Battery technology in two-wheelers has come a long way since the fairly primitive products we had in the market just a few short years ago. Electric two-wheelers today are now a safe and realistic alternative to ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) options. So, on the occasion of World EV day, we bring you the top 10 electric bikes and scooters with the highest claimed range that you can purchase today.
All EVs on this list have a top speed in excess of 25kph (and are therefore classified as 'high-speed' electric two-wheelers) and for the sake of creating a level playing field, we have taken the claimed range figures for the bikes (most often these are ARAI-tested range figures); real-world distances will almost always be lower. In some cases, we have been able to verify the real-world range ourselves, and you'll see this wherever applicable in the article.
This list only contains vehicles that are currently on sale and being delivered to customers. We have not included cases where the vehicle has been ‘launched’, but deliveries are yet to begin. A mention of a few noteworthy products falling under this category has been made at the bottom of this article.
1. Komaki Ranger
Range: 220km
Price: Rs 1.85 lakh
The Komaki Ranger is an e-bike styled in the cruiser format and claims to be the first one to do so. It gets a 3.6kWh battery which Komaki claims is good enough for a range of 220km. Powering the Ranger is a 4kW BLDC motor that gives it a claimed top speed of 80kph. The faux exhaust system with LED lights at the tips and speakers to produce artificial sound lend the Komaki Ranger a distinctive image, to say the least. However, the price of the Ranger puts it uncomfortably above the competition, especially considering the fact that Komaki isn’t exactly a household name.
2. Oben Electric Rorr
Range: 200km
Price: Rs 1.02 lakh
The Oben Rorr is one of the most affordable offerings on this list, and yet boasts of one of the largest claimed ranges here. The massive 4.4kWh battery pack allows it to achieve this high claimed figure and Oben says that the 200km test condition range should translate into 150km of range in the real world. The Rorr gets three riding modes – Havoc, City and Eco – an anti-theft system and LED lighting all around. As of now, the Rorr is available only in the states of Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
3. Ola Electric S1 Pro
Range: 181km
Price: Rs 1.39 lakh
The Ola S1 Pro has been one of the most talked about scooters on the market and for good reason. Its 8.5kW motor allows it to achieve a claimed top speed of 115kph, though our V-Box found this to actually be 99.8kph during our test runs. It gets a 4kWh battery and an ARAI-certified 181km range, placing it third on this list. In our real-world test runs, we could manage 102km in Sport mode and 127km in Normal mode on a single charge, which was respectably close to Ola's real-world figure at the time (135km). The recently-announced MoveOS 2 update also brought an ‘Eco’ mode (among other features), which helps bring the ‘True Range’ up to a claimed 170km. We will be verifying this claim sometime soon, so stay tuned. Recently, we pitted the Ola S1 Pro against its arch-rival, the Ather 450X, and you can read all about it here.
4. Tork Motors Kratos/Kratos R
Range: 180km
Price: Rs 1.22 lakh (Kratos); Rs 1.37 lakh(Kratos R)
Tork motors recently began deliveries of its e-bikes, the Kratos and Kratos R, and both have the same claimed range of 180km under test conditions in the Indian Driving Cycle (IDC). The Kratos R has slightly more performance and gets a few more features for a Rs 15,000 premium over the base model. Both e-bikes feature a 4kWh battery and have an axial flux motor, albeit in different states of tune. The Kratos R has a peak torque output of 38Nm and a claimed top speed of 105kph, 10Nm and 5kph higher than the Kratos, respectively. As of now, the Tork e-bikes are only available for purchase in Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Delhi.
5. Odysse Hawk Plus
Range: 170km
Price: Rs 1.17 lakh
The Odysse Hawk Plus has a removable 2.88kWh lithium-ion battery endowing it with a claimed range of 170km. Its modest 1.8kW motor affords it a top speed of only 45kph but it does have a decent features list. The Hawk Plus gets an adjustable brake lever, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity and a music system as standard. Colour options for the Hawk Plus include black, grey, red, white and blue.
6. Revolt RV 400
Range: 150km
Price: Rs 1.19 lakh
The Revolt RV 400 was one of the first electric motorcycles on the scene, and over the years they have become a fairly common sight. The RV 400 gets a 3.25kWh battery pack, which gives it a claimed range of 150km in Eco mode. Its 3kW motor allows it to achieve a top speed of 85kph in Sport mode. The RV 400 gets an interesting feature, where speakers positioned at its rear can produce a variety of two-wheeler sounds, from a V-Twin rumble to an inline-four wail. If this sort of pretence isn't up your alley, the sounds can also be turned off.
7. Ather 450X Gen 3
Range: 146km
Price: Rs 1.46 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune)
The Ather 450X has been one of the best e-scooters on the market for a few years now, but it recently got a little boost in the form of a bigger battery pack, and thus longer range, with its Gen 3 update. The Ather 450X now has a claimed range of 146km under test conditions and a ‘True Range’ of 105km, thanks to its larger 3.97kWh battery pack (previously 2.9kWh). It packs in five riding modes – Warp, Sport, Ride, Eco and Smart Eco – along with a whole host of features such as Bluetooth connectivity, on-board navigation, reverse mode and all-LED lighting.
8. Ola Electric S1
Range: 141km
Price: Rs 99,999
The Ola S1 is the more affordable sibling to the S1 Pro featured earlier on this list. A lot of the hardware is largely the same across the two, but with a few key differences. In comparison to the larger 4kWh battery pack on the S1 Pro, the S1 gets a smaller 3kWh unit, which gives it an ARAI-certified range of 141km, and it tip the scales at 121kg, making it 40km and 4kg less, respectively, than the S1 Pro. It misses out on the quickest 'Hyper' mode you get on the Pro, so acceleration figures are slightly slower and ‘True Range’ is down to 128km due to the smaller battery pack. All other electronic features (except cruise control) and the 8.5kW motor are carried over from the S1 Pro.
9. Hero Electric Optima CX (Dual Battery)
Claimed range: 140km
Price: Rs 77,490
The Hero Electric Optima CX is one of the top-selling electric scooters today and that should come as no surprise considering Hero Electric’s widespread reach throughout the country and the price point of their offerings. The Optima CX has a claimed range of 140km, thanks to its 1.53kWh battery pack, and a claimed top speed of 45kph can be achieved courtesy of its 1.2kW motor.
10. Okinawa iPraise+
Claimed range: 139km
Price: Rs 1.13 lakh
The Okinawa iPraise+ gets a 3.3kWh lithium-ion battery that allows it to achieve a range of 139km on a single charge, while its 2.5kW motor helps it reach a claimed top speed of 58kph. The iPraise+ gets features such as side-stand cut-off, a USB charger and an adjustable brake lever.
Future possibilities
Battery technology still has acres of room for improvement, and we continue to see constant evolution in this arena, allowing manufacturers to offer more range on their products. While the above-mentioned models can be purchased today, there are a few waiting in the wings that are sure to make it onto this list once they are launched.
Bengaluru-based start-up Simple Energy will soon begin deliveries of its ‘One’ e-scooter, which has a claimed range of over 200km in its ‘Eco’ mode.
Hyderabad-based Gravton has started accepting bookings for its Quanta e-bike, with deliveries beginning in January. It has a claimed range of 150km. The head-turning fact about the Quanta is that, with its optional dual-battery set-up, it can offer a claimed range of 320km on a single charge.
All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi, after subsidies (except where specified)
from Autocar Indiahttps://cdni.autocarindia.com/ExtraImages/20220909010320_Electric%20bike%20and%20scooter_Collage08_09_22_001.jpg
