Top Two wheeled electric scooters in India

Electric vehicles are no more the future, they are the present. India stepped into the EV market in the mid of 2000s to have automobiles that are eco-friendly, safer and comparatively cheaper.

Two-wheeled electric scooters market in India was expected to grow at CAGR of 41% reaching $200 million by 2023. But since the Covid-19 crisis what seemed to have negatively impacted the EV market now tells a happy story. With the relaxation offered during lockdown 4.0, the government not only allowed offices to open, but also shops and other establishments with respective restrictions and guidelines.

With the economic slowdown, the plans for buying cars or any other big vehicle may be put on hold. Many two-wheeler manufacturers, especially the electric scooters, are expecting a rise in demand for their products to maintain low- pollution level, cost effective and eco-friendly commuting.

Buying an electric scooter however can be quite a challenge in India owing to the fact that other than the former trusted few, many new companies have joined the market.

List of Two-wheeled electric scooters in India

We have listed down 5 most popular (in no particular order) electric scooters available in the Indian market along with their prices and max speeds.

Ather 450

Manufactured by a Bengaluru based company- Ather Energy, it comes in two variants viz. Ather 450 and 450X. Ather 450 has 2.71 kWh lithium-ion battery with BLDC motor which has a peak power of 5.4 kW or 7.24 bhp and 20.5 Nm of maximum torque.

Ather 450 promises 0 to 40kmph acceleration in just 3.9 seconds with 80kmph as its claimed top speed. In Economy mode, the Ather 450 is said to offer 75km range on a single charge while on power mode, the claimed range comes down to 60km

Bajaj Chetak

To revive the “Chetak” brand – the ever-popular Scooter from the good old days, Bajaj Auto launched an electric version of Bajaj Chetak.

The new Chetak has an electric motor that provides 5.36 bhp or 4 kW of peak power and 16 Nm of torque. It gets two ride modes – Eco, and Sport. In Eco mode, it claims to have a maximum range of over 95 km, while in Sport mode, the range is limited to over 85 km on a single charge. It has a kerb weight of 120 kg, and maximum speed is limited to 60 mph.

Features: It gets LED lighting all round along with premium paint finish, alloy wheels, and a fully digital instrument console and keyless ignition.

Also read: List of Top 10 Electric Vehicle Charging Station Manufacturer in India

TVS iQube

With Bajaj launching Chetak, TVS did not stay back. They entered the EV fray with iQube. The TVS iQube has a range of 75kms in a single charge. The electric motor develops 5.9 bhp or 4.4 kW and 140 Nm and the 0-40 kmph sprint done is 4.2 seconds. It has two riding modes- economy and power.

Tech Features: The scooter has a fully digital instrument console which is Bluetooth enabled and also gets TVS’ SmartXonnect technology, which helps the rider to use an app and get access to the scooter’s stats along with functions such as geo-fencing, navigation, over-speed alert and more.

Okinawa Praise Pro

The Praise Pro- manufactured by a Gurgaon based Indian company, gets a 1,000 watt brushless DC (BLDC) motor and generates a peak power of 2.5 kW and 40 Nm. It is loaded with a 2 kWh lithium-ion battery which offers a range of 88 kilometres in Sports mode and 110 kilometres in an Economy mode according to ARAI. In economy mode, the top speed is restricted to 35 kmph, while it goes up to 65-70 kmph in the Sports mode.

Tech Features: It uses telescopic forks upfront and twin shocks at the rear, while braking performance comes from disc brakes at either end with e-ABS as standard.

Also read: List of Top Electric Cars in India in 2020

Hero Electric Optima LA

Hero’s Optima LA is more of a family scooter with 86kg kerb weight and offers a range of 50kms in a single charge. This is the only scooter on the list with a lead-acid battery. It comes with self-start and is easy to use for everyone in your family.

Conclusion

With the news of Ola acquiring Etergo BV, an EV scooter company, they announced their aim of launching a global electric two-wheeler in India by 2021. This announcement shall motivate more big and small companies to dip their toes in the EV market. The news is good for the customers because as more companies join the market, the harder the competition of sales and cheaper the price of electric scooters in India.

EV Duniya Editorial: This article is written by Natasha Talesara