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Electric Scooter Buying Guide helps you to buy the most efficient and affordable electric two-wheelers in India.

The increasing prices of fuel and worsening pollution levels are the major driving force behind the rising demand for electric vehicles in India. However, the idea and concept are still new and many people are not completely aware of the best options out there. People are very much inclined to buy an Electrical Vehicle over a conventional internal combustion engine but they do not know much about it yet. It is not easy to buy an electric bike in India, with condensed research and a handful of options. Choosing the best Electric scooter is a very formidable task in India.

Therefore here is a guide to the dos and don’ts while buying an electric scooter;

Financial Budget management-

Money is always an important factor whilst buying anything, here are a couple of ways to save money on your electric scooter purchase;

Incentives:

  • Incentives and many times Tax benefits are one of the many merits of purchasing an electric vehicle. The government of India is pushing its people to buy electric vehicles, therefore the state governments have been offering incentives for purchasing an EV.
  • An EV provides tax benefits i.e. while purchasing an electric two-wheeler the GST is comparatively lower than the ICE vehicles. So make sure you are careful and check the incentives and the tax benefits while making the purchase.

Insurance and Registration Cost:

  • Electric Scooters are eco-friendly; some do not even require a license, insurance, or registration. According to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), if any electric bike has a power output of fewer than 250 watts and a top speed not greater than 25kmph is classified as an electric bicycle or an electric bike.
  • Some of these bikes include; Hero Electric Optima LX, Hero Eddy, Okinawa Lite, Okinawa R30, and Ampere Reo Lite.
  • If you are opting electric scooter in this category you have a window to save on the insurance and the Registration cost.

Insurance cost of electric two-wheelers:

  • As we all know battery-packed two-wheelers are very expensive therefore there is a huge misconception that insurance costs for these electric two-wheelers will also be huge. However, the insurance for electric bikes is comparatively on the lower side than the ICE vehicles. The reason is that electric scooters are used for shorter commutes with a top speed of 70-90km/hr. These are way less prone to accidents reducing the risk factors.

Brand New or a used Electric two-wheeler?

  • If your budget does not support a brand-new electric scooter, there is always an option of purchasing a used one. But before choosing to buy an old model, make sure you thoroughly inspect the condition of the scooter. Before buying a secondhand electric bike or scooter, make sure to check the battery life, warranty, and overall mileage.

Factors to look for while buying an Electric two-wheeler

#1. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

It is very important to set up a budget while buying an electric scooter in India, cost is a very important factor when buying a new vehicle moreover an electric one. Make up your budget and look for models of bikes around that. You would find a slow-speed electric bike around the budget cap of Rs. 50,000.

Here is a list of some affordable electric scooters in India:

  • OLA S1 – 181km/charge – Rs. 99,999/-
  • Hero Electric Optima CX- 140km/charge- Rs. 62,190/-
  • Ampere Magnus EX- 121km/charge- Rs. 73,999/-
  • TVS iQube- 100km/charge- Rs. 99,130/-

#2. Range

It is very essential to take into consideration the riding range of the electric scooter you want to buy. You can perform a detailed survey and research the riding range of all the available electric bikes in the market. The range completely depends on the kind of scooter you are opting for, A low-speed electric bike would have a range of about 50km, on the other hand, high-speed, high-powered bikes might give a higher range of about 180 km/hr. It also depends on the size of the battery pack.

Here are some of the electric bikes with the greatest range in India:

  • Simple One- 203km/charge- Rs. 1.10- 1.45 Lakh
  • OLA S1 Pro- 181km/charge- Rs.1.40 Lakh
  • Okinawa Okhi90- 160km/charge- Rs.1.86 Lakh
  • Okinawa iPraise+ – 139km/charge- Rs.1.46 Lakh
  • Hero Electric NYX HS500 ER- 138 km/charge- Rs.86,540

#3. Speed

It is a myth that many believe that speed and electric vehicles do not go hand in hand. A high-powered electric bike can reach a speed of 115km/hr. Speed is one of the most crucial factors when considering an electric bike or else it could be an irritating ride. Therefore be very careful while making the purchase, and be sure to check the top speed of the electric bike.

Here are some of the high-powered bikes with their top speed;

  • OLA S1- 115km/hr- Rs. 1.29 lakhs
  • Ather 450X- 80km/hr- Rs. 1.13 lakhs
  • Revolt RV400-85km/hr- Rs. 90,799
  • Rugged G1- 70 km/hr- Rs. 79,999

Here are some of the low-powered bikes with their top speed;

  • Hero Eectric Optima LX- Rs.67,190
  • Hero Eddy- Rs.72,000
  • Okinawa Lite- Rs.66,993
  • Okinawa R30- Rs.61,998
  • Ampere Reo Elite- Rs.42,999

All have a top speed of about 25km/hr.

#4. Battery Life

The battery is the most important and the most expensive part of an efficient eco-friendly electric scooter. The battery makes the electric scooter a good or a bad option. It is the most crucial factor to consider when buying an electric scooter. Batteries are what make the scooters sustainable, and the constant need for replacement will be an expensive affair. When compared to lead or nickel batteries, the new lithium-ion battery packs have a longer lifespan. An electric scooter battery typically has a lifespan of 300–500 full charge cycles with good maintenance. For the typical user, this often takes two to three years.

India’s top electric scooters with lithium-ion batteries:

  • Ather 450X gets a 2.61 kWh lithium-ion battery
  • The Bajaj Chetak gets a 3 kWh lithium-ion battery
  • The TVS iQube gets a 2.25 kWh lithium-ion battery
  • The Okinawa I-Praise gets a 3.3 kWh lithium-ion battery
  • Hero Electric Optima ER gets a 51.2V/30Ah lithium-ion battery

#5. Motor Power

The electric motor is the one part that transmits electric power to the wheel and in turn, it propels the electric two-wheelers. There are many motors out there, always chose the motor which provides the optimum result when put to use. However remember never to buy an under-powered EV, it will always ruin the experience of riding completely. Carefully study the motor before making the purchase.

#6. Charging Infrastructure

When you buy an electric scooter, the manufacturer will install a home charging station at the location the most comfortable. However, make sure you are surrounded by enough public charging stations.

There are 580 EV charging stations in India across 78 cities. Make sure you have thoroughly researched your city for the charging infrastructure before purchasing the electric scooter.

When it comes to charging infrastructure another factor that influences people’s decisions is Reliability.

Reliability is one of the few demerits of owning an electric two-wheeler i.e. due to the lack of charging infrastructure across the nation. If you run out of battery in the middle of nowhere, it would cause you a lot of inconvenience. So make sure your locality has an efficient network of Electric charging infrastructure.

#7. Maintenance costs

Maintaining an electric scooter is not very expensive compared to ICE vehicles as it does not have many moving parts. Therefore maintenance is not a big concern and is comparatively more manageable than an ICE vehicle.

#8. Noise Output and the Brakes

If you are a huge fan of the exhaust you will be disappointed in an electric scooter, as they operate very silently as do not possess a combustive engine. So make sure you know this before you decide to switch to an eco-friendly electric scooter.

Electric scooters do not come with a high-end brake system as they are very light-weighted. Most electric two-wheelers come with drum brakes, many high-end scooters will encompass disc brakes and some will come with ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System). So you have to make sure what is that you need in your electric scooter.

#9. Warranty

Be sure to check the warranty policies before making any purchase, especially check the warranty provided on the battery and the motor as replacing these will cause you a fortune. Many electric vehicle brands offer a warranty period of two to three years. Make sure you have read through the terms and conditions of the warranty policies.

As tricky as it is to buy the most efficient electric two-wheeler, I hope this guide will help you find the right match for your needs.

Read More:- Why Are Electric Vehicles Prices Rising in India

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