Electric auto is the future and the Govt. of India is a major stakeholder in this shift. For starters, it brings down the carbon footprint, air pollution, and results in lesser dependence on crude oil and tackles climate change. Besides the extolled Make in India campaign, there are several cushions offered for the growth of e-vehicles. As such we are witnessing major brands are entering the race. The latest one is The Venu Srinivasan Motor Company. TVS as it better known has launched its first e-scooter christened iQube. This marks its foray into electric two-wheeler territory.
Another highlight is that the iQube is entirely indigenous. That means, end-to-end, everything from designing to internal components is made in the country.
Up until recently, the core elements including motors and battery packs were sourced from neighboring markets. Then in India, the company will take care of its UX, promotion, and positioning.
But now, with the new TVS iQube and Bajaj Chetak, things have changed. These are full-fledged Indian products. The TVS scooter had its veil took off by Nitin Gadkari (union minister for Road, Transport, and Highways) and B.S. Yeddyurappa (Chief Minister of Karnataka).
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TVS iQube Top Features
The iCube carries a 4.4kW hub motor, with 140Nm of torque at the wheel. TVS claims the scooter can go from 0 to 40kmph in just 4.2 seconds. There are two-speed modes, wherein the max speed can zing up to 78kmph in the Sport mode. The other mode, ie. Eco maxes up to 40kmph.
The iCube electric scooter will have a top speed of 78 kilometers per hour and will be able to run 75 kilometers in full charge. Speaking of which, inside, it packs a 2.25kWh lithium-ion battery divided into three packs. You get to top it off using a conventional 5A adapter, which comes bundled out of the box. It will fill full in about 5 hours.
If you’re wondering, there’s no fast charging capability.
It also sports regenerative braking, Q-park assists reverse mode, Bluetooth-powered SmartXonnect platform, a feature-rich dashboard, a telescopic front fork, twin adjustable rear shock absorbers, 12-inch alloy wheels, amongst other things.
“TVS Motor is driven by customer-centric innovation. As India moves ahead, it’s mobility solutions would increasingly be total experience-led, nowhere is this felt sharper than among the youth of India. Our focus on the green and connected youth of India, is embodied, in the first of the TVS electric portfolio,” said Venu Srinivasan, chairman, TVS Motor Company.
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TVS iQube Pricing and Availability
The TVS iQube will start retailing in Bengaluru from January 27. It boasts an initial manufacturing capacity of 1,000 units per month to back the demand.
In Bengaluru, 10 charging points are already installed with more on the way.
