 1X Manual
As you would expect with a high-end electric scooter, everything is neatly packaged. The scooter comes in one piece: so there is no wrenching required before you can hit the road. In addition, remarkably, the battery was fully charged upon delivery. We were immediately ready for the first ride.
Acceleration and top speed
If you are looking for speed, the Z8 Pro does not disappoint. With a maximum speed of 53 km/h, it is one of the fastest e-scooters at the moment. In practice, you will most likely enjoy its good acceleration more than a top speed of 53 km/h. This is because the maximum permitted speed for an e-scooter in Belgium and the Netherlands is 25 km/h.
On the right side of the handlebars you will find the display. This is also where the throttle is located. Unlike most e-scooters, on the Z8 Pro you accelerate with a throttle for your index finger.
Pressing the + or – button switches between three gears. These buttons are in thumb range, so you can shift gears while riding. With each gear you reach a different top speed*:
- First gear: up to 27 km/h
- Second gear: up to 38 km/h
- Third gear: up to 53 km/h
*The maximum speed can be affected by several factors, such as the weight of the driver. In our tests, the Zero 8 Pro was loaded with 70 kg.
Gearing determines acceleration in addition to top speed. In first gear, for instance, we achieved 25 km/h in 5.79 seconds. In third gear, it took just 3.96 seconds and the Z8 Pro pulled to 40 km/h in 5.80 seconds.
Several settings (also known as the ‘P settings’) can be adjusted via the display. For instance, here you can choose whether or not to use a kickstart. In our tests, we did not use kickstart. This means you can accelerate from standstill. Does this make riding more sporty? Yes. Could this be dangerous? That too.
Novice riders are advised to use the kick start. You will be surprised at how much power you can shoot away from standstill when you accidentally press the throttle.
Tip: if you order the Z8 Pro from Zeroscooters.co.uk, you have the option of having it delivered fully roadworthy.
Suspension and ride comfort
The front and back of the scooter are equipped with sturdy suspension. The front wheel is connected to the handlebar stem using the separate front fork. You notice the advantage of this construction especially when riding over rough terrain or bumps. Unevenness in the road surface is well absorbed without your hands vibrating off the handlebars.
If you have an adventurous spirit, the Zero 8 Pro is fine to take for an off-road ride. The rear suspension is located in front of the rear tyre, under a raised panel to place one of the feet on. This small panel looks like a ‘spoiler’, but serves as a foot pedal to seek extra balance while riding.
The deck
For the second time in this review, we have to compliment the Zero 8 Pro on its slick looks. The matt green colour gives the scooter a unique, powerful, look. We also see this colour again in the deck.
The deck offers space to place both feet on it with ease. With a length of 54.5 cm and width of 20 cm, most riders will be able to place their feet both side-by-side and back-to-back.
Two anti-slip strips are attached in the middle of the deck. These should provide extra grip in wet weather conditions. By the way, the strips are not a new feature, but are familiar from previous Zero models.
The tyres
The Z8 Pro has two different 8.5″ tyres. Big tyres that is: both tyres are a good 6 centimetres wide. The front tyre is air-filled and features a valve that allows you to inflate it with a simple bicycle pump.
The rear tyre, on the other hand, is solid and cannot be inflated. This has an advantage and a disadvantage:
- Advantage: the rear tyre can never go flat
- Disadvantage: pneumatic tyres generally offer just a little more ride comfort than solid tyres
Some brands draw one line in using air or solid tyres. Zero doesn’t. For instance, the Zero 10X has air-filled tyres, the Zero 8X has two solid tyres and the Zero 8 Pro is a mix of both.
Whether Zero is looking at what fits best on a scooter-by-scooter basis, or simply testing which type of tyres resonate best with their customers, is not yet entirely clear to us.
The braking system
A spirited top speed requires a good braking system. The Z8 Pro has an updated braking system compared to its predecessors.
The front and rear wheel can be braked separately or in combination using two hand-operated drum brakes. How well do these brakes work? We subjected the Zero 8 Pro to two brake tests.
Braking distances are clocked on an asphalt road surface and using only the rear brake. The actual braking distance will be shorter using both brakes:
- From 25 km/h to standstill in 1.74 seconds
- From 37 km/h to standstill in 2.59 seconds
Braking at high speed feels safe with this scooter. This is largely due to its sturdy construction and high handlebars. If you need to brake unexpectedly and this causes you to shoot forward slightly, the 116 cm high handlebars offer resistance.
An e-scooter can feel like a fragile means of transport to the novice driver. A good braking system therefore definitely adds to the feeling of safety. The Z8 Pro succeeds in this.
Want to experience the safety of the Zero 8 Pro for yourself? Schedule a free test ride via Zeroscooters.co.uk
The range
The Z8 Pro has a 48V / 15.6Ah battery in the deck. This allows you to cover a maximum distance of 50 kilometres, under ideal conditions. This is because the range always depends on several factors.
Zero is known for e-scooters with considerable power and range. How does the Z8 Pro compare to other models in the Zero 8 range when it comes to range? Here are the differences:
| Model | Range | Price |
| Zero 8X | 90 kilometres | £1584,94 |
| Zero 8 Pro | 50 kilometres | £788,04 |
| Zero 8 | 30 kilometres | £522,41 |
The Z8 Pro falls in the middle class when it comes to range and price. If we calculate this by the range to price ratio, the Zero 8 Pro is the cheapest model in this range with a price of £15,76 per kilometre of range.
Charging
The Z8 Pro is not the scooter with the shortest charging time. Of course, this is no surprise considering its 50-kilometre range. You can fully recharge an empty battery within 7 hours.
You connect the charger to one of the two charging points at the front of the deck. Both charging points are shielded with a rubber seal. This should prevent dirt build-up while driving.
Is a 7-hour charging time just a bit too long for you? Then the second charging point allows you to connect an extra charger. This halves the charging time. An extra charger will cost you around £66.41.
Portability and weight
When reviewing the Zero 9, we had some difficulty folding the scooter easily. This is clearly improved with the Zero 8 Pro. You fold the scooter in five steps:
- Flip open the hinge at the top of the stem
- Slide the handlebar down and fold the hinge again
- Push the lever at the bottom of the stem forward
- Flip the steering wheel back until it locks in place
- Lift the scooter with you by the handlebar tube
Zero has made the simple folding system really simple this time. Once folded, you can take the scooter with you in the bus, train or boot, for example. However, the Z8 Pro is not the lightest e-scooter. Weighing 20 kg, it will not be easy for everyone to lift.
When folded, the scooter has dimensions of 105 x 60 x 39 (LxWxH). Unfolded, it is 105 x 60 x 116 (LxWxH). A big advantage is the adjustable handlebar. It allows you to adjust the handlebars to a variable height between 89 and 116 cm.
The steering wheel and dashboard
The Z8 Pro has a 60 cm wide handlebar. Grips are attached to both sides of the handlebars, which fit well in the hand and provide grip while riding.
The display is attached on the right side. It shows the same details as the previous Zero scooters. The display shows the current speed, mileage, battery percentage and current gear. A light symbol also appears here as soon as the lights are activated.
The manual comes (somewhat awkwardly) in French only. Is your French a bit rusty? Here’s how to operate the Z8 Pro:
- o’ Button: switches the scooter on or off
- ‘+’ Button: press once to shift up a gear, or press and hold to switch on the lights
- ‘-‘ Button: press once to shift down one gear, or press and hold together with the ‘+’ button for one second to get to P settings
P settings
Through the P settings, you can adjust the scooter to your liking. Think of enabling or disabling the kickstart. After some detective work (the settings are not described in the manual), these are the main functions you can adjust:
| P setting | Function | Notes |
| P8 | Power | 1%= low 100%= maximum |
| P9 | Kickstart | 0= no kickstart 1= kickstart |
| P11 | Electronic brake | 0= off 5= maximum |
| P12 | Odometer | 0= low 5= maximum |
NFC security key
New on the Zero 8 Pro is unlocking using an NFC tag. When you switch the scooter on, it is locked. By holding the NFC tag against the digital lock, you unlock the scooter. Without unlocking, you cannot ride the Z8 Pro. When ordering, three tags are included as standard.
A nice feature? Definitely. It ensures that not just anyone rides off with your scooter when it is left unattended outside. Does it protect against theft? It does not. If you want to park your scooter outside, still make sure you have a good lock.
The lighting
It is fair to say that this scooter makes you highly visible in the dark. The Z8 Pro is equipped with multiple lights. The deck features two lights at the front and back. In addition, the handlebar stem contains full-length bright LED lights.
A good addition for visibility in the dark, as the low-level lights are not easily visible to every fellow road user. There is also a red reflector placed on the rear mudguard and the front fork contains two orange reflectors.
Flashing lights
What really sets the Zero 8 Pro apart is the presence of flashing lights. If you’ve ridden an electric scooter before, you’ll know that it’s difficult to extend a hand while riding.
Zero understood that signal when developing this model. Both handles feature a button to control the indicators. After pressing one of the buttons, the indicator switches off automatically after 12 seconds. The lights are also remarkably bright, making them actually visible.
Technical specifications
| Zero 8 Pro | Specs |
| Maximum speed | 45 km/h |
| Maximum range | 50 km |
| Loading time | 7 hours |
| Weight | 20 kg |
| Maximum load weight | 100 kg |
| Wheel size | 8,5″ |
| Tyre type | Pneumatic tyre at front, solid tyre at rear |
| Presence of front and rear lights | Yes |
| Type of lighting | Led |
| Dimensions unfolded | 99 x 18 x 98 cm |
| Dimensions collapsed | 99 x 18 x 36 cm |
| Engine power | 500W |
| Braking system | Drum brake front and rear |
The final verdict
The key question: should you buy the Zero 8 Pro or not? If you are looking for a sturdy e-scooter with a lot of power that you can use to cover long distances on a daily basis, you are going to have a lot of fun with the Z8 Pro. Just keep in mind that the scooter weighs 20 kg if you want to lift it daily on public transport.
