Yamaha EC-06

The Yamaha EC-06 is based on the River Indie, but Yamaha has changed its exterior considerably. It looks sleeker and less bulbous than the River, with vertically stacked lights and a design that gives it a distinct identity. However, this styling comes at the cost of practicality. Under-seat storage is 24.5 litres, much less than the River's 43 litres, and a large full-face helmet may not fit with the seat closed. The front storage cubby has also been removed. On the positive side, the charging port has been moved to the front and is easier to access.

The EC-06 gets a 770mm seat, making it easy to get onto. The riding position is generally comfortable, including for taller riders, but the seat slopes forward and can make the rider slide towards the front. This can leave the knees close to the front panel. The pillion seat is wide, although it is shorter than the River's. Overall comfort is decent, but the River is slightly more comfortable.

The EC-06 uses a 4kWh battery and a 6.7kW motor producing 26Nm. The motor is smooth and quiet, while the three riding modes offer different levels of performance. Eco mode feels dull, Standard mode is usable and Power mode is more entertaining.

Our real-world range test covered 114km in Standard mode, with an efficiency of 28.5km/kWh. The scooter continued to perform well even below 20 percent battery charge. Performance began to drop noticeably below 10 percent, while below 5 percent it switched to Eco mode. The claimed IDC range is 169km. The biggest drawback is the 450W charger, which takes about 10 hours to fully charge a flat battery.

Yamaha has made changes to the chassis, suspension and brakes. Compared with the River, the EC-06 feels slightly tighter, more responsive and more engaging to ride. It is not a sporty scooter, but it handles well and has reasonable ride quality over bad roads, although the suspension feels slightly firm.

The EC-06 gets a simple LCD display, Bluetooth connectivity and three riding modes. The switchgear is straightforward, while a park mode allows slow forward or reverse movement. It also gets disc brakes at both ends and combined braking.

The EC-06 was about Rs 22,000 more than the River Indie. Its higher price, smaller storage and slow charger are notable drawbacks. However, it is well made, looks distinct, is enjoyable to ride and comes with Yamaha's backing.