Honda QC 1 first ride review: dead on arrival?

The QC 1 is Honda's second electric scooter for the Indian market, and it garnered more attention than its elder sibling, the Activa e:, due to its substandard specs. With a claimed 80km range, a top speed of just 50kmph (yes, you read that correctly), and an ex-showroom price of Rs 90,000, it’s tough to get excited about the QC 1. That said, it does offer a few practical features, which may attract some buyers – though not necessarily the ones they’re aiming for. Let's see what the QC 1 is all about and whether it's worth even considering.

Honda QC 1 styling and features

Just like the Activa e:, the QC 1 also borrows styling cues from the CUV e:, but it does look a little different from its elder sibling—not as premium, due to factors like the omission of the LED DRL on the handlebar, black plastic sides on the footboard, standard alloys, a smaller tail light, and more black plastic cladding around the screen and rear. It's not a bad-looking scooter, but it looks more like a Rs 75,000 scooter, not a Rs 90,000 one.

The QC 1 gets a standard 5-inch LCD screen, which is barebones and basic. It displays the speed, has a battery percentage indicator, a trip meter, and shows you which mode you're in. The screen is legible in bright sunlight, but it’s just too basic for a scooter that will cost you about Rs 1.2 lakh on the road. The standard 5-inch colour screen from the Activa e:, at least, would’ve been a welcome addition here.

The QC 1 also features a Type-C USB port, but it only gets a single cubby hole on the front apron, which is a lot deeper than the one on the Activa e:. Footboard space remains as spacious as on the Activa e:, but where the QC 1 scores more is when you lift the boot. Because it has a single 1.5kWh fixed battery, there's a 26-litre boot that can fit a small full-face helmet. Apart from this, the QC 1 gets an LED headlight, LED turn indicators, and that’s about it.

When it comes to the fit and finish, the QC 1 feels like it's built to a price. Like the Activa e:, it has good quality paint and consistent panel gaps, but the quality of the plastics isn't up to the mark. Especially around the handlebar area.

Honda QC 1 battery, motor and performance

The QC 1 comes with a single 1.5kWh fixed lithium-ion battery, offering a usable capacity of 1.2kWh. The result? A modest 80km range on a single charge—one of the lowest among electric scooters in India. Honda claims it's aimed at those who don’t travel more than 40km a day, and while that may cover most urban office-goers, the reality is that the QC 1 barely reaches the 50km mark, making it strictly a short-distance commuter. Charging is another sticking point. The 300W off-board charger takes a lengthy 4 hours 30 minutes to juice it up from 0 to 80 per cent, and an even longer 6 hours 50 minutes for a full charge—that's quite a wait for such a small battery.

Powering the QC 1 is a hub-mounted BLDC motor producing 1.8kW of peak power and a seemingly massive 77Nm of peak torque. But before you get too excited, that torque figure is measured at the wheel, which is always significantly higher than what you’d see at the crankshaft. It has two riding modes—Eco and Standard—but performance isn’t exactly its strong suit. In fact, if there’s one area that needs the most improvement, it’s this—perhaps even more than the range. Because the QC 1 feels outright dangerous to ride. While acceleration is sluggish to say the least, it's the 50kmph top speed that makes it a pain to ride everywhere, apart from bumper-to-bumper traffic. It accelerates from 0 to 35kmph at a sedate pace, and just hits a wall after 50kmph, which is very irritating because 8 out of 10 times, you just can't overtake anything. At 50kmph, even when you're in the slow lane, you feel like you're holding traffic, and that isn't a good feeling at all. A slightly higher, 70kmph top speed and a better mid-range is what the QC 1 desperately needs. I lost count of people honking at me continuously, in the hour and half I rode it in Bengaluru's swift traffic. That was the only time I felt the need to get stuck in traffic because I wanted everyone else to slow down and match my pace.

Honda QC 1 ergonomics, ride and handling

With an 89kg kerb weight, the QC 1 feels incredibly light on its feet. It's a joy to filter through traffic on it because the ergonomics are sorted as well. The handlebar isn't too high, nor is it too low and it has a fairly short turning radius as well. It rides on 12-inch alloys and suspension duties on this scooter are handled by a telescopic fork up front and a five-step adjustable mono shock at the rear and while the ride is okay for most bits, it doesn't feel as polished as the Activa e:. Big potholes and rough surfaces need to be dealt with at a slow speed and the steering goes light when you hit those dangerous straight crevices on the road. The seat is roomy and feels well-cushioned. Ride quality gets better when you're riding with a pillion.

Honda QC 1 price and verdict

The Honda QC 1 is available in a single variant that demands Rs 90,000, ex-showroom. With taxes and other charges included, you're looking at a near Rs 1.2 lakh rupee scooter, depending on where you live and that makes it an Ola S1 X, S1 Air, Ather 450 S and TVS iQube 2.2kWh rival. All of which offer more range, features and better value. As I mentioned earlier, the QC 1 is targeted for urban commutes under 40km, but those won't be able to take it even slightly further and that makes it a highly niche product. It is practical and has a fairly good ride but that's about it. Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are where it will fit in just well, but for that it needs to be priced at least Rs 20,000 lower. If you're on the look for a fairly decent urban commuter now, I suggest looking elsewhere.