None of the e-scooters launched till date have had such a singular focus on practicality as the recently-launched River Indie. Read on to see how it compares to the five other Indian e-scooters on paper.
River Indie vs rivals: electric motor, battery & charging
| electric motor, battery & charging | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Indie | Ola S1 Pro | Ather 450X | TVS iQube S | Bajaj Chetak | Vida V1 Pro | ||
| Peak motor output | 6.7kW | 8.5kW | 6.2kW | 4.4kW | 4.2kW | 6kW | |
| Continuous motor output | NA | 5.5kW | 3.3kW | 3kW | 4kW | 3.9kW | |
| Rated torque | 26 Nm | 58 Nm | 26 Nm | 33 Nm | 20 Nm | 25 Nm | |
| Claimed top speed | 90 kph | 116 kph | 90 kph | 78 kph | 69 kph | 80 kph | |
| Battery capacity | 4 kWh | 4kWh | 3.7kWh | 3.04kWh | 2.88kWh | 3.94kWh | |
| Claimed ARAI range/world range | 120 km (real-world) | 181 km (ARAI) | 146 km/105 km | 100 km (ARAI) | 90 km (ARAI) | 165 km/95 km | |
| Charging time | 0-80% in 5 hrs | 0-100% in 6hr30min | 0-80% in 4hr30min | 0-80% in 4hr30min | 0-100% in 4hr | 0-80% in 5hr55min | |
The River Indie has the largest battery of the lot (tied with the Ola S1 Pro) and it claims to have a real-world range of 120 km. While that number might seem lower than some others here, it bears mentioning that those numbers are ARAI certified and are under ideal conditions. Its peak power and torque figures are in line with the Ather 450X as is its claimed 90 kph top speed. Considering its large battery capacity, its charging time is in line with the others although the Ather, Vida and the Ola are the only three e-scooters to have the option of fast-charging.
River Indie vs rivals: dimensions & underpinnings
| dimensions & underpinnings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Indie | Ola S1 Pro | Ather 450X | TVS iQube S | Bajaj Chetak | Vida V1 Pro | |
| Wheelbase | 1365mm | 1359mm | 1295mm | 1301mm | 1330mm | 1301mm |
| Seat height | 770mm | 792mm | 780mm | 770mm | 762mm | 780mm |
| Ground clearance | 165mm | 165mm | 153mm | 157mm | 160mm | 155mm |
| Weight | 135 kg (approx.) | 125 kg | 111.6 kg | 118.8 kg | 133 kg | 125 kg |
| Suspension (f/r) | Telescopic fork/Twin shock absorbers | Single fork/Monoshock | Telescopic fork/Monoshock | Telescopic fork/Twin shock absorbers | Leading link/Monoshock | Telescopic fork/Monoshock |
| Brakes (f/r) | 240mm disc/200mm disc | 220mm disc/180mm disc | 200mm disc/190mm disc | 220mm disc/130mm drum | 200mm disc/130mm drum | 190mm disc/130mm drum |
| Tyres (f/r) | 120/70-14/120/70-14 | 110/70-R12/110/70-R12 | 90/90-12 / 100/80-12 | 90/90-12 / 90/90-12 | 90/90-12 / 90/90-12 | 90/90-12 / 100/80-12 |
| Boot space | 43 litres | 36 litres | 22 litres | 17 litres | 18 litres | 26 litres |
The River Indie is the longest and (likely to be) heaviest scooter here. It is also the only one to run on 14-inch wheels shod with chunky 120-section rubber at both ends. It also has the largest disc brakes in this company. While its weight might make some people wary, its accessible 770mm seat height should allow riders of short stature to get their feet on the ground without too much effort. Along with the TVS iQube S, it is the only scooter to have a twin shock absorber setup at the rear while the others feature a monoshock. Where the Indie really shines is in the unmatched storage capacity it brings to the table. Not only is its 43-litre boot larger than twice that of the Chetak and iQube S, its 12-litre lockable front cubby brings the total storage capacity up to 55 litres.
River Indie vs rivals: features
All electric scooters here (save for the Chetak) have Bluetooth compatible colour displays, although the Indie has a segmented LCD unit in place of a touch-compatible TFT dash. Currently, only the Ather 450X, Ola S1 Pro and the Bajaj Chetak have the hill hold function. While the iQube S misses out on that, it does have a parking brake lever clasp. While the Indie doesn’t have hill-hold or regenerative braking, it comes standard with crash guards, extendable rider footpegs and built-in pannier mounts.
A range of practical accessories such as a 25 litres top box and a pair of side cases which can hold 40 litres in total are also available for the Indie. It also comes standard with a centre stand, like the Chetak and V1 Pro, which is also available as an accessory on the Ola S1 Pro. The Vida V1 Pro is also the only scooter here to feature a removable battery, split into two separate packs.
The Indie has three riding modes – Eco, Ride and Rush – with the top speed being capped at 55 kph in Eco. Ride and Rush are both capable of reaching the 90 kph top speed but with different levels of acceleration.
River Indie vs rivals: price
| price | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Indie | Ola S1 Pro | Ather 450X | TVS iQube S | Bajaj Chetak | Vida V1 Pro | |
| Price | Rs 1.25 lakh | Rs 1.3 lakh | Rs 1.58 lakh | Rs 1.22 lakh | Rs 1.52 lakh | Rs 1.59 lakh |
At Rs 1.25 lakh (introductory prices), the Indie is one of the more affordable electric scooters on the market today. Currently, it is available only in Bengaluru but River has plans to sell the Indie in 50 cities by 2024. Each e-scooter here has taken a different approach to luring buyers away from conventional petrol scooters and the Indie is no different. It has focused on practicality more than outright performance or an exhaustive features list, which arguably is the one of the most important points of a daily runabout.
Also See:
River Indie electric scooter launched at Rs 1.25 lakh
River Indie electric scooter walkaround video
Ather 450X vs Ola S1 Pro vs TVS iQube S vs Bajaj Chetak EV scooter comparison
Ather 450X vs Ola S1 Pro vs TVS iQube S vs Bajaj Chetak video review
All prices mentioned are ex-showroom, Bengaluru, inclusive of the FAME-II subsidy and the portable charger.
Which of these electric scooters would be your pick and why? Let us know in the comments section below.