Save Rs 36,784 On Buying India’s Best Selling Scooter! » MotorOctane

Many Indians prefer scooters because they are very practical, easy to use and affordable. For short commutes and city runs, scooters have proven to be the best option. But which kind of scooter makes more sense? An electric scooter or a petrol scooter? Let’s discuss —
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TVS iQube Vs Honda Activa – Which Is Better?

We are comparing these two scooters as they are the best-selling options in their respective categories. While the Honda Activa has been around for more than 2 decades now, the TVS iQube has become a great choice for basic commutes. But is an electric scooter better than a petrol one?

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Let’s assume that both electric and petrol scooters are used on a daily basis for around 15 km. This is assuming that you keep the scooter for 7 years. So, let’s see how the electric scooter fares against the petrol scooter!

Cars	Price	Mileage / Range	Fuel Cost	Daily distance	Cost Per km	Total Cost per day	Total Monthly Cost
Honda Activa	Rs 1.05 lakh (on-road, Mumbai)	60 km/l Approx	Rs 103.50/litre	15 km	Rs 1.70	Rs 26	Rs 776
TVS iQube 3.5kWh (Home Charging)	Rs 1.41  lakh (on-road, Mumbai)	100 km	Rs 13/kW  (Home charging)	15 km	Rs 0.50	Rs 7.5	Rs 225

So, in this case, it would take about 6.2 years for you to break even the cost difference between a Honda Activa and a TVS iQube. Not so practical, right? Well, there’s much more to consider. Here’s the total running cost, including maintenance and the total cost for the next 7 years.

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Maintenance costs

When compared to a petrol scooter, the overall servicing and maintenance cost for an electric scooter is less. In a petrol scooter, parts like engine oil, oil filter, air filter, and spark plug are usually replaced or checked as part of maintenance. However, in electric scooters, the only maintenance involved is brakes and cleaning of the scooter. So, to make this easy to understand, here’s a detailed breakdown:

Cars	Total Running cost per km (fuel/electricity)	Annual Maintenance cost	Running after 7 years	Maintenance cost for first 7 years	Maintenance cost per km	Total running cost (fuel + maintenance) per km	Total Cost after 7 years
Honda Activa	Rs 1.70	Rs 3000 approx	38355 km	Rs 21,000	Rs 0.55	Rs 2.25	Rs 1,07,184
TVS iQube	Rs 0.50	Rs 1500 approx	38355 km	Rs 10,500	Rs 0.27	Rs 0.77	Rs 29,400

So, as we saw from the calculations, it will take you only 3.7 years to break even. And over the period of 7 years, you will be saving around Rs 36,784 after using an electric scooter instead of a petrol scooter. Which means owning an EV scooter will likely make more sense, especially when you consider short commutes and city runs. Plus, the convenience of charging the scooter at home adds to the experience of the TVS iQube.

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As of now, there aren’t many charging stations available for two-wheelers, which means that you can’t charge your e-scooter anywhere apart from your home. However, the TVS iQube offers a real-world range of around 100km, which is enough for 5 days of commuting (assuming you ride 15 km a day). While the Honda Activa has proven to be quite practical and the go-to choice for a family scooter, the TVS iQube does seem a bit more practical. Plus, with the iQube, you get a plethora of features and tech, adding more to the value of the scooter. 

Also Read – Popular Japanese Scooter To Get CNG! 

So, which one would you pick?