Bengaluru-based electric scooter startup River has unveiled and launched its first scooter, the 'Indie' at ₹1,24,999 (ex-showroom, after FAME II subsidies). The Indie is marketed as a lifestyle utilitarian scooter and gets a very design language with two huge LED headlights upfront and a few rugged elements. Here's everything that you need to know about the all-new River Indie.
The River Indie is underpinned by a tubular chassis and it gets a floorboard mounted non-removable battery pack. It rides on 14-inch wheels and gets 120-section tyres both at the front and back and even a combi-brake system. Although Vipin George, one of the co-founders of River told us that the production variants will get a 110-section front tyre for nimbler handling. Its styling is what will set the River Indie apart from its rivals. The company is marketing it as a lifestyle utilitarian scooter and that shows in its design. It looks rugged, gets a high 165mm ground clearance to tackle different terrains and a dual-LED headlight and tail light design that will certainly grab many eyeballs when it rolls out on the road. But its radical styling is sure to demand many opinions and it remains to be seen how this bold decision will affect the sales figures. River is offering the Indie in a total of three colour options — Monsoon Blue, Summer Red and Spring Yellow. At the unveiling the brand has also unveiled a few accessories with the Indie including a front visor, panniers, storage cage for the floorboard and even a rear mounted storage box. The brand says that it has designed even more accessoires for the Indie which will roll out in a few months.
The River Indie weighs 135kg (kerb weight) and can carry upto kg. It gets Gabriel shock absorbers both at the front and rear.
River Indie battery, range and features
The River Indie is powered by a PMSM motor which produces 6.7kW (8bhp) of peak power. It boasts a 4kW battery pack which is floorboard mounted and promises a real-world claimed range of 120km on a single charge. River claims that the battery can be charged from 0 to 80 per cent in 5 hours. It also supports fast charging and is IP 67 rated for water and dust resistance. The River Indie gets a huge 43-litre under seat storage space which River says is the biggest on any scooter that's available in India. It also gets a 12-litre glovebox at the front. In the glovebox you also get two USB charging ports. The River Indie boasts a 6-inch cluster which displays speed, range and remaining charge. River says that it is OTA-update compatible and will get updates in the future. The Indie has a top whack of 90kmph.
River has launched the Indie at an introductory price of Rs 1.25 lakh, ex-showroom Bengaluru. And that is including the FAME 2 subsidies. Currently River will only sell in Bengaluru and a few other cities in 2023 and has plans to expand to more cities in 2024. The River Indie rivals the Ather 450X Gen 3, TVS iQube and the Bajaj Chetak. What do you think of the Indie's styling? Visit our social networking sites and comment your views in our latest post!