Simple Energy, an electric vehicle startup based in Bengaluru has announced prices and started to deliver its flagship, Simple Ultra, an electric scooter that both asserts the longest range to date in the Indian two-wheeler market.
The Ultra, priced at Rs 2,34,999 (ex-showroom), will be a high-end product to the riders who want a long range of the bike along with the spirited performance. It is currently on sale, and test rides and the delivery of customers is already being carried out in some cities.
The scooter has at its core a relatively large 6.5 kWh battery pack, which the company claims provides a claimed range of 400 km when subjected to the IDC (Indian Driving Cycle) testing conditions. That is the maximum range of the Ultra India long-range electric scooter that is currently selling, possibly giving weeks of normal urban commuting range between charges.
The performance is also remarkable. The Ultra has a maximum speed of 115 kmph with an acceleration time of 040kmph in just 2.77 seconds, which makes it the second-fastest of the Simple Energy family, after the Simple One. The lively feel is enhanced by an 8.8 kW motor and 72 Nm of peak torque.
Safety and control provisions are four levels of traction control, which aid the rider to control the amount of power in different situations. The scooter has a seven-inch LCD display as well which displays vital ride data and manages other functions.
Design and platform
The Ultra is based on the Gen 2 platform of Simple Energy, after previous release of the updated versions of the Simple One and One S. Although the complete design information was not introduced along with the price statement, the model is oriented to the modern, performance-oriented design that can be used in the city streets as well as in the occasional highway use.
Acceleration is done by both 200 mm front and 190 mm rear disc units coupled with combined braking system (CBs).
Market context
One of the greatest obstacles toward a broader use of electric two-wheelers in India has been range anxiety. The proposed range of 400km is an effort by Simple Energy to deal with that issue head on, especially to those customers who have a longer commute or would like to make fewer charging stops.
The Ultra, priced at slightly less than Rs 2.35 lakh ex-showroom, will be in the higher end of the electric scooters market, above the rest of the Gen 2 models of the company. On-road performance will also inherently change based on the mode of riding, load, and riding conditions and weather conditions, but the headline IDC figure makes it a good competitor to the rivals, which are more interested in lower prices or shorter trips.
Expanding footprint
In addition to the launch of the product, Simple Energy also expands its retail presence. The firm has almost 70 touchpoints in large cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi today. More branches will be opened and in the next few months, new branches will be opened in Nagpur, Ranchi and Bhubaneswar.
The Ultra bookings had already been made earlier and the firm has confirmed that it has already begun delivering to its customers in the markets where it has made its bookings.
What’s next
Simple Energy also has not published specific charging times yet nor has it verified any fast-charging of the 6.5 kWh pack. The Ultra will be under close observation by the industry players to observe its performance under independent real-life tests, particularly with the ambitious range claim.
This is the launch when the Indian electric two-wheeler market is experiencing a rise in competition, with both established and start-up players competing to provide a superior range, performance and features.
In the meantime, the Simple Ultra is on paper a bold leap to fill the gap between practicality and longer range in the electric scooter market.
