Bengaluru-based electric scooter startup River has updated its maiden product, the Indie, with a few changes and two new colours for 2025. But what's likely to affect its potential buyers the most is the new price, which now stands at Rs 1.43 lakh.
- The Indie now gets a dedicated reverse button
- The final drive is via a chain now; used to be a belt earlier
- Gets two new colours: grey and white
River Indie updates: what’s changed?
The biggest mechanical change to the Indie is the new chain final drive, which sends power to the rear wheel. This marks a departure from the norm, where every other e-scooter uses either a belt final drive, a swingarm-mounted motor, or a hub motor. Currently, the River Indie is the only Indian e-scooter to use this mechanism.
Another change is the presence of a dedicated reverse button. River says that customer feedback has prompted this decision. The final change is the addition of two new colours: grey and white.
Over the last year or so that it has been on sale, River claims it has sold over 3,000 units of the Indie and alongside updating its product, the Bengaluru-based startup is also aiming to increasing its footprint across the country. River has planned that over the next two months it wants to openshowrooms in Coimbatore, Vizag, Hubli, Cochin, Belgaum, Vellore, Mysore and Uppal. And, it is aiming to have aim to have 25 showrooms across India by March 2025.
As mentioned earlier, the price has risen by Rs 18,000 from the Indie’s original price at launch, and now stands at Rs 1.43 lakh. That puts the River Indie directly in the crosshairs of established competitors like the TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak 3201, Ather Rizta, and Ola S1 Pro.
All prices ex-showroom, Bengaluru, inclusive of subsidies
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
