Ultraviolette X47 Crossover Review - The Perfect Performance EV Bike?

When you talk about performance in the Indian EV space, one brand stands out. Ultraviolette set the benchmark first with the F77 and later with the bonkers Ultraviolette F99, which is pegged as the fastest Indian. And now we have something very interesting called the Crossover. As the name suggests, this is not a proper naked bike or a pukka adventure bike; it sits in between. So, is it the perfect performance electric bike for the Indian market? Let's find out.

Performance 

Since we have set the precedent for the brand with performance, let's start with performance. And the numbers are very impressive. 40 bhp, 100 Nm of torque, 0 to 60 kmph in just 2.7 seconds, a top speed of 145 kmph. So the Ultraviolette has the right numbers, and you feel them in the real world as well. The acceleration of this motorcycle is very exciting. You feel that wave of torque, or should I say the tsunami of torque, because this is an EV. So when you want to shoot off the line at the traffic signal, it’s really fun, but it's just not straight line speed that’s impressive. It's also the way the throttle has been calibrated. The throttle calibration is superb. There are multiple levels of regeneration, also, so when you want to slow down, there is engine braking, which makes this EV feel like an Ice motorcycle. So in terms of the ride feel, in terms of the thrill that you want from an EV performance motorcycle, it delivers.

Off-road Performance

So Ultraviolette calls the bike a crossover, and it’s not a hardcore adventure motorcycle. So how was the off-road performance? Well, it lives up to its name as a crossover. It's not too good nor is it too bad. You can do mild off-roading on this motorcycle. The standing position is very good. It is very easy to manoeuvre. Also, you do feel the weight of the motorcycle a bit when you're taking the U-turns. But the instantaneous torque just makes it so much fun to slide around on this motorcycle. 

Battery & Range

The  is offered with two battery pack options - the smaller is the 7.1 kWh unit and the larger battery is rated at 10.2 kWh. UV claims an IDC range of 211 km and 323 km for both the battery packs respectively and in the real world one can expect around 250 km range on the larger unit. Being positioned as a more relaxed router, the 250 km range is actually not bad and it also comes with a much lower running cost too. 

There are multiple charging options—there’s a standard charger, as seen with the F77, or you can opt for an onboard charger for an additional cost. With an onboard charger, you can charge the bike wherever you want, and all you need to do is carry a cable with you. Then there’s also the Boost charger option, which reduces the charging time further. Finally, the quickest option remains the DC chargers at the dealerships. 

Design

And even the styling of the  is very different compared to the F77. Yes, the headlight form is similar to the F77, but that's the only similarity with the two motorcycles. You get a nice tall windscreen and a sport long beak, while the upside down fork gives the motorcycle a nice mean The sharp tank extensions gives the bike a street bike vibe but you can see the adventure styling in the motorcycle’s silhouette. The rear section is very clean and minimalist in comparison. 

The overall form of this motorcycle is very unique and very different for any other motorcycle in the market. So if you want some visual appeal it also delivers on that front. However, the fit and finish levels on this motorcycle were not up to the mark. There were some loose wires, but the company claims that the bikes we rode were pre-production models and the quality levels on the production bikes will be better. 

Features & Technology

It comes loaded with technology and cool features. It’s the first made-in-India bike to come with radar technology. The module is fixed on the rear and has a range of 200 metres. It helps the rider with blind spot warning on the mirror, helps in changing lanes by warning the rider and my favourite tech is the rear collision assist. It warms the rider by blinking on the screen and also activates the rear indicator to alert the rider or driver behind. The tech is actually useful and works well, but it needs to have some haptic or audio alerts, as the rider will not always look in the mirror or the screen and focus more on the road. 

Apart from this, you also get dynamic stability control - this system works in conjunction with regen and ABS to ensure that the bike doesn’t deviate much under hard or panic braking. The above tech is really cool and will ensure that the rider doesn’t lose control even with a tank slapper. Other interesting bits on the bike include multiple levels of traction control, ride modes, regen, and also’s hill hold function. Riders can also see the lean angle they have carried on the screen, and there are multiple screen layouts, too. 

As an optional accessory, you also get a dash camera at the front and rear to record your ride, along with a secondary touch screen that shows you real-time footage. Apart from recording your memories, the dash camera is also useful proof when you find yourself in sticky situations, which are sadly way too common on Indian roads. 

Ride, Handling & Braking

So, on the hardware front, Ultraviolette has made a lot of changes to this motorcycle. It gets a long-travel suspension at both ends with 170 mm of travel. The rake is more relaxed on this by one degree compared to the F77. The main frame remains the same, but the subframe is completely different, and that is the same story for the swingarm as well. Instead of a cast aluminium swingarm like the F77, you get a steel box swingarm. 

The handling dynamics of the X47 are very good, and I had a lot of fun on this motorcycle, especially the way it transitions from one corner to another. It does not feel its weight and feels very docile. The balance of the chassis gives the rider a lot of confidence. And even with those tyres, which I was a bit sceptical about, you can carry a lot of lean. And talking about the ride quality. The front suspension worked well, but I think the rear is set up on the softer side, and it resulted in a slightly jarring ride quality. 

Coming back to the brakes, you get dual-channel ABS. The braking hardware is very good. It stops very well. But on the racetrack, when I was pushing it a bit hard, I could feel a bit of brake fluid. But then again, you wouldn't be riding this motorcycle on the track regularly, so the brakes are fine. So in terms of the overall dynamics, the X47 is very fun, exciting and very rewarding.

Verdict 

As you can see, Ultraviolette has made a great effort with the new X47 Crossover because it’s more accessible in terms of price point and use case. Also, while the F77 was very single-dimension focused, the X47, on the other hand, has a dual purpose. The riding posture is much more relaxed, the performance is exciting, the range is impressive, and it packs a load of technology.

Talking about the pricing also, it is affordable to a certain extent, the base variant is priced at ₹2.49 lakh and goes up to ₹4 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top-spec variant. So while the entry-level pricing is good, the top-spec variant puts itself in the company of many accomplished ICE performance motorcycles. Having said that, if you wanted a performance electric motorcycle which is usable, accessible and fun, the X47 is a good option to pick from.