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A few weeks back I was thinking of changing my current petrol scooter. While researching new scooters available in the market, I also looked at the electric scooters available today. When I compared the on road price of the petrol scooter and one of the top selling electric scooter, I was in a fix as to what to buy. A 125cc petrol disc variant scooter and a basic electric scooter of a reputed leading manufacturer had nearly the same on road price.

The price comparison simply tilts the decision in favour of the electric scooter. The rationale is that you pay the same amount as a petrol scooter. You also save money on the fuel costs and maintenance cost over the years. However, there is much more to it. Lets look at the factors to consider while deciding to buy an electric scooter.

# Consider how much range you actually need

Range is how much your scooter can go in one full charge. You need to first arrive at an average number of kilometres you will run the scooter during a week or a month. Suppose your daily run is maximum 30 kms then your weekly run (assuming a Monday to Friday week) would be 150 kms. So the scooter should have a real world riding range of atleast 100 kms for you.

# Battery Life & Power

The battery is the most expensive component of an electric scooter. If you need to get the battery replaced, you’ll end up shelling a large amount of money. So it is important to check the battery type and the average life expectancy. Also a more powerful battery gives a better range and also a better riding experience. Also remember, a scooter with a powerful battery would cost more as well.

# Charging

It takes an average 5-6 hours to charge the battery of an electric scooter. The scooter has to be plugged in and left for a few hours to get fully charged. Research the charging station network in your area and in your city. There should be adequate and conveniently located charging stations around your location as charging the scooter will be a daily/weekly activity. Also check if you can build a charging point in your building or home.

# Go for a time tested, time proven, reputed brand

A time tested, time proven, scooter brand is recommended. The simple reason is that although it is an electric scooter, the reputed brands will be able to provide better after sales service as they already have an established network of service centres across the country. Repairs and maintenance of an electric scooter will typically have to be done at the brand service centre which is the reason you should go for a reputed brand.

# Terrain

Another critical factor is the terrain where you plan to drive the scooter. If you stay in hilly areas then an electric scooter may not be able to meet the power demands, range and performance in general. If you stay in flat lands, plateau areas or city areas then an electric scooter may navigate the terrain better.

# Savings!

Before you decide, calculate how much money you will really save during the life of the scooter. Let’s take the same comparison that we mentioned earlier. Below is a table which compares a electric scooter and petrol scooter.

So if you look at the above example carefully, you will spend nearly the same price while buying a scooter and end up saving Rs 35,000 (approximately) every year. In this way, you can save enough money to buy a new electric scooter in 5 years time. So even if there are battery issues after 5 years, you would have saved plenty of money to buy a new battery or even buy a new electric scooter.

The major petroleum companies in India (Indian Oil, HPCL & BPCL) are setting up EV charging points at their petrol pumps nationwide. The EV charging network is going to expand considerably by the end of 2024 and electric scooters should become the preferred choice. For those who don’t have a scooter and desperately need to buy one, electric scooter is the better option. After carefully considering all the above factors, I decided to defer changing my scooter by one year.