The 75th independence day marks the launch of two new electric two-wheelers from the silicon valley of India, one of which was the Simple One. Simple Energy launched its first electric scooter called the Simple One at Rs 1.1 lakh (ex-showroom), moments after Ola S1 and S1 Pro launch. The Simple One electric scooter is available in one variant, and boasts of great range and innovative packaging. Here’s what you need to know about it.
Unlike the Ola S1’s minimal design, the Simple One electric scooter has a futuristic design with sharp edges and creases on the front apron, and also has winglets to enhance aerodynamics to achieve maximum range. It gets tiny DRLs on either side of the fairing, a triangular halogen headlamp that also has integrated DRL. It comes in four colours — Namma Red, Azure Blue, Grace White, Brazen Black. The Simple One has telescopic front forks and a progressive mono-shock at the rear. The braking duties are handled by 200mm & 190mm disc brakes rolling on the 12-inch tyres at both ends.
The Simple One will make use of a motor with the nominal 4.5kW. It is worth mentioning that it has a final chain drive, unlike the traditional hub motor popular on electric two-wheelers. With 72Nm of torque available, it can do the 0-40kmph dash in 2.95 seconds and go all the way up to 105kmph. Speaking of dash, it gets four riding modes — Eco, Ride, Dash, and Sonic.
Powering the Simple One is a 4.8kWh battery, that is a combination of a fixed battery with a removable battery pack, which is nearly double the size of other electric scooters. Together, they provide a claimed range of 203km in Eco mode and 236km on the IDC. With that, the Simple One boasts of the highest range of any two-wheeler EV in the country. As for charging times, Simple Energy claims the fixed battery will be charged from flat to 80 per cent in 2.7 hours with the home charger, and the removable part of the battery will take 75 minutes. And a minute of charging via a fast charger will add 2.5 kilometers in the range.
In terms of features, the One has Bluetooth connectivity to perform operations including telephony and media controls via the 4G enabled 7-inch touch screen. The scooter can connect to a mobile phone app that allows for service bookings and has security features like geo-tracking. Another highlight of the feature is the tyre pressure monitoring system, which is featured on an electric 2W for the first time.
The Simple One comes at Rs 1.1 lakh (ex-showroom), and this is excluding the state subsidies and Fame II incentives. Bookings are open and one can book the One at Rs 1947 online. The Simple One will rival against the Ola S1, Ather 450X, TVS iQube and Bajaj Chetak.