EV performance tested: TVS iQube S vs Ola S1 Pro vs Ather 450X
ZigWheels conducted a hill climb test in Lavasa, Maharashtra, where it pitted the TVS iQube S, Ola S1 Pro and the Ather 450X electric scooters against each other. To put this in context, the team also benchmarked it against the TVS NTorq 125R ICE-powered scooter. While common sense suggests that electric motors generate their maximum torque and power output instantly, the actual performance of an EV also depends on factors such as battery management system, chassis and suspension tuning, etc. The results of ZigWheels’ hill climb challenge show just that.
The TVS iQube which the auto publication considers the most comfort-oriented family scooter, managed to complete the climb in 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Moving uphill, the ICE-powered TVS NTorq 125R records a time of 9 minutes and 3 seconds, and the rider mentions that the zippiness of the electric motor is missed on tight corners and steep hill climbs. Despite being the most powerful and packing the biggest battery, the Ola S1 Pro came second.
However, the Ola S1 Pro couldn’t manage to climb the entire course in its most aggressive, Hyper mode, as Ola’s battery management system struggled to keep its thermals under control. The Ola S1 Pro limped in the Eco mode which almost killed the scooter’s usefulness and the rider had to wait for things to cool down before proceeding. Enough time was lost and Ola S1 Pro recorded a full run of 12 minutes 17 seconds. However, if the lost time is to be made up, the Ola S1 Pro managed to do it in 8 minutes and 58 seconds.
The fastest scooter in the comparison was the Ather 450X (Gen 3) which managed to climb the course in 8 minutes 16 seconds. The rider attributed this to the Ather’s strong but consistent performance, motorcycle-like maneuverability and agility.
