Bengaluru-based electric scooter startup River Mobility is witnessing immense traction for its sole product, the Indie. River’s monthly retail sales hit the 600-unit mark for the first time in January this year and have risen consistently since then. Cumulative sales for 2025 so far are already a 77 percent increase over 2024’s sales of 2,515 units. Total sales of the Indie since launch have gone past the 7,000 unit mark.
- River Indie has a 4kWh battery and 161km IDC-claimed range
- Yamaha EV for India to be based on River Indie platform
Refreshed Indie gives sales numbers renewed boost
Indie was updated late last year with a chain final drive, price increase
The first River Indie rolled out of the company’s manufacturing plant in Hoskote, Karnataka, on August 25, 2023. The facility, which has automated assembly lines for battery pack and vehicle assembly, is spread over 1.20 lakh square feet and has a production capacity of 1 lakh units annually.
However, demand for the Indie in all of CY2024 was tepid, with highest monthly sales of 370 units in October 2024, with sales increasing after the refreshed model was introduced.
In November 2024, just over a year after production began, River Mobility introduced an updated version featuring a chain final drive, a first in its segment. The upgrade was essentially to enhance durability and reduce ownership costs. The refreshed Indie is priced at Rs 1.43 lakh (ex-showroom, Bengaluru), though it is higher compared to the original model.
The scooter, which uses a 4kWh battery pack, is rated for 161km of claimed IDC range. Its motor develops peak power of 6.7kW and 26Nm. Other product highlights include lockable storage capacity of 55 litres – 12 litres in the glovebox and 43 litres under the seat (biggest for an e-scooter in India), front footpegs and 14-inch wheels at both ends. It comes with three riding modes – Eco, Ride and Rush.
River has strategically focused on setting up its retail operations initially in southern and western India, regions that are leading electric two-wheeler sales, before expanding operations to other parts of the country.
The EV startup, which currently has a sales network in India in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Hubli, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Coimbatore, Vellore, Tirupati and Mysore, plans to expand its retail footprint to Trivandrum and Vijayawada very soon. The macro plan, by 2026, is to operate in over 100 cities through a mix of company-owned stores and partnerships.
Yamaha electric scooter based on River Indie coming soon
The Yamaha EV will likely be priced higher than the Indie and will have more performance
In February 2024, Yamaha Motor Co, invested USD 40 million (around Rs 350 crore) in River's Series B round of funding through third-party allotment. This made Yamaha among the early investors in the Bengaluru-based startup.
Now, a little over a year later, the Japanese giant and River Mobility have joined forces to co-develop and manufacture Yamaha’s first electric scooter for India – codenamed RY01. Based on the River Indie, it will be Yamaha’s vehicle of entry in India’s booming electric two-wheeler market.
The RY01 is a joint development project between Yamaha’s engineering teams in Japan, the US, and Europe, and the River team in Bengaluru. This Yamaha e-2W is going to be manufactured at River’s facility in Hoskote. While Yamaha retains product ownership, River has been entrusted with full execution responsibilities – from R&D and battery integration to engineering and manufacturing.
The RYO1 was recently snapped testing in Bengaluru, which indicates that the market launch could be a few months away and possibly primed for the festive season.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
