Would you consider choosing an electric scooter over an ICE scooter? Petrol prices are rising and internal combustion engines are incurring increasingly more operational costs. Electricity powered two-wheelers are banking on this and Pure EV is one of the many names that has been trying their luck in the Nepalese automotive market.

The Pure EV is a brand of electric scooters that are designed and manufactured in India. The name itself is an acronym for Power Using Renewable Energy, and it has been the company’s focus has been to enable a transition to sustainable energy. We’re all up for that!

In this review, we have with us Pure EV’s ePluto 7G, their top of the line electric scooter and here’s what you need to know about it.

DESIGN AND STYLING

It is ironic how the showroom of a scooter, which looks so much like the Vespa, is situated right opposite to their showroom at Naxal. At first glance, you’ll notice that the ePluto 7G holds a striking resemblance to the Vespa scooters. It has a retro styling interspersed with modern elements.

The front fascia is made up of a circular LED headlight that sits atop a flat apron that houses the indicators. Chrome elements outline the headlights and apron, also making appearances on the back of the mirrors, the top of the fender and minimally on the apron. The side profile showcases swooping hindquarters and a comfy seat. It all looks pretty good until you notice the ungainly piece of metalwork that makes up the grab rail. The finishing was industrial at best and the design seemed much like an afterthought. The cast alloy rims look good. The rear swoops down to a tail and integrates the tail light and indicators.

The Pure EV ePluto 7G also gets a 5-inch backlit digital LCD display which displays all the information like Speed, Odometer, Turn Indicator, Battery Status Bars. We would have loved it if the battery meter on the screen was slightly more precise and accurate at showing how much juice was left. The 5 battery bars were pretty ambiguous.

Ergonomically, the ePluto 7G is made for the stature of an average Nepali rider, but if you’re of a slightly larger build then it will be a squeeze. For our taller test riders, the knees really got in the way when making sharp turns. And it is pretty much a “clowns in a tiny car” situation if you’re riding with a pillion. Similarly, the footwell is also pretty cramped so you’ll probably only get away with storing a small backpack in there.

You won’t have much luck finding more storage space under the seat either since that’s where the battery sits. It takes up half of the boot space and there is next to no space for storage. The horn button placement is also peculiar and slightly difficult to reach, nevertheless, there are two buttons for the horn… we don’t know exactly why.

PERFORMANCE

The ePluto 7G is a fun little scooter to ride, exclusively within the city limits. It isn’t going to beat any speed records though. You get a motor that is willing to run up to 45kmph in Mode 1, up to 55kmph in Mode 2, and it will reach breakneck speeds of 65kmph in Mode 3. You can toggle modes easily with the help of a switch that you can easily reach with your right thumb. Now, if you find yourself in Mode 3 hitting 65kmph (NOTE: we strictly advise that you stay within the legal speed limits), you won’t be staying there for more than 25kms. 25kms of riding later, the top speed is limited to 60kmph as a feature to extend battery life and to increase the range of each trip.

We found it much more comfortable and safer riding city speeds of 35-40kmph, where the ePluto 7G finds its comfort levels. As you’d expect from electric scooters the initial pick-up is brisk and it gathers speed in a satisfactory manner. However, once you let off the throttle, there is a significant lag before it picks up power again. While this characteristic is homogenous amongst most electric scooters, it seemed slightly exaggerated in the ePluto 7G. Nevertheless, this can be attributed to the fact that we were riding a well-used test mule that had gone through its paces.

On the plus side, despite the wear and tear, the ePluto 7G was still able to take us up some pretty steep slopes. There was a bit of a struggle at places but it got the job done. Braking duties are taken care of by disc brakes in the front and drums in the rear. The suspension is slightly stiff which makes riding fun and it finds good stability, but you’ll definitely feel the bumps and craters.

BATTERY RANGE AND CHARGING

The battery that powers the ePluto 7G is a portable 60V 2.5KW Lithium-ion unit. Since it is removable, you can take it out and charge it at a convenient outlet. This is especially useful if you don’t have an outlet to charge where you park. You also get the option of plugging the scooter right in as well. The Charge Indicator on the LCD shows a blue light when charging and goes green when fully charged. The battery charging time is stated to be 4 hours and the battery life is limited to 1000 charge cycles. The range is claimed to be 90-100kms, but that depends on your riding style. We would say the battery will get you a comfortable 75-85kms, even with a pillion on board.

VERDICT

This brings us to the initial question. Would this be a decent enough option for people to substitute it for ICE scooters? Well, that depends. You won’t be doing long hauls out of the city with the ePluto 7G. It is most definitely a commuter scooter that will get you through your daily grind. So if you need a scooter that will get you away from your particular location, then you might need to look elsewhere.

However, for in-city commute the ePluto 7G makes a good proposition. Even on the busiest of days, you will rarely ever travel more than 60kms within the city (If you do, you have our greatest respect!). So the range should not be much of an issue. Of course, the battery does ultimately age and the range will decrease so you will have to keep an eye out for that.

Still, you will be saving plenty on fuel expenses so that really cuts down on the running costs. And the overall maintenance cost also decreases. We think that the Pure EV ePluto 7G is a good option to consider if you’re looking for an electric scooter that won’t break your bank and will get you around. The price tag comes in at Rs. 2,49,000, which puts it in the same ballpark as most 125cc ICE scooters. But with the ePluto 7G you’ll be doing your part to help the environment. The choice is yours.