TVS iQube review, road test

With the latest FAME 2 subsidy increase, the iQube now costs much closer to 125cc scooters. In Delhi, where there is an additional subsidy available, it costs Rs 1 lakh, on-road. That makes this the first high-quality two-wheeler EV in India that is a legitimate rival to established petrol-powered scooters. 

What TVS really has to work on now is availability and the customers should come running. It’s currently available only in Bengaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore and Delhi, although TVS says that it will expand to 20 cities by March 2022.

A family friendly design, an incredibly low running cost, a reasonably realistic range for daily city commutes, and the competitive price tag are things that can’t be ignored. If you also factor in the performance, ride quality and the TFT display, the TVS iQube is a no-brainer.

OWNERSHIP COSTS 

To give you an idea, the TVS iQube has an approximate running cost of around Rs 0.3 per km, while a petrol-scooter costs closer to Rs 1.8 per km. The difference is so huge that you would end up saving roughly Rs 15,000 once you covered 10,000km and Rs 75,000 after 50,000km on the iQube. This amount is calculated based on the electricity and fuel consumption costs; EVs are also much more affordable in terms of service costs because there are no oils and filters that need changing. The battery is warranted for 3 years/50,000km, which should be reassuring for most typical scooter users.