TVS Launches iQube Electric Scooter To Rival Ather & Bajaj Chetak
TVS announced its first ever electric scooter for the Indian market, which will rival the Bajaj Chetak and Ather 450
TVS is the latest Indian two wheeler manufacturer to dip its toes into the electric scooter market. The company introduced its iQube vehicle few days back and priced at Rs 1.15 lakh, this will be competing with other brands in the segment like Ather as well as Bajaj with its Chetak electric scooter.
For this price, you’re getting a petrol-less vehicle that is claimed to offer a range of 75 kms on a single charge, and you can hit top speed of 78km/hr.
TVS had showcased the concept version of iQube at the 2018 Auto Expo and with the country’s broader focus on looking at petrol alternatives, TVS has now come out with the production-ready version of the same vehicle. So what does TVS offer that might catch your eye? Here are all the details about the iQube.
TVS is using its connected vehicle experience from the Ntork scooter and enhanced it to support vehicles with electric drivetrain with platform called SmartXonnect.
iQube Electric gets a 4.4 kW electric motor, capable of producing max torque of 140Nm, allowing the scooter to hit 0 to 40Km/hr in less than 5 seconds, as claimed by TVS. Riders can switch between the Economy and Power mode, which has an impact of the riding range that’s available on the scooter.
The SmartXonnect ecosystem is accessible on the TFT instrument cluster via the TVS iQube app which supports a slew of features. The display can be used for navigation (paired to the phone), get call alerts, and check the battery status of the scooter.
The scooter gets 12-inch tubeless wheels, sporting 220mm disc brakes on the front and 130mm drum brakes at the back. It
In terms of design, TVS has tried using its traditional scooter approach, and mixing it with modern touches, like the LED headlamps, and the indicators placed lower than its usual position.
TVS is taking pre-orders for the iQube but it’s only available for people in Bengaluru as of now, with more details likely to be shared in the coming months. Compared to the Bajaj Chetak electric as well as the Ather 450 series, TVS has its work cut out, but what could work in its favour is the extended range of support for service. All they have to set up is charging points.
Speaking of which. TVS says buyers of the iQube will get charging cable, adapter, subscription service for its app and home charging unit as well as service bundled with the vehicle.
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