It all started when TVS decided to host an exquisite event in Dubai, with the Burj Khalifa in the backdrop, to reveal its most premium electric scooter yet — the X. Yes! As silly as it may sound, it is indeed the name of TVS’ most expensive scooter yet. Launched at an eye-watering price of Rs. 2.5 lakh, it was welcomed with raised eyebrows.
Is it as premium as TVS bets?
If there is one thing TVS is most boastful of about the X — it’s the build and perceived quality. And it’s true, to a large extent. Everything from the shape of the panels to the switchgear, the overall package carries a sense of cohesion within. But it’s not perfect. The gloss black panel surrounding the charging port felt loose and the touchscreen lacked the fluidity one should expect at this price point.
Given that the X is about a month away from hitting production, we believe that TVS could fix these last-minute niggles before the series production begins. Regardless, we were left pretty impressed with a few details on the scooter.
From the aero-optimised rear view mirrors to the stem-swirling rear foot pegs, everything is designed and produced from scratch. These details help the X immensely to deliver a premium experience that’s hardly seen from the likes of the competition.
A LONG list of features
The most convincing way to charge high from customers these days is by cramming as many features as possible. The X follows the same philosophy and offers features that one has hardly seen, not only in scooters but in mass-market two-wheelers in general. Walk around the X and all you will find is sleek LED lighting like a modern two-wheeler should. But TVS doesn’t stop there; the X also offers sequential turn indicators and cornering lamps!
As you get on the scooter, a gigantic 10.2-inch infotainment system greets you — that’s as large as found in some premium SUVs these days!
Apart from the vehicle instruments and in-built navigation, it comes loaded with features like tilt adjustability, a tyre pressure monitoring system (optional), customisable widgets, live cricket scores, streaming platforms like Youtube and Instagram as well as a handful of games.
TVS is mindful enough to activate these features only when you are standing still. Move your eyes away from the screen and you will find the adjustable metallic levers and high-quality switchgear – half of which was not operational on the pre-production units of the scooter.
But how does it ride?
TVS pushes the X as a performance-oriented scooter that claims to set new benchmarks in the segment. While its numbers are not groundbreaking, the overall riding experience is really impressive. Starting with the Xtealth mode, the X sets off of the line smoothly but feels underwhelming. Dial it into the Xonic mode and it darts ahead with excitement. Keep the throttle open and it goes strong till 80km/h, post which the progress begins to decline gradually.
At the TVS test track, I managed to sit at 105km/h comfortably before braking for the sweeping right-hander.
Since we are talking about braking, it’s worth mentioning that the X is the first electric scooter in India to offer single-channel ABS. The calibration of the ABS felt a little too intrusive while the rear brake was rather sharp for my liking (I locked the rear tyre unintendedly. Gulp!). Leaning in the corners, the TVS X felt predictable and planted.
Agility is one of the strongest points of the X and it also changes directions gracefully. Since we rode the scooter on a predetermined course that was laced with smooth roads and well-engineered speed breakers, commenting on the ride quality of the scooter would be unfounded.
A little spec talk
The TVS X gets a 4.44kWh battery pack which sits within its aluminium frame. It powers a rear-mounted electric motor, which is developed by TVS in-house. The electric motor puts out around 15PS of power and 40Nm of torque. TVS claims a 0-40kmph sprint time of 2.6 seconds, which is the same as achieved by Ola’s S1 Air Pro.
In terms of range, TVS claims an IDC-certified range of 140km that ideally should translate to 100km in real-world riding scenarios.
The TVS X doesn’t have a fancy cooling system for its battery pack. It uses a RAM air intake, which is neatly tucked behind the front suspension, to feed cool air to the battery pack and other electric components like the motor and controller module. On the charging front, TVS offers 2 options — a portable 950W charger and a 3kW fast charger.
The 950W charger takes 4 hours and 30 minutes for a 0-80% charge while the faster 3kW takes 1 hour and 20 minutes for the same. However, TVS will charge additional money for the chargers since it is not bundled with the package as default.
Our verdict
The TVS X is a commendable attempt from the homegrown 2-wheeler maker to deliver a premium experience to prospective EV owners. It is, of course, considerably overpriced compared to other electric scooters like the Ather 450x and Ola S1 Pro.
Since the X doesn’t fall under the FAME-II subsidies, buyers could also not take benefits of subsidies. In isolation, the TVS X comes across as a very premium scooter bundled with sleek styling and brisk performance.
However, a glance at the competition makes it hard to justify the asking price of the X. We will soon try to pit the TVS X alongside its competition to further dig into the details to understand if it’s worth the buck its charges.