The continuously rising prices of petrol have started affecting the pockets of common people. Monthly fuel expenditure has become a big concern for those who travel daily for office, college or business work.
In such times, electric scooters are rapidly becoming the first choice of people. The special thing is that now there are some electric scooters available in the market which can be purchased at a very low starting price through Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model. This is the reason why EV models available for around Rs 50 thousand have suddenly come into the center of discussion.
Running cost is much less than petrol
The biggest reason for the popularity of electric scooters is their low running cost. According to the current electricity rates, if a scooter with a 3kWh battery is fully charged, it costs around Rs 20 to Rs 25. Once fully charged, such a scooter can run for about 100 kilometers.
In such a situation, broadly speaking, a journey of about 4 kilometers can be covered for 1 rupee. This mathematics is attracting those people who travel long distances every day and spend thousands of rupees on petrol every month.
Vida VX2 Go creates stir in the budget segment
Vida VX2 Go is currently very much discussed in the electric two-wheeler market. The company is making it available with BaaS model at a starting price of around Rs 45 thousand. This scooter has a 2.2kWh battery pack which claims to give a range of up to 92 kilometers on a single charge.
For those customers who have to cover longer distances, the company is also offering a variant with 3.4kWh battery. This model is said to be capable of giving a range of up to 142 kilometers. In such a situation, this scooter has emerged as a useful option for daily commuters in cities.
TVS Orbiter V1 also becomes a strong contender
TVS has also introduced Orbiter V1 to strengthen its hold in the electric segment. Its starting BaaS price has been kept at around Rs 49,999. According to the company, its V1 variant gives a range of about 86 kilometers, while the V2 model can run up to 158 kilometers on a single charge.
TVS’s strong service network and trust in the brand also gives this scooter a distinct identity in the market. Especially for first-time EV buyers, it is being considered a reliable option.
Ola and Ather also increased competition
Competition is continuously increasing in the Indian electric scooter market. Companies like Ola and Ather are also attracting customers through BaaS model. Ola S1X can be purchased at a starting price of around Rs 49,999. Whereas Ather Rizta and Ather 450 are also available with battery subscription option at low initial cost.
The biggest advantage of this model is that the customer does not have to pay the cost of the entire battery at once, which makes purchasing the vehicle easier.
Will the BaaS model change the EV market?
Automobile industry experts believe that the battery subscription model can give a new impetus to the sales of electric vehicles in the coming years. Till now many customers avoided buying EV only because of the high initial price. But the BaaS model is reducing this hurdle to a great extent.
Due to low price, low running cost and long range, electric scooters are no longer just a better option for the environment, but are also becoming a major source of daily savings. This is the reason why their demand is continuously increasing in the Indian market.