World Environment Day 2024: 5 EV 2Ws With Longest Range In India

The Indian automobile industry has seen many new offerings introduced in recent years. Out of which, the number of EVs being launched is not just staggering, but also quite crucial. It is governing a shift in the buying pattern, where consumers now have the choice of something quite different. Electric two-wheelers are seen as great green alternatives that are light on your pocket on a daily usage basis in this regard. However, limited infrastructure and nascent technology have restricted these types of vehicles from becoming as popular as their ICE brethren. 

Yet they march on and continue to rake in increased sales and preferences as months pass by. So, on the occasion of World Environment Day, here are five options from the electric two-wheeler industry that can be good practical choices which can do 120 km of IDC range at least:

Ultraviolette F77 (Indian Drive Cycle (IDC) - 323 km)

The Ultraviolette F77 has been our favourite electric motorcycle since it was launched. It looks futuristic, packs in more than just decent performance at 40 bhp/100 Nm, and has one of the largest battery packs ever offered by an OEM in India. The 7.1 kWh battery is good for 323 km of IDC range, which is enough to make those quick impulsive short trips on a single charge. Feature-wise, the F77 is quite well nuanced, with three ride modes, regenerative braking, hill-hold assist, parking assist and much more. Our only pet peeves with the F77 are 1) its starting price tag of ₹3 lakh (ex-showroom, Bengaluru), and 2) the unavailability of cruise control. The absence of the latter is a quite surprise, especially the performance it offers which is suited for good long-distance touring.

TVS iQube ST with 5.1 kWh Battery ( Indian Drive Cycle (IDC) - 185 km)

The TVS iQube ST was launched finally last month two years after its unveil. Making it more lucrative than ever are the two new trim levels. While the base trim iQube ST is mechanically the same as the mid-spec iQube S, the top-spec iQube ST debuts a big, brand-new 5.1 kWh battery pack. 

This new li-ion unit is good for 185 km of IDC range, which makes it quite a practical option, especially for someone looking for daily usage in the city. Being a top-spec model, TVS has also loaded the iQube ST with all the bells and whistles. From a bigger 7-inch touchscreen instrument cluster, to tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), parking assist and even cruise control. However, at ₹1.83 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) it feels quite expensive, especially when you take into consideration its competition, like the ones we mention below. 

Ola S1 Pro ( Indian Drive Cycle (IDC) - 190 km)

We agree that Ola’s reputation started on a very questionable note, however, the Bengaluru-based OEM has consistently posted the most number of vehicles registered, with the highest market share for several months now. Sitting at the helm of its offering, the S1 Pro is the brand’s flagship scooter. As part of that credential, it looks premium, it packs the biggest battery at 4 kWh which is good for 190 km of IDC range, making it the only S1 model to be able to do so. 

The battery comes paired with a more powerful 11 kW electric motor, which translates to 0-40 kmph in just 2.6 seconds. On the feature front, a 7-inch touchscreen display sits at the centre of it all, which can be used to lock and unlock the scooter, and also play music via the speakers slotted inside the aprons. Making it the only scooter to be available with this feature. Built and designed purely for city use, the Ola S1 Pro is also available with cruise control as standard. 

River Indie ( Indian Drive Cycle (IDC) - 161 km)

Speaking of practicality, the Indie River is a unique proposition on this list. Hailed as the SUV of scooters, the Indie’s squarish and bulbous design also pushes the boundaries of practicality. For starters, it gets 43 litres of underseat storage space, along with a 12-litre glovebox. The 20-inch wide floorboard also doubles up as a storage space for the 4 kWh battery, which is good for 161 km of IDC range on a single charge. Despite its bigger appearance, the River Indie is quicker than the Ather Rizta Z and Bajaj Chetak with 0-40 kmph coming up in 3.7 seconds. At ₹1.38 lakh (ex-showroom, Bengaluru), the Indie River is a very sensible investment. But with dealerships limited to just Bengaluru and Hyderabad only, the River Indie falls short of being an easily accessible product. 

Ather Rizta Z with 3.7 kWh Battery ( Indian Drive Cycle (IDC)  - 160 km)

Based on the tried and tested ‘450’ platform, Ather launched its first family electric scooter earlier this year. Design-wise, it might feel slightly similar, but look closer and the Bengaluru-based manufacturer will unveil many clever storage packages, which we wish had seen with other manufacturers before. 

The big seat is spacious enough for two fairly built men and with features like Google Maps on the dash, WhatsApp preview on the go, Regen braking aka Magic twist, and simpler two ride modes - Zip and Eco – Ather leaves no stone unturned with its second offering, and eventually sole offering when it discontinues the 450 scooters next year. While performance-wise, the Ather Rizta might not be on par with the Ola S1 Pro, with an IDC range of 160 km it at least tries to catch up with the performance-oriented Ola despite a slightly smaller 3.7 kWh battery pack. However, at ₹1.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Bengaluru), it packs in quite the value against its competition. 

Bajaj Chetak Premium With TecPac ( Indian Drive Cycle (IDC) - 126 km)

Carrying forward Bajaj’s most legendary name in a different avatar, the Chetak was updated last year which saw its trim level reshuffled. The brand reintroduced the top-spec Premium variant with the TecPac package along with a slightly bigger battery and more powerful electric motor. These updates helped its case with more range, and at 126 km (IDC) it is the least longest-running electric scooter in this list as per the Indian Driving Cycle standard. And at ₹1.44 lakh onwards (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Bajaj Chetak Premium surely does look like the part as a premium scooter.