-Based on a new platform
-Certified range of 136km
-Gets a TFT display with Bluetooth connectivity
Ampere Electric has launched their all-new electric scooter, the Nexus in India at an introductory price of Rs 1.10 lakh. This is their first, premium electric scooter and it is based on a brand-new platform. The Nexus is available in two variants- EX and ST.
The design, to begin with, is conservative, largely consisting of flat body panels and few creases on them to add to the visual appeal. There's some functionality added to the design as well, with vents located at the front and rear to channel air and help with cooling the scooter. Overall, it looks big, proportionate and distinct. The Ampere Nexus is available in four colours- Zanskar Aqua, Steel Grey, Indian Red and Lunar White.
Powering the scooter is a new 4kW electric motor that can propel it to a top speed of 93kmph in 'Power' mode. The top speed of the scooter is limited to 63kmph in City mode and 42kmph in Eco mode. In addition to these three modes, there is a Limp Home mode which kicks in when the battery percentage drops below 20 percent. There's a Reverse mode as well.
The motor is powered by a new, 3kWh, IP67 rated battery which is of the LFP type and has a certified range of 136km. Ampere claims that it takes a little over three hours to charge. The company added that it chose the LFP type battery for better thermal stability considering hot Indian weather. The scooter is supplied with a 15A charger and there's an option to buy a 25A fast charger.
Under the bodywork, there’s a new, underbone chassis that is suspended by a telescopic fork and twin shock absorbers. The scooter rides on 12-inch alloy wheels while braking duties will be taken care of by a disc brake at the front and drum brake at the rear. It also has a decent, 170mm ground clearance.
In terms of features, the Nexus has an all-LED setup, and Ampere says that it has the brightest headlight in the segment. The Nexus ST also has a 7-inch touchscreen, TFT display with Bluetooth connectivity. Once the rider pairs their phone with the console, they can access incoming call and message information on the dash. It also gets turn-by-turn navigation which is a useful feature these days.
The Nexus EX, on the other hand, gets a smaller, 6.2-inch segmented LCD display and lesser connectivity features. It also doesn't get the navigation, music controls and auto day/night mode for the screen.
The prices, as we mentioned are introductory. Post the introductory offer, the price of the Ampere Nexus EX will rise from Rs 1.10 lakh to Rs 1.20 lakh. The Ampere Nexus ST has an introductory price of Rs 1.20 lakh and it will go up to Rs 1.30 lakh after the offer expires. All of these prices are ex-showroom.
Bookings for the Ampere Nexus have begun and customers can reserve their scooter by paying Rs 10,000.
In terms of competition, the scooter goes up against the TVS iQube, the Ola S1 range and the newly launched Ather Rizta