Introduction
It's been a while since I rode my Hero Xpulse to the office. This Hero motorcycle was my primary daily commute vehicle, but then the TVS iQubeS entered my life, and many things changed. Firstly, I had to convince myself I would need to spend more time commuting due to the lesser average riding speed. Secondly, I had to talk to my building secretary and figure out a place to install the charger – a process I wished had taken less time. And finally, I had to chart out the shortest route, so I don't have that range anxiety.
City Experience
Now, I won't say my commute is within the city limits. I live almost 60km from my office and ride through three different municipality corporations. This route has close to 30km of highway and the rest is city riding. My commute always starts with the highway run, which means the power mode is used the most. Here, the iQube S gave me a top speed of 85kmph each time, allowing me to be on par with most vehicles on the highway. The eco mode has a speed limit of 55kmph, and I did use this a few times to understand the behaviour of the slowest rider on the highway. But that mode on a highway is dull and quite dangerous too. I was taken for granted by other vehicles honking continuously as some of them wanted to overtake from the left.
The Likes
The best aspect of the TVS iQube S is the ride quality. It is outrageously fantastic. I have never ridden any scooter in my life that has such outstanding ride quality. This e-scooter eats up bad roads, bumps, or other undulations well. Even with the pillion on board, the ride is comfortable, and there’s no drama.
This TVS is the most refined and quietest e-scooter I have ever ridden. The NVH levels are excellent, and there’s a certain finesse in how this scooter was built. The paint quality, the rubber touches, and even the instrument cluster – all have been laid out well.
The Dislikes
TVS claims a riding range of 100km per charge in every road condition. Sadly, that wasn't the case with me. My commutes always started with a 100 per cent charge, but by the time I reached the office, the charge was barely five per cent (3-5km) left. This claim by TVS is purely for eco mode, but even in that case, it is improbable to get that claimed figure. There are a lot of variables that factor in – the weight of the rider, tyre pressure, number of flyovers in your route, and more. These variables won't allow you to have that claimed riding range every time.
The other challenge I had with the iQube S was the heating issue. During my journey to the office in the morning, at around 8 am (45 mins after my ride began), when the weather is getting a bit hotter, the iQube S shows the malfunction light, and as soon as that light comes on, there's a drop in performance. The acceleration is much slower, and the top speed drops by almost 10kmph. While returning home, the malfunction light comes within 20 minutes, as it's afternoon and the temperature hovers between 34-37 degrees. This scooter was taken to an SVC, but the issue persisted. I was informed that the battery management system (BMS) cuts off the power when the motor temperature rises. It's a safety mechanism, but a traditional e-scooter like iQube S should not have this issue.
What’s next?
Summer is here, meaning the iQube S will have to go through extreme Mumbai roads and hot weather conditions. For the next few weeks, I'll test how the scooter behaves when ridden in stop-go traffic. Through this riding style, we'll understand how the scooter behaves. Plus, in some instances, there will be a pillion too. The idea is to find whether this TVS can become the perfect electric scooter for the Indian market.
Gallery
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TVS iQube Right Side View
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