TVS X First Ride: TVS’ Flagship Electric Scooter Ridden

Let me begin with this statement. I don’t call myself a fan of electric vehicles, but I do love the machines that roll out of TVS’ factory. Having three two-wheelers at home that carry the TVS badge, I was very curious when the Hosur-based two-wheeler brand decided to launch its second electric scooter. Present at the launch, I watched the product presentation showcasing all the technology and features offered on the X. Sure it looks fantastic and futuristic from wheel to wheel, but what left me thinking was when the price was announced. At Rs 2.49 lakh, the X is the most expensive electric scooter in the market, by a significant margin in comparison to its rivals. This left me with the question, who is this electric scooter for? What’s its purpose? And more. If you have been keeping an eye on the electric two-wheeler market or have been planning to purchase one, I am sure you too would have such questions on your mind.

Also Read: TVS X Electric Scooter Launched At Rs 2.50 Lakh

Fast-forwarding to two months after the launch, I soon found myself on the saddle of the X after TVS invited me along with other journos to their Hosur factory to test ride it around the test track. With the above questions and some more on my mind, I got to spend some time with the X and here are the initial impressions on TVS’ second electric scooter, the X.
 

Design and Features

The X visually is very appealing thanks to the Creon concept that TVS showcased during the 2018 Auto Expo. Interestingly, from concept to reality TVS hasn’t deviated much which is a good thing. The overall design of the X is sporty with sharp lines giving it a striking stance. There is a hint of Ntorq 125 at the front, but nothing to complain about. The overall bodywork is a combination of sharp panels while the front is characterised by a vertically stacked LED headlight that is accompanied by cornering lamps and dynamic turn indicators, all LED. The handlebar has an exposed look with just a petite windscreen to deflect the wind. While the tail section is nicely sculpted with the split-seat design and vertical tail lamp.

The X is built around the Xleton platform, which is an exposed twin-spar aluminium frame with a cast aluminium subframe bolted to it. Besides the benefits of a better chassis design and rigidity, it also accentuates the X’s sporty credentials and styling. The spine of the frame, which usually is offered as floorboard on other scooters, is taken up by the battery and the charging port. It is a design that’s similar to the Yamaha Aerox 155.
 

The fit and finish of the body panels and the overall quality of materials used on this scooter are top-notch, and it delivers a premium and upmarket feel, while being seated or even when looked upon. And I have to agree that this in itself will be a rewarding experience for buyers and the eyeballs it will receive from the onlookers.

Features on the X are its chief highlights and it begins with the massive 10.25-inch colour TFT display that is packed to the brim with an exhaustive list of features. Besides navigation, Bluetooth connectivity and other connected features, one can also customise the home screen with widgets, browse the internet, watch reels or YT shorts, and play games, while the scooter is stationary. The display is tilt-adjustable so one can adjust it for an ideal viewing experience. The console has different user profiles, the option to share your real-time location with your friends and family, an incognito mode, customisable wallpapers and more. 

Moreover, the TVS X comes with cruise control, hill-hold assist and reverse assist as well. While TVS doesn’t offer the X with a physical key, one can unlock the X via the smartphone, a dedicated smartwatch, or by entering an access code. Lastly, the X comes with an under-seat storage compartment of 19 litres that can accommodate a full-size helmet and has provision for charging electronic devices. 

Cycle parts

TVS has opted to keep matters simple yet with a good dose of premium kit. The X is suspended by telescopic forks at the front and an offset-mounted monoshock at the rear holding the single-sided trailing swingarm. The motor powering the rear wheel is also mounted onto the swingarm. For braking, the X employs disc brakes at both ends, a 220 mm disc at the front and a 195 mm disc at the rear, and is the only scooter in the market to offer single-channel ABS. The X rides on 12-inch sporty alloy wheels shod with silica compound rubber. The main mass of the X includes the battery, motor, and control units that are positioned in the centre area for even distribution of weight at both ends. The X tips the scale at 134 kg and has a ground clearance of 175 mm. 

Battery, performance and range

Coming to the energy core of the X, the scooter is equipped with a 4.4 kWh battery pack that powers the permanent magnet electric motor and is capable of producing a peak power of 11 kW (approximately 14.75 bhp), and continuous power output of 7 kW (9.38 bhp). Meanwhile, peak torque output is rated at 40 Nm. This power can be accessed via three modes - Xtealth, Xtride and Xonic, the first for economy riding and the third for spirited. TVS says that X is capable of accelerating from 0-40 kmph in 2.6 seconds and 0-60 kmph in 4.5 seconds and is capable of achieving a top speed of 105 kmph. Given the time constraints and lack of testing equipment, we couldn’t validate the acceleration figures, however, we did manage to clock a top speed of 108 kmph in Xonic mode. Meanwhile, in Xtealth mode, the acceleration is gradual while the top speed is limited to 45 kmph, and in Xtride mode, which is for everyday riding, offers brisk acceleration and a top speed of 75 kmph.

Coming to the range and charging aspects, on a full charge the X is rated to deliver a range of 140 km in Xtealth mode, which is in the ballpark of the mark of most premium electric scooter offerings in the market. We shall extensively test the range once we have the scooter later on for a longer duration. For the charging bit, TVS is offering two charging options. One is the standard 950 W charger that’s capable of achieving 80 per cent charge in about 4 hours 30 minutes. And the second is the rapid wall-mounted 3 kW charger that’s capable of juicing up the battery up to 50 per cent in just 50 minutes.

Ride and Handling 

Owing to the sporty credentials, the seating position on the X is mainly upright, but one can scoot a bit back, and move the feet further back along the footboard for a more engaging stance. The twin-spar chassis, and suspension setup that’s tuned to the stiffer side lets you carry a good amount of speed into corners. And the centralised mass distribution further helps in building confidence to lean into corners. While the road surface at the test track was smooth, we couldn’t test how the suspension reacted to bumps and dips. 

For how quickly the X can accelerate, the brakes do a commendable job of shedding speeds quickly. And since the scooter comes with single-channel ABS, one can apply more brake pressure at the front, without the fear of locking up. But at the same time, one also needs to be careful with the brake pressure at the rear as it tends to lock up easily under hard braking. 

While most electric vehicles are almost silent in operation, some of the modern and premium ones have a signature audible whine. The X has a rather pulsating whine, which in my opinion, is louder than I’d want with a noticeable audible spike during initial acceleration which eventually fades out as the speed increases.

Also Read: Why the TVS X May Be Doing Other Electric Scooters A Favour: Opinion

Pricing and verdict

As mentioned at the start, the TVS X is priced at Rs 2.49 lakh, which makes it the most expensive electric scooter currently on sale in the market. And to add to that, TVS will sell the chargers separately, so, the portable 950W charger is priced at Rs 16,275, while the wall-mounted 3 kW rapid charger is approximately priced around Rs 22,000-25,000, which is a lot and needs to be taken into consideration at the time of purchase.

That said, after spending a few hours riding the new X at the test track, it is clear that like most of the products that TVS offers in its portfolio, this one too offered a high level of engineering, technology and design, and for that the X is indeed a very impressive scooter. It will without any doubt grab a lot of eyeballs for its looks and features, but will largely remain an exclusive machine to own, mainly because of its pricing. It is a scooter for the type of buyer who is aware of the cost and yet has already made up their mind on making the purchase. For them, it’s about factors like exclusivity, unique features and bragging rights which appeal more to them, rather than price or the competition.

TVS will be commencing deliveries of the X from December and we shall get to know in the coming time how well the X has been accepted by the premium electric scooter buyers in the market. That’s all on the initial first ride impressions on the TVS X. We will be getting the scooter later on where we’ll be testing it in the real–world for different parameters and road conditions.