New Delhi
Listed: Best Range Electric Scooters With Minimum Charging Time in India
Featured Stories by Team Drivio | 27 Mar 2023
If you have more than Rs 1 lakh and aim to get yourself an electric scooter, here’s a reckoner as to which one will suit you the best:
- There are currently five hot selling brands in this segment: Hero, Ather, TVS, Ola and River.
- The Ola S1 Pro boasts of the biggest battery pack and hence range.
- River is meanwhile, the latest entrant into this space.
Everyone is vying for a piece of the burgeoning e-scooter market, from Indian start-ups to well-established two-wheeler manufacturers, as more and more people adopt these new modes of transportation.
The Ather 450X, Ola S1 Pro, TVS iQube, and River Indie are the best electric scooters available today. Yes there’s also the Bajaj Chetak but given its lack of performance, features and a low range means it doesn’t make sense to put it here. Let’s have a look at each electric scooter then:
Hero Vida V1
| Specification | Hero Vida V1 Plus | Hero Vida V1 Pro |
| Peak Output | 6kW | 6kW |
| Battery Capacity | 3.44kWh | 3.94kWh |
| Claimed Range | 143km | 165km (IDC) |
| Charging Time | 0-80 percent in 5 hours 15 minutes | 0-80 percent in 5 hours 55 minutes |
| Claimed Top Speed | 80kmph | 80kmph |
| Price (ex-showroom) | Rs 1,45,000 | Rs 1,59,000 |
The Hero Vida V1 Plus is powered by a 6kW motor and comes with a 3.44kWh removable battery pack with a claimed Indian Driving Cycle (IDC) range of 143km. The V1 Pro has a slightly larger 3.94kWh removable battery pack and a 165km IDC range.
It has a telescopic fork and monoshock suspension, as well as a front disc brake and a rear drum brake. While it doesn’t sound too bad, the Achilles heel for the Vida V1 is its exorbitant price. While it has a good range, you can’t help but find it extremely overpriced for what it has to offer. Even its build quality isn’t up to the mark.
Ola S1 Pro
| Specification | Ola S1 Air | Ola S1 Air | Ola S1 Air | Ola S1 | Ola S1 | Ola S1 Pro |
| Peak Output | 4.5kW | 4.5kW | 4.5kW | 8.5kW | 8.5kW | 8.5kW |
| Battery Capacity | 2kWh | 3kWh | 4kWh | 2kWh | 3kWh | 4kWh |
| Claimed Range | 85km | 125km | 165km | 91km | 141km | 181km (ARAI) |
| Charging Time | 4 hours | 5 hours | 5 hours | 5 hours | 5 hours | 0-100 percent in 6 hours 30 minutes |
| Claimed Top Speed | 85kmph | 85kmph | 85kmph | 90kmph | 95kmph | 116kmph |
| Price (ex-showroom) | Rs 84,999 | Rs 99,999 | Rs 1,09,999 | Rs 89,999 | Rs 1,09,999 | Rs 1,32,999 |
The S1 is available with 2kWh, 3kWh, and 4kWh battery options. Their claimed IDC (Indian Driving Cycle) ranges are 85km, 125km, and 165km, respectively. Meanwhile, the two Ola S1 variants are available in 2kWh and 3kWh battery pack variants.
Their claimed IDC ranges are 91km and 141km, respectively, with top speeds limited to 90kmph and 95kmph. Meanwhile, the S1 Pro retains its 4kWh battery, 181km IDC range, and 116kmph top speed.
The Ola S1 Pro is powered by a frame-mounted mid-drive motor with a peak power of 8.5kW and a peak torque of 58Nm. The S1 Pro has a top speed of 116kmph and an 0-40kmph time of 2.9 seconds, according to the company. It has an IP55/67 rated 4kWh battery unit, which gives the S1 Pro a True Range (claimed real-world range) of 170km (Eco Mode) and 135km (Normal Mode) (Normal Mode). The ARAI-certified range, on the other hand, is 181km.
Ather 450X
| Specification | Ather 450 Plus | Ather 450X |
| Peak Output | 5.4kW | 6.2kW |
| Battery Capacity | 3.7kWh | 3.7kWh |
| Claimed Range | 108km | 146km (Certified) |
| Charging Time | 0-80 percent in 4 hours 30 minutes | 0-80 percent in 4 hours 30 minutes |
| Claimed Top Speed | 90kmph | 90kmph |
| Price (ex-showroom) | Rs 1,35,452 | Rs 1,58,462 |
The Ather 450X is powered by a 6kW and 26Nm Permanent Magnet Synchronous (PMS) Motor, which is connected to a 3.7kWh Lithium-ion battery pack and a Battery Management System (BMS). It has a range of 85km in Ride mode and 105km in Eco mode.
TVS iQube
| Specification | TVS iQube |
| Peak Output | 4.4kW |
| Battery Capacity | 3.04kWh |
| Claimed Range | 100km (ARAI) |
| Charging Time | 0-80 percent in 4 hours 30 minutes |
| Claimed Top Speed | 78kmph |
| Price (ex-showroom) | Rs 1,20,813 |
The TVS iQube Electric standard and S variants are powered by a 4.4kW electric hub motor and a 3.04kWh lithium-ion battery, propelling the e-scooter to a claimed top speed of 78kmph and a claimed real-world range of 100km. The ST model has a larger 4.56kWh li-ion battery pack, giving it a claimed real-world range of 140km and a top speed of 82kmph.
River Indie
| Specification | River Indie |
| Peak Output | 6.7kW |
| Battery Capacity | 4kWh |
| Claimed Range | 120km |
| Charging Time | 0-80 percent in 5 hours |
| Claimed Top Speed | 90kmph |
| Price | Rs 1,25,000 |
The scooter's heart is a 6.7kW, 26Nm (both peak) motor connected to a belt final drive. According to the company, the top speed is 90kmph.
Which is the best electric two-wheeler brand in India?
While the Ola S1 Pro sounds extremely promising on paper, build quality issues have been plaguing it since forever. The Ather 450X and the TVS iQube, then, sound like the perfect scooters of the lot.
If you want something more sporty, the Ather is perfect. If a more family-oriented scooter is something you’re looking for, look no further than the TVS iQube.
