Use 500 km per month: does it make sense to switch to an e-scooter?

With a daily mileage of 25 to 40 km, the option of opting for a new electric scooter would have been a no-brainer.

BHPian Scarlet_Rider recently shared with other enthusiasts.

We currently have a Suzuki Access 125 scooter (registered August 2009) which is used for short trips such as dropping off and picking up children from school and the evening sports activities. It is also used for other errands like grocery shopping etc. Each ride is no longer than 4 km. The monthly use is a maximum of 500 km. In the summer holidays it is even less, since there are no journeys to and from school.

The fuel efficiency is lower (32 kmpl) due to the short journeys, mainly in medium to heavy traffic. It delivers better efficiency (40+ kmpl) on the rare occasions when taken for a long trip. It has just done 45,000km and will be 14 years old this August. The fitness will be renewed in August 2024.

With a daily mileage of 25 to 40 km, the option of opting for a new electric scooter would have been a no-brainer. However, I am not sure whether it is worth switching to electric for our current usage behavior. So wanted to get the opinion of other BHPians on whether it would be advisable to switch to an electric scooter sometime early next year or to continue with the current scooter by renewing the fitness for another 5 years.

Here’s what BHPian kadanaJ had to say:

That’s not exactly a simple answer, but here’s a quick calculation of your 5-year savings on an electric scooter:

Certain assumptions made above, such as B. Gasoline and electricity prices are those of Mumbai, not Hyderabad.

It’s a quick calculation, so you didn’t think about what electric scooter you would buy (between 1 and 1.5 lakh depending on the model), EMI, interest costs, maintenance of the old Scooty, etc.

Also keep in mind that some electric scooters like the Aether are powerful and really good fun (think of it as a bonus for fun to ride) in case that’s relevant.

I’m attaching the Excel if you want to play around with it.

Here’s what BHPian aargee had to say:

Our background is similar, we have an 18 year old Activa that was refurbished in 2020 and after some drama the scooter will no longer be spotless no matter how much we spoil it. Anyway, we don’t regret not being able to find a scooter to our satisfaction on the market today, so at least our old Activa costs us less, that’s the only consolation.

To get to your point on whether or not EV makes sense, of course no. Please read this post for my exhaustive rationale on breaking even between electric vehicles and fossil fuel scooters and when it makes a difference.

Note – There is something seriously wrong with your access; typically the VU must be over 45 kmpl on motorways; Even following the logic of achieving 40 kmpl on highways, the difference between city and highway cannot be 15 kmpl, maybe 35 is acceptable, certainly not 25.

Here’s what BHPian sri_tesla had to say:

Here is a simple comparison I prepared to check the running costs between different options:

First of all, you have to decide whether you are in the market for a new scooter or not. If your existing scooter is in good condition, this is always the cheapest option, although maintenance costs may be a bit higher. If you are in the market for a new scooter then choosing an electric scooter like the TVS iQube is a no-brainer over any other new petrol scooter. Even with a low usage of 500 km per month, you can recoup the higher acquisition costs in less than 2 years thanks to the extremely lower fuel costs with an electric scooter. I compared one of the highest power boards in Hyd/Telangana for unit cost.

If you decide to go for the electric scooter, we suggest you test ride all the options like Ather, Ola, TVS iQube, Chetak, etc. TVS iQube is a perfect replacement scooter for any Activas, Jupiter or Access scooter. It has better acceleration than these and offers a quiet, comfortable and reliable ride at a much cheaper price point than Athers or Olas.

Here’s what BHPian Shyampsundar had to say:

Unlike the 12V battery, which either works or stops working one fine day, the battery on electric vehicles like Ather doesn’t fail overnight. End of life is generally defined as 70% – 80% of battery storage capacity on day 1. That covers the warranty.

Since your daily run isn’t much, I think that in your case it doesn’t matter if the range drops from 80km to 60km. In addition, the warranties are designed in such a way that the manufacturer is at least 95% certain that the battery will not need to be replaced during the warranty period. For example, Ather’s battery should last at least 8 years on average for most people.

What I would recommend is the following:

• Buy an EV from a renowned player like Ather.
• Add an extended warranty for peace of mind. I wouldn’t do that because of the way you describe it.
• Watch out for the battery. If possible, charge to 80% – 90% and do not let the battery run out and do not use the scooter together for weeks.

Pretty sure it will work for you. An added benefit is the fun of driving electric vehicles.

For more insight and information, read the comments from BHPians.