Simple Wave first ride review: The family scooter I wanted to like more
- Smooth, distinctive design
- Clever side and underseat storage
- Comfortable suspension and long seat
- Confident handling
- Useful TFT and connected features
- Brakes lack feel
- Regen makes noticeable noise
- Cheap-feeling dashboard plastics
- Very light throttle action
- Pricing is slightly high for the level of finish
- The Simple Wave marks a new direction for the brand, combining family-scooter practicality with the technology and performance Simple is known for.
India is seeing the advent of a new segment of electric two-wheelers called family scooters. However, what the average Indian needs from their daily electric two-wheeler is simplicity. A simple ride with simple controls, along with a simple price but a more-than-simple range.
Simple Energy, a brand that until now has focused on performance-oriented scooters, has joined the family scooter bandwagon with its own take on the segment — the Simple Wave. That got me intrigued enough to take it for a quick spin. Here's what I observed.
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Design
I really like the way the Simple Wave looks. Instead of relying on sharp creases and aggressive styling, it uses smooth lines and a rounded design inspired by aquatic life, dolphins in particular. The result is a scooter that looks sophisticated and modern at the same time.
Some of the details are genuinely clever. The mirrors have an interesting inward-bend design and sit neatly within the overall shape of the scooter. They are not particularly friendly for taller riders, though. At 5 ft 8 in, I was barely able to adjust them enough to get good visibility.
The rear grab rail is another neat touch. Its mounting has been pushed towards the rear, freeing up more room for the 920mm-long seat and the storage underneath. The side pill storage is also something I liked. It is easy to access and useful for smaller items, while Simple also offers a second unit on the opposite side as an accessory.
The underseat storage is spacious and illuminated, although the area towards the front isn't particularly large. There is also a charging port, but the use of a Type-A USB port feels a little dated for a scooter launched in 2026.
Ride experience
Comfort is one of the Wave's stronger points. The suspension is tuned on the softer side and works well over typical city roads, while the seat itself is well cushioned and long enough to be quite usable. There is one small annoyance: I found myself sliding forward slightly while riding.
The riding position, however, is good. The handlebar is placed well, and the overall ergonomics feel natural, which is exactly what you want from a family scooter.
Cornering the electric scooter also surprised me. The Wave feels quite confident through bends, and I never felt nervous about leaning it over, even though that is probably not something most family-oriented buyers will be doing regularly.
Performance
The Wave uses a 6.4 kW PMSM motor, with the top-spec Wave+ claimed to do 0-40 km/h in 3.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 90 km/h. The Wave S is slower, at 75 km/h. However, I got to ride the Wave with the 3.7 kWh battery.
I experienced enough punch in Sport mode, while EcoX prioritised range at the expense of speed. For everyday use, I found the Ride mode to be the best compromise.
The throttle response changes between modes, and there are no vibrations from the new ‘rare earth-free’ motor. But the throttle itself has an extremely light twist, which some riders may like. Personally, it makes the control feel slightly cheaper than it is.
Gradability was not an issue either. I could easily get the scooter moving on a slope without feeling like it was struggling. Simple has ditched the belt drive system for a chain, along with Hush Drive tech, which uses multiple rubber dampeners to keep the system smooth. And it worked well during my ride; I couldn't feel much slack or hear any chain noise even at the scooter's top speed of 90 kmph.
The top-spec Wave+ gets a 5kWh battery and a claimed 243 km IDC range, while the 3.7 kWh Wave is rated at 171km. The Wave S gets smaller 2.2 kWh and 2.7 kWh options, with the range going up to 132 km. However, I was not able to test the range claim in my limited time with the scooter.
Braking
The scooter uses a front disc with a combined braking system, and the left brake lever felt better to use because the combined braking does most of the stopping work. The front brake on its own, operated by the right lever, doesn't give you much confidence. Both of the levers lacked the braking feel I expected.
The regenerative braking is another mixed bag. There is only one regen level, which isn't necessarily a problem, but the system makes a noticeable noise when it comes in and out. You can actually hear when regeneration activates or disengages, and that became irritating after a while.
The good and the bad
The 7-inch TFT display is one of the better parts of the Wave experience. It is neatly laid out, easy to read and makes changing riding modes and toggling safety features straightforward. The switchgear is also nice to use.
Simple has packed the Wave with features, including navigation, music and call controls, OTA updates, traction control on higher variants, reverse and crawl modes, and features such as Super Hold and Drop Safe. The Simple app adds live location sharing, theft and tow alerts and other connected functions.
But all that technology is let down by the dashboard plastics. I am really not a fan of the quality used here. The plastics feel noticeably cheap, and on a scooter that starts at around ₹1.10 lakh and goes up to ₹1.90 lakh ex-showroom, that is difficult to overlook.
I also think the Wave needs a centre stand. For a scooter designed primarily around family use, adding that extra weight doesn't hurt.
Verdict
The Simple Wave is an interesting first attempt at a family scooter from a company better known for performance. It gets quite a lot right: the design is clever, the seating position is comfortable, the storage solutions are genuinely useful, and the Ride mode makes it easy to live with.
But the scooter also feels like it has stopped just short of being properly polished. The front brake lacks feel, the regen noise can get annoying, the throttle feels too light, and the dashboard plastics are simply not good enough.
I would have liked the Wave a lot more if Simple had spent a little more time getting those small things right. Because the underlying scooter is good. For me, it just doesn't feel finished enough yet to make me reach for my wallet.
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