Which is the best electric scooter in India?

Electric scooters are the best alternative to petrol scooters as they are eco-friendly and economical in terms of running costs. They also come in lightweight with the least vibration.

Electric scooters are gaining popularity because there has been a tremendous increase in the level of emission of greenhouse gases globally due to fossil fuel consumption. Industries and vehicles are the major sources of greenhouse gases. Do you know that since 1750 the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases CO2, CH4, and N2O increased by 148%, 260%, and 123%, respectively?

The reports of May 2021 say that the global monthly average concentration of CO2 was 416.49 parts per million(ppm) by volume whereas before the industrial revolution it was 280 ppm by volume. The greenhouse gases are responsible for the increase in global temperature which directly affects the meting of icebergs and rise in the sea level. This process induces a climate change that is not favorable to living beings. Climate change is highly altering temperature, precipitation, and sea levels.

We need to shift to alternative energy sources from fossil fuels and electric energy is favorable and promising. Electric scooters are equipped with a battery that stores electric power to run the motor. They do not cause air pollution and noise pollution during their operation and are hence eco-friendly.

The sale of electric scooters in India is increasing positively as people are shifting towards an alternative vehicle to petrol scooters due to an increase in petrol prices. There are two types of electric scooters; the new electric scooter and the retrofit electric scooter. The retrofit electric scooter is a petrol scooter converted to electric scooter. There are multiple reputed EV companies in India that manufacture electric scooters. One might get many queries regarding which is the best electric scooter in India? In this article, important factors and equipment ratings for the selection of the best electric scooter are discussed.

The best electric scooter should have the following features:

High initial torque

Torque is a force that creates a rotational motion. The motor embedded in a standard electric scooter should generate high initial torque which means it should generate enough power to overcome the load to start propelling the scooter.

Usually, a motor with a power rating of 4 KW or more is preferred for an electric scooter.

Assume the motor power rating is 4 KW and its synchronous speed is 1500 rpm, then it should produce a torque of 25.5 Nm. The value of torque inversely depends upon the motor’s operating speed, the full torque attained at zero speed is a major advantage for electric vehicles.

Torque in SI units can be calculated as

TNm = PW 9.549 / n

where

TNm = torque (Nm)

PW = power (watts)

n = revolution per minute (rpm)

So the best electric scooter should produce an initial torque of at least 25.5 Nm.

Enough motor power

An electric scooter should have enough motor capacity to overcome the load and attain top speed. A motor rating of 4KW gives the equivalent performance of a 125 cc petrol engine assuming a 2 seater load capacity. The whole power to propel the electric scooter is generated by the electric motor.

As we know that Indian roads are filled with plenty of potholes that make the road surface uneven and propelling electric scooters challenging to overcome the potholes with the load capacity. The motor should have a low saturation region within its operating region or high saturation point.

Battery capacity

The battery is the power source of an electric scooter, it is like a petrol tank of the petrol scooter. A battery should have at least a charge storage capacity of 2 Watt-hours which is ideal to propel the scooter for a distance between 70-100 km with a 2 seater load capacity fitted with a 4KW motor.

A battery should have at least 3 years of warranty period with fast charging time. It should also have some additional properties like high energy density, low self-discharge rate, high battery life, and ability to deliver high power.

A good quality battery requires low maintenance and has high power output and it should sustain the weather conditions.

Top speed

Electric scooters are classified into two types; low-speed electric scooters and high-speed electric scooters. Low-speed electric scooters have a top speed of 25 Kmph whereas high-speed electric scooters can easily operate at speeds beyond 25Kmph. Currently available high-speed electric scooters can reach a maximum speed of 70-80 Kmph. The choice of low speed or high-speed electric scooter depends on the application. To attain top speed lot of factors matter like load, battery status, and road condition.

Charging time

The charging time is one of the important factors for an electric scooter. The best batteries available in the market with the latest technology can charge fully in 4-5 hours. Depending upon the battery capacity the scooter can give a specified range.

Dicky storage

Scooters can be used for multipurpose as they are light in weight and have more storage space. A scooter can easily have storage space of at least 8L while some scooters even have 12L. This gives added advantage to the rider to carry more loads.

Connectivity

Modern two-wheelers are equipped with wireless connectivity through smartphones. A rider can track all the information about the vehicle like the trip, battery status, location, tow alerts, etc on his smartphone with wireless connectivity in a secured way, thanks to BlueTooth and IoT technology.

As electric scooters operate on electric power and have circuits within them, due to bad weather conditions there are chances that a short circuit may occur and ignites a fire. An electric scooter should have an emergency fire extinguisher spray in the dicky for safety purposes.

The best electric scooter manufacturer should also provide on-demand tech service to its customers as garages for electric scooters are not available on the roadside, unlike petrol scooters.

Apart from the above 7 points, the best electric scooter may have other features like a type of brake system, power modes, LED lights, automatic transmission, hydraulic suspension, tubeless tire, etc. All of it depends on the manufacturer and the customer’s budget.