TVS has updated its iQube electric scooter with new colours and variants, a larger battery pack with better range, and more features. It continues to go up against the Bajaj Chetak, Ather 450 Plus and 450X and the Ola S1 Pro electric scooters in the Indian market. Read on to see how it stacks up against the competition in terms of specs and price.
TVS iQube vs rivals: electric motor, battery and charging
| Electric motor, battery and charging | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TVS iQube S/iQube ST | Bajaj Chetak | Ather 450 Plus/450X | Ola S1 Pro | |
| Peak motor output | 4.4kW | 4.1kW | 5.4/6kW | 8.5kW |
| Continuous motor output | 3kW | 3.8kW | 3.3kW | 5.5kW |
| Rated torque | 33Nm | 16Nm | 22/26Nm | 58Nm |
| Top speed | 78/82kph | 80kph | 80kph | 90/115kph |
| Battery capacity | 3.04/4.56kWh | 3kWh | 2.9kWh | 2.98/3.97kWh |
| Claimed range | 100/145km | 95km | 100/116km | 121/135km |
| Charging time | 0-80% in 4.5 hours (650 W)/ 2.5 hours (1.5kW) | 0-80% in 3.5 hours (home charger) | 0-80% in 3 hrs 35 min (home charger) | 0-100% in 4 hrs 48 min/ 6.5 hours (home charger) |
While the updated iQube retains the same electric motor with a 4.4kW peak output as the previous model, it now boasts of larger battery packs. Where the outgoing model featured a 2.2kWh battery, the new iQube and iQube S get a 3.04kWh battery, while the top-spec ST variant gets an even larger 4.56kWh battery. This has resulted in the iQube ST having the best claimed on-road range of 145km in this comparison. The iQube ST is also the only one here that comes with a 1.5kW fast charger.
Bajaj’s Chetak has the lowest peak power output, torque and claimed range here. However, its 3kWh battery is slightly larger than the 450 Plus’ and S1’s, while its 80kph claimed top speed is on par with the Ather.
The Ather is the second most powerful here in terms of peak output but it gets the smallest battery pack (2.9kWh). However, it betters the Bajaj in terms of range, despite having a more powerful motor.
The Ola S1 Pro, meanwhile, is comfortably the most powerful one here, with a peak output of 8.5kW and torque of 58Nm. Unsurprisingly then, it also has the highest top speed of 115kph. The S1 Pro gets a large 3.97kWh battery and 135km of claimed real world range, the latter of which is only bettered by the TVS in this comparison.
TVS iQube vs rivals: dimensions and underpinnings
| Dimensions and underpinnings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TVS iQube/S/ST | Bajaj Chetak | Ather 450 Plus/450X | Ola S1 Pro | |
| Wheelbase | 1301mm | - | - | 1370mm |
| Seat height | 770mm | - | 780mm | 792mm |
| Ground clearance | 157mm | - | - | 165mm |
| Weight | 117.2/118.8/128kg | - | 108kg | 121/125kg |
| Suspension (F/R) | Telescopic fork/hydraulic shocks | Trailing-link/monoshock | Telescopic fork/monoshock | Single fork/monoshock |
| Brakes (F/R) | 220mm Disc/130mm Drum | Disc/Drum | 200mm Disc/190mm Disc | 220mm Disc/180mm Disc |
| Tyres (F/R) | 90/90 R12 | R12 | 90/90 R12 | 110/70 R12 |
| Storage | 17/32 litres | - | 22 litres | 36 litres |
Overall dimensions-wise, the Ola S1 and S1 Pro are the largest scooters here as they trump the others in terms of wheelbase, seat height, ground clearance and storage space. It’s the TVS iQube ST that is the heaviest here, weighing in at 128kg, while the Athers are the lightest, at 108kg. All these electric scooters also run on 12-inch wheels but, it’s the Ola that gets the widest tyres.
The Ather and Ola have the advantage as far as the brakes are concerned, as both get disc brakes at the front and back, whereas the Bajaj and TVS get drum brakes at the rear.
Suspension duties on the TVS are handles by a telescopic fork up front and hydraulic shocks at the rear, while the Bajaj gets a simpler, trailing-link set-up up front but a monoshock at the rear. The Ather and Ola also get rear monoshocks, but where the Ather uses a conventional telescopic fork up front, the Ola makes do with a single-sided fork.
A point to be noted, some official specs of the Ather and Bajaj electric scooters are not available currently and hence have been left out. We will update this story once we get our hands on them.
TVS iQube vs rivals: price
| Price | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TVS iQube/iQube S | Bajaj Chetak | Ather 450 Plus/450X | Ola S1 Pro | |
| Price (on-road, Delhi) | Rs 98,564/ Rs 1.08 lakh* | Rs 1.53 lakh* | Rs 1.19 lakh/ Rs 1.38 lakh** | Rs 85,099/ Rs 1.20 lakh** |
*On-road, Delhi, including subsidies ** Ex-showroom, Delhi, including subsidies
While TVS is yet to announce prices for the top-spec iQube ST, the base iQube costs Rs 98,564 while the iQube S is priced at Rs 1.08 lakh. In fact, despite all the new additions, the iQube’s starting price has actually seen a drop, which makes it a very compelling deal.
The Chetak is by far the most expensive electric scooter here, while the Ather 450 Plus, 450X and the Ola S1 Pro are priced in the middle of the pack.
It’s worth noting that while the prices for the iQube and Chetak are on-road, Delhi, and include the FAME-II subsidies, the Ather and Ola’s prices are ex-showroom, Delhi, with the FAME-II subsidy and do not account for insurance, road tax and registration charges.
So that’s how the updated TVS iQube compares to its rivals on paper. However, only a real-world comparison between theses electric scooters will determine which one is the best.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
