Current Scooter

Ampere's parent company, Greaves India has been long in the game of electric mobility. They launched the brand sixteen years ago with the electric scooters and moved on before other manufacturers caught on. Resultantly,  they acquired a significant market lead but somewhat less aggressive marketing did not help them score as well as some other players, though the product is brilliant. V60 was one of the earliest scooters they manufactured and now it is all about the Nexus, which seems to have hit the right spot. Interestingly, the erstwhile Ratan Tata too had invested in this company.

We rode the Nexus for a day and here are our findings. To begin with, it is a really well-designed, high quality scooter all around with futuristic elements. The headlight and LED DRLs and LED stop lamps set this scooter apart from its contemporaries. Interestingly, the colour on our test scooter, a Fuchsia blue, really made the scooter look youthful and future ready. Of course, as you would expect there is really a lot of features, apps and connected tech on this scooter. A big 7-inch TFT is a joy to behold with its bright colours, fonts and graphics. You also get Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity for apps.

The 4 kW motor with a 3kWh LFP battery is good for a claimed range of 136 kilometres. This seemed quite realistic as we easily did about 98-100 kilometres between charges. The scooter makes good low and mid-range power, with a top speed of 93 km/h. The five riding modes include one reverse and one park. There are also three power settings called Eco, Normal and Sport, though in our opinion the Sport mode was a little tame making the scooter feel more family and less enthusiast oriented. You can charge the scooter to a full 100 per cent in under four hours.

The ride quality is really well judged as well. Stability is good on both even and uneven surfaces and handling is spot on – quite close to the segment leader. 12-inch wheels front and rear ride on 90 cross sections for a supple feel and a certain amount of confidence, something that will make the majority out there quite happy

There is no denying that Ampere has taken a new approach towards making its scooter, and it is a welcome move. The scooter comes with a somewhat lower end warranty low of just 30,000 kilometres or three years compared to competition. However, the pricing starts at an attractive point and that does help you realise that there is still enough value on offer. This makes it one of the top five electric scooters in the market.

Priced at INR 1.19 lakhs, ex-showroom

Story by Mohit Soni