About the Recalled Products
The recall covers the Apollo Phantom V1, Phantom V2, and Phantom 60V electric scooters — premium personal electric vehicles sold for between $2,000 and $2,500 — manufactured in China and sold exclusively through online retailers: apolloscooters.com, fluidfreeride.com, justride.com, adventuresportsusa.com, and allelectricmotion.com from June 2021 through May 2023. The affected model versions are identified on the scooter itself; Apollo is contacting known purchasers directly.
Latest Updates
The CPSC issued Fast Track Recall No. 23-270 on August 31, 2023, after receiving at least seven reports of the stem bolt breaking and causing the front wheel and suspension assembly to detach or loosen from the scooter [1]. Three riders were injured — suffering cuts, abrasions, and bruising — as a result of falls caused by the structural failure [2]. Owners are directed to stop riding the scooter immediately and contact Apollo for a free replacement bolt; Apollo will provide video-linked installation instructions for at-home repair or perform the replacement at no charge through its service and partner locations [3].
How the Stem Bolt Failure Causes a Crash
The stem bolt is the fastener that secures the front wheel and suspension assembly to the scooter’s main stem — the vertical column connecting the handlebars to the front axle. When this bolt loosens or breaks, the structural connection between the rider’s steering input and the front wheel is compromised or lost entirely, causing the front assembly to detach or shift unpredictably beneath the rider.
A front-wheel separation on an electric scooter is not a minor mechanical issue that allows a rider to safely slow down and stop. It is an immediate and uncontrolled loss of steering and front-wheel contact that can throw the rider to the ground at whatever speed the scooter is traveling at the moment the bolt fails.
A Premium Scooter with a Critical Structural Defect
The Apollo Phantom is a high-performance electric scooter sold at prices between $2,000 and $2,500 — a product positioned at the premium end of the personal electric vehicle market and marketed to riders who expect performance, durability, and reliability commensurate with the price. A defect in the single bolt responsible for keeping the front wheel attached to the scooter is a foundational structural failure that contradicts every expectation a rider paying this price has a right to hold.
The CPSC noted that the bolt “can become loose over time and break” — language that describes a progressive failure mode rather than a sudden manufacturing defect. A bolt that loosens progressively under normal riding conditions and eventually fails under the rider is a design or materials deficiency that Apollo had the opportunity to detect and correct before riders were injured.
Online-Only Distribution and Direct Purchaser Contact
The Apollo Phantom was sold exclusively through five online retail channels, with no brick-and-mortar retail presence. Apollo has stated it is contacting known purchasers directly — a practical possibility in an online-only distribution model where purchase records are available. Owners who have not received direct contact from Apollo should not assume their scooter is unaffected; all Phantom V1, V2, and 60V models sold between June 2021 and May 2023 are included in the recall.
Reported Injuries
The CPSC received seven reports of the stem bolt breaking, resulting in three rider injuries involving cuts, abrasions, and bruising as of the August 31, 2023 recall announcement. No deaths were reported. The gap between seven structural failure reports and three injury reports suggests that some bolt failures resulted in falls that were not formally reported to the CPSC.
Can I File a Lawsuit?
If you were injured in a fall caused by a stem bolt failure on a recalled Apollo Phantom V1, V2, or 60V electric scooter, you may have a product liability claim against Apollo Imports Inc. Contact an attorney promptly, as state filing deadlines apply.
What to Do Now
Stop riding your Apollo Phantom immediately and do not use it until the stem bolt has been replaced. Contact Apollo at 833-693-3468 (Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. ET), email support@apolloscooters.co, or visit apolloscooters.co/pages/apollo-phantom-2021-2022-bolt-recall (or apolloscooters.com and click “Recalls”) to arrange a free replacement bolt and access installation instructions. Apollo’s service and partner locations will also perform the replacement or tighten the bolt at no charge.
References
1. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Apollo-Recalls-Phantom-Electric-Scooters-Due-to-Fall-and-Injury-Hazards
2. https://edition.cnn.com/2023/09/02/us/apollo-phantom-electric-scooter-recall-trnd
3. https://whdh.com/news/apollo-phantom-electric-scooters-recalled-due-to-injury-risk-from-loosened-bolt/