Kinetic has brought back a slice of Indian scooter nostalgia with the launch of the Kinetic DX electric scooter. The DX is a modern-day EV tribute to the original Kinetic Honda DX, which became a household name in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Prices for the DX start at Rs 1.11 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune) and go up to Rs 1.17 lakh for the DX+ variant. It currently comes with a 3-year/50,000km warranty, extendable to 9 years and 1 lakh km. The bookings for the DX and DX+ are open on the company’s website.
- Kinetic DX has two variants: DX and DX+
- It has a claimed range of 116km
Kinetic DX: Design
The new Kinetic DX retains several design cues from the classic scooter
Visually, the DX retains the signature boxy silhouette of the original but modernises it with full-LED lighting, chunky 12-inch wheels, a flyscreen with an illuminated Kinetic logo and some metal body panels. There’s also a modern 8.8-inch colour LCD display that visually mimics the layout of the original DX’s instrument cluster. The new DX also has a red ‘READY’ starter button, which is a direct nod to the original Kinetic Honda’s switchgear layout. The scooter has a 704mm-long seat, 165mm of ground clearance and a 1,314mm wheelbase. It has a 100/80-12 front tyre and a 220mm disc brake, with regenerative braking also on offer.
Kinetic DX: Battery and range
Kinetic claims the range can be extended to 150km by riding under 30kph
Power comes from a hub-mounted motor with a peak output of 4.8kW, fed by a 2.6kWh LFP battery mounted in the floorboard. The claimed range and top speed are 102km and 80kph for the DX and 116km and 90kph for the DX+. Kinetic says that if you set cruise lock in the 25-30kph band and ride on flat roads, the scooter can stretch the range to 150km in the real world.
Charging times are rated at 0 to 50 percent in 2 hours, 0 to 80 percent in 3 hours and a full charge in 4 hours. An integrated charger with a 15A plug is stored inside the glove box via the brand’s Easy Charge system.
Kinetic DX: Features
It gets 37 litres of underseat storage
The Kinetic DX and DX+ come with three riding modes – Range, Power and Turbo – as well as hill-hold control, cruise control and cruise lock (a sub-30kph speed-hold trick that aids efficiency). The scooter even includes a built-in speaker that can play music with volume control (much like Ola’s MoveOS).
Other thoughtful (and sometimes quirky) touches include keyless ignition, a password-based ‘Easy Key’ system and a dedicated helpline call button on the switchgear. The e-scooter has 37 litres of underseat storage, along with a hidden under-boot compartment for small items, a USB charging port under the seat and a party trick called Easy Flip, which pops open the pillion footpegs at the press of a button.
Both variants have Bluetooth connectivity, but only the DX+ gets additional app-based features and controls. These include vehicle location, anti-theft alert, geofencing, guide-me-home lights and OTA updates. And yes, the scooter will even wish you happy birthday in 16 languages – arguably an industry-first that no one asked for but may come in handy. The Kinetic DX and DX+ will rival the TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak, Vida VX2 and Ather Rizta. Kinetic is likely to retail the DX through its newly established Watts & Volts EV showrooms and its existing dealer network.
Also see:
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
