TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto have for long been close competitors in the sub-250cc motorcycle market and they now appear to be taking the competition to the electric mobility space as well. In less than a fortnight after the official launch of Bajaj’s Chetak electric scooter, TVS has introduced its own electric scooter. Called TVS iQube, the scooter delivers a riding range of 75 kilometres on a single charge. The TVS iQube is currently on sale only in Bengaluru for an on-road price of Rs 1,15,000.
While the Bajaj Chetak sports a curvy, Vespa-inspired styling, the TVS iQube goes in for a squarish, white Honda ASIMO-like design. Powered by three lithium-ion battery packs, the electric motor on the iQube puts out 4.4kW of power. TVS says it’s enough to propel the scooter from 0 to 40 kilometres per hour in 4.2 seconds and achieve a top speed of 78 kilometres per hour. The IP67-rated battery can be charged using the bundled charging kit and a 5A domestic wall socket. While a full charge can take up to 5 hours to happen, TVS says a “day-long ride” can be achieved with just an hour of charging.
The TVS iQube features a digital instrument cluster in the form of a colour TFT display, which displays the battery charge status, service reminders, and other riding data. Like the Bajaj Chetak, the TVS iQube connects with the user’s smartphone via Bluetooth for extended functionality. With the optional TVS SmartXonnect service, an iQube user can use features such as geofencing and incoming call alerts. They can also enable turn-by-turn navigation on the instrument cluster when their smartphone is connected.
The iQube comes with LED lighting all around. It features a ‘Q-park assist’ system that allows the user to pull out the scooter from tight spots more easily using the power of the electric motor. It has a storage bin under the seat that’s equipped with a USB charging port. According to TVS, the scooter can manage gradients of up to 10 degrees. The front brake is a 220-millimetre disc, while the rear brake is a 130-millimetre drum. The scooter weighs 118 kilogrammes. Currently available only in Bengaluru, the TVS iQube can be ordered online on TVS Motor’s website here.