River Indie vs Ola S1 vs Ather 450X vs TVS iQube vs Bajaj Chetak: Spec comparo

The premium electric scooter segment is getting interesting with every new launch and the latest manufacturer to enter this space is Bangalore-based start-up River. The company’s maiden offering is the Indie electric scooter, which promises to be a rugged EV that can handle bad roads, while also offering touring capability and customisation options.

But does the River Indie e-scooter have the goods to take on established rivals like the Ola S1 Pro, Ather 450X, TVS iQube, and Bajaj Chetak? We do a quick spec check to see where the Indie stands against its competitors on paper.

River Indie vs Ola S1 Pro

Arguably the bestselling premium electric scooter on sale in the country. The Ola S1 Pro is one of the bang-for-the-buck models that packs a host of features for the price and at ₹1.30 lakh (ex-showroom after subsidies), the scooter remains a highly value-friendly choice in the segment. In comparison, the River Indie is about ₹4,000 cheaper at ₹1.25 lakh (ex-showroom, Bengaluru). Both scooters get a 4 kWh battery pack but the Ola promises a higher claimed range of 181 km, whereas River promises a true range of 120 km on a single charge. The top speeds vary as well with the S1 Pro claiming a higher 116 kmph as against 90 kmph on the Indie.

River Indie vs Ather 450X

Moving to one of the most capable electric scooters in the segment, the Ather 450X remains a steady seller and was recently updated with a bunch of upgrades as well. The 450X retails at ₹1.58 lakh (ex-showroom, Bengaluru after subsidies), which makes it substantially more expensive than the Indie. Ather also moved to a newer battery recently and offers a claimed range of 146 km, while it promises a true range of 105 km on a single charge. The Ather though is quicker than the River in 0-40 kmph run times. The 450X does the run in 3.3 seconds as against 3.9 seconds on the Indie. The 450X benefits from a high-tech digital console that brings a host of features and navigation, which the Indie misses out on.

River Indie vs TVS iQube

The TVS iQube is a sought-after choice in the electric scooter segment and while it may not boast of sharp styling and segment-leading numbers, it manages to round up as quite a likeable product. The iQube is priced at ₹1.05 lakh for the standard variant, going up to ₹1.08 lakh for the S variant (ex-showroom, Bengaluru after subsidies). The e-scooter gets a 3.4 kWh battery pack with a 4.4 kW electric motor that offers a range of 100 km on a single charge and a top speed of 78 kmph. The River Indie not only commands a premium but also gets a higher top speed, range and features. It also gets a mid-drive motor as against a BLDC hub motor on the iQube.

River Indie vs Bajaj Chetak

With Bajaj finally pushing the Chetak into newer markets across the country, the Chetak is a model to look out for, especially as a chic-looking urban runabout. The Bajaj Chetak commands a high price tag of ₹1.52 lakh (ex-showroom, Bengaluru after subsidies) for what it offers. It gets a 3 kWh battery pack with a range of 90 km on a single charge and a top speed of 70 kmph. The Chetak does boast a metal body and top-notch build quality, which is missing on most scooters in the segment including the Indie.