Electrification is well and truly here. Instead of the big guns, it’s the numerous startups that are making electric two-wheelers a normal sight on Indian roads. What you see in these pictures is the iVoomi S1, a made-in-India electric scooter, for those looking to evade the rising fuel costs and keep the environment clean, while also riding something cool. How does this electric scooter fare in the real world?
iVoomi S1 Design
The iVoomi S1 is a conventional scooter with a youthful design language. There is a LED headlamp placed prominently on the front apron flanked by two daytime running strips. The headlamp could do with better calibration, especially at high-beam. At the rear, it gets a large tail-lamp surrounded by integrated turn-indicators. However, the lighting setup at the rear receives bulbs instead of LEDs. The overall profile is sharp, but at the same time, it gels well with traffic and is an overall good looking scooter.
iVoomi S1 Performance, Ride and Handling, Range
The S1 gets three riding modes to choose from, along with a park mode which can be toggled via the button next to the ride mode selector. There’s also a reverse mode which engages by pressing the reverse button and the accelerator together — an action which takes time getting used to. The battery takes about three to four hours for a full charge and this scooter supports battery swapping. You can also carry the 12.6kg battery pack to your room if there is no charging socket available in your parking space.
We tested the S1 in varying conditions, and observed that it can cover at least 65km on a single charge. This included switching from eco mode to city and turbo regularly. The range display indicated it could go on further, but I decided it was better to charge it than to push it. Given its target audience, the S1 offers impressive initial acceleration regardless of the riding mode, and packs more than enough grunt for quick overtakes, resulting in an overall great riding experience. Its top speed is capped at 38kmph in eco mode, 46kmph in city mode, and a maximum of 53kmph in turbo mode. However, the S1 takes its own sweet time to achieve that last bit.
In terms of braking, the rear drum works well, but on our tests we found it to be inconsistent, while the front disc super is quick to respond, packing a lot of bite. Speaking of ergonomics, the floorboard is placed rather high — with my 5”6’ height and slightly heavy build, I found myself in a slightly knees-up position. Moreover, the handlebar and the seat seem to be placed further away from each other, resulting in a riding position that is not very optimal. The telescopic forks up front and twin shocks at the rear do a good job of absorbing bumps, but it hates going over rough patches and is not meant to be hustled.
iVoomi S1 Equipment
Speaking of practicality, you get a large storage space in the front apron which is split in two parts — the one on the left receives a USB charging port, and is big enough to store a 1-litre water bottle. Equipment-wise, the iVoomi S1 gets remote functions which includes an anti-theft system and a vehicle finder. There’s also a fully-digital instrument cluster which shows you basic information and works well. However our test scooter seemed to ‘glitch’ on some occasions, when no riding mode would activate after disengaging it from park mode — something that can be resolved by restarting the scooter, but nonetheless something to be looked into.
iVoomi S1 Verdict
At Rs 84,999 (ex-showroom), should you be buying the iVoomi S1? If your daily commute to and from office is about 10km, and you would like your scooter to last for a week on a single charge, then the answer is yes. For its price, it is also quite practical and it offers a decent equipment list. However, its mismatched-ergonomics are the only hurdle that keep the S1 from becoming a truly great product.