Simple Energy launches 240km range e-scooter for Rs 110,000

Simple Energy has launched its Simple One electric scooter at Rs 110,000 (ex-showroom), which this excludes state subsidies.

Powering the One is a 4.5kW motor that develops a claimed max torque figure of 72Nm. This motor gives the scooter a claimed 0-40kph time of 2.95sec. The claimed top speed, meanwhile, is 98kph or 105kph, depending on the tyre choice. The electric scooter has four riding modes – Eco, Ride, Dash and Sonic. The One also sends its power to the rear wheel via a chain drive.

Simple Energy has said that it has a patented “in-house design for motor chassis and brakes”. The One rides on 12-inch wheels at both ends, with a telescopic fork and a monoshock for suspension. Like almost every other electric scooter, braking is handled by disc brakes. The scooter is available with two tyres specifications. One variant gets a 90/90-12 front and rear tyre, while the other uses 100/80-12 (front) and 110/80-12 (rear). The One electric scooter has one of the lightest kerb weights in its class, at 110kg.

Battery capacity almost twice Ather 450X

The cuboid-shaped battery pack has a metal outer case with a design machined into it and a handle at the top. Part of the 4.8kWh lithium-ion battery is removable. The total battery capacity of the One is almost double that of Ather 450X’s (2.61kWh), and more than double that of TVS iQube’s (2.25kWh). It also has a higher capacity than the unit on the recently-launched Ola S1 and S1 Pro. This is one of the reasons why Simple Energy is able to claim a 203km real-world range (Eco mode). It takes a claimed 2.75 hours to charge the fixed part of the battery from 0 to 80 percent, with the home charger.

Features and details

The display it uses is a 7.0-inch touchscreen that features 4G and Bluetooth connectivity. Features include music and call control, navigation, vehicle tracking and a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS). 

Pricing vs rivals

At Rs 110,000 (ex-showroom) (excluding state subsidy), the Simple One costs more than the TVS iQube (Rs 101,000) and Ola S1 (Rs 99,999) but sits below the Ather 450 Plus (starts at Rs 113,000) and Bajaj Chetak (Rs 142,000). However, the prices of the other scooter mentioned above are after government subsidies; so expect the price of the Simple One to also become more competitive once they are applied.