Ampere Primus vs Ola S1 Air vs TVS iQube: Which should be your pick? | 91mobiles.com

The commuter two-wheeler segment in India holds a major chunk of the Indian automotive market. As the electric two-wheeler segment leaps ahead, OEMs have now taken a step to capitalise on this segment. Ola’s S1 Air, Ampere EV’s Primus electric scooter, and the lower variants of the TVS iQube all aim at offering the average Indian commuter an eco-friendly and cost-effective personal transport solution. In this article, we delve into a detailed comparison of the price, specifications, and features of these three electric scooters to determine which one offers better value for money.

Ampere Primus vs Ola S1 Air vs TVS iQube: price and availability 

All three scooters sit right below the premium end of the electric two-wheeler market. The 2023 Ampere Primus electric scooter has been priced at Rs 1.10 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai after FAME II subsidy). This pricing puts the Ampere scooter on par with the top-end variant of the Ola S1 Air electric scooter which costs Rs 1.09 lakh (ex-showroom, after FAME II subsidy). The TVS iQube’s base variant, on the other hand, is priced in India at Rs 1.18 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai after FAME II subsidy). 

Ampere Primus vs Ola S1 Air vs TVS iQube

Design

The commuter segment in India has not been a segment for style icons and most offerings in the segment choose function over form. This remains true with the Ampere Primus as well as the TVS iQube. The Ampere Primus looks like a modern scooter but seems to lack unique styling cues. The LED lights, chrome elements, and matte paint options make it look like a Rs 1 lakh two-wheeler.

The TVS iQube, in contrast, looks boxy and practical, while the OLA S1 Air design is inspired by the S1 Pro. The Air looks sleek and futuristic, with Android-like headlights, a poppy paint scheme and minimalistic body panelling. The S1 Air also manages to be practical as well with its sizeable under-seat storage, functional grab rails and flat floorboard. 

Specifications and features

All three electric scooters get tried and tested metal chassis with fixed battery packs, alloy wheels, combi-braking system, telescopic front suspension and coil spring rear suspension. The TVS iQube is the only electric scooter in this comparison that gets a disc brake setup at the front. The Ola S1 Air and the Ampere Primus sports drum brake setup. That being said, all scooters use a more cost-effective drum brake setup at the rear. 

In terms of features, TVS iQUBE, Ola S1 Air, and Ampere Primus all get the now-segment standard LED lighting both at the front and the rear. However, the TVS and Ola’s EVs are one up the Ampere Primus when it comes to feel-good features such as a coloured display for instrumentation. Both the iQube and the S1 Air offer elaborate feature sets and more usable connected vehicle technology. The Ampere settles for a monochromatic LCD display. Ola S1 Air has some additional features as well such as music playback. 

Range and charging 

Being a commuter focussed segment, none of the three scooters focuses on long-range offerings. That said, each of the three scooters offers a sufficient real-world range which should be more than adequate for most users plying in and around urban jungles. The Ola S1 Air has a certified range of 165km. This figure is a whole lot more than the Ampere Primus and the TVS iQube, which deliver 107km and 100km of certified range.

Daily users will depend largely on home charging solutions as all three electric scooters offer a home charging kit that supports a standard 15A socket. The Ola S1 Air has the largest battery pack, and hence, takes the longest to charge up. The Ola will take about 6 hours and 30 minutes to fully charge. The Ampere Primus and the TVS iQube can be fully charged in 5 hours and 4 hours 30 minutes respectively. 

Battery and performance

In terms of powertrain, the Ola S1 Air comes out on the top yet again. The S1 Air boasts the largest battery pack at 4kWh and also has a 4.5kW hub motor that is capable of propelling the electric scooter to its 85kmph top speed. The TVS iQube packs a 3kW motor with 33Nm of peak torque and a 3.04kWh battery pack that helps the scooter to go up to 40kmph in 4.2 seconds. The iQube has a top speed of 78kmph. The Ampere Primus claims similar performance figures as the iQube with its 3.4kW motor and 3kWh battery pack combo. 

Ampere Primus vs Ola S1 Air vs TVS iQube: Verdict

The Ampere Primus is the company’s first attempt at creating an indigenous product. While it is a step in the right direction, the electric scooter’s value proposition remains unsatisfactory at least on paper. 

The Ola S1 Air follows the footsteps of the Ola S1 and packages it in a more value-conscious form. This means that the scooter still manages to be funky and modern and comes equipped with feel-good features that could attract buyers. However, Ola Electric has struggled with quality issues and after-sales service. Moreover, the company has not yet delivered a single Ola S1 Air since its launch last year!

The TVS iQube despite being more expensive proves to be the best value in this lot of EVs. While the TVS iQube lacks Ola’s quirky appeal and gets features as mundane as its looks, the EV is decently equipped. The scooter also gets the basics right coming from an established automaker, and no real faults can be found in its long-term reliability. The fact that the TVS iQube is actually for sale and has TVS’ established service network to back it up makes it the cherry on top of this cake.