It was 15th Aug 2021 when Simple Energy showcased the Simple One electric scooter to us. When introduced, the folks at Simple Energy boasted that the scooter will have the best-in-class range and the best-in-class acceleration. Well, on paper the Simple One looked like a winner. What remained to be seen was how it performed in the real world. Simple Energy sure took their time to build and improve their product while we were patiently waiting for some news on the EV. We finally go to ride it and get a first-hand experience of the Simple One scooter.
Design
Looks are subjective but, let me tell you that there will be very few haters of Simple One’s design. These are the people who think that the Simple One looks like an Ather 450 X. The only resemblance these two scooters have is the head unit. Both have blacked-out heads with little DRLs for flanks.
Other than that, the Simple One is a completely different-looking scooter. In fact, the design is inspired by the Indian Paradise Flycatcher. The design is sharp with character lines all on the front and the sides of the scooter.
The rear tapers into the LED tail lamp flanked by the LED indicators. The front too is sharp like a bird’s beak and houses the LED headlamps. The sharp design is carried to the rear as well and ends with a tastefully done LED tail lamp unit. Overall, the design is quite futuristic and likable.
Battery & Charging
The battery implementation of the Simple One scooter is pretty unique and might attract more customers who are skeptical about EVs and their range. The Simple One comes equipped with not one but two batteries. There is a 3.3 kWh battery that has been fixed in the floorboard of the scooter and there is another 1.5 kWh battery that is removable and placed in the under-seat storage. This brings the overall capacity of the scooter to 4.8 kWh and boasts of a 203 km range when both batteries are fully charged.
When in use, the floor battery is depleted first and then the removable battery is used. While charging too, the floor battery will be fully charged first and then the removable battery is charged assuming that the scooter is plugged into the power source. The removable battery can be removed and charged separately. This battery implementation is quite practical as you can remove the battery pack and charge it wherever chargers are not available. One thing to note though, once the floor battery is depleted and the scooter switches to the removable battery, it will run only in the Eco mode and you would not be able to go faster than 50 kmph. The range on the removable battery is about 50-60 km. Think of it as a reserve battery just like our traditional petrol scooters and bikes. Once in reserve, they will still run for about 40-50 km giving you enough time to find a petrol bunk. Similarly, once you are in the removable battery mode, you know that you need to get home or find a charging station nearby.
Performance
Performance is another highlight of the Simple One scooter. It has four riding modes namely, Eco, Ride, Dash, and Sonic. The Eco mode has a top speed of 50 kmph and will give you the maximum range. Power delivery in this range is decent for a city commute and maneuvering through stop-go traffic. The Ride mode is a beautiful mix of power and range. If I were riding the scooter in the city, this is the mode I would be in. You get more power at the twist of the throttle and the range will suffice for a good 180-190 km. You can go up to 65 kmph in the Ride mode which is a decent speed even when you are on the highways.
If you are going to do more highway riding, switch to the Dash mode and you can cruise at speeds of 85 kmph. The power delivery is enough to push you back a little and also have some fun with the scooter. The range however will drop to 110-120 km. The Sonic mode is what I would like to call the Fun mode, you want to have some real fun, and this is the mode you want to be in. You get the full 8.5 kW or 11.5 PS and the whole 72 Nm torque with a simple twist to the throttle and you will find yourself darting forward at speeds of up to 105 kmph. The scooter can do 0 to 40 in just 2.8 secs (tested) which makes it one of the fastest in its segment. This does come at a cost to the range though, giving you only 85-95 km of range in the Sonic mode.
Ride & Handling
The Simple One has to be one of the finest handling scooters in the segment coming really close to the Ather 450X. Riding on 12-inch wheels, the ride is pretty comfortable, especially at higher speeds. The suspension is a little on the stiffer side but it is not something that you cannot handle. Since the urban jungle is the playground of this scooter, a softer suspension would have worked better than the existing setup. We hope Simple Energy does work on this before they start delivering the production units. Other than that, most will be very happy with the way the scooter rides and handles.
Practicality
We expect any scooter to have a lot of space since they are used for grocery runs. The Simple One too has a massive 32-litre boot space that easily swallows a full-size helmet. Your weekly grocery can easily be accommodated. The floorboard also has some space where you can store a bag. However, the scooter lacked a hook that would come in handy to hand your shopping bags. That’s one more thing Simple Energy needs to look at adding to the scooter.
Software & Features
While the Simple One is equipped with a large colour screen display, we were not able to test it out fully as the software was still in the beta phase. We will need to have another date with the scooter to fully test it out and present a complete report. From what we saw though, we can tell you that it is quite feature loaded. Maps, Bluetooth connectivity, music controls, SOS commands, document vault, all the works. You can also choose different themes to match the colour of the scooter. It also gives all the vital information about the scooter like the range, battery SoC, battery temperature, mode, speed, etc. That being said, we still need to see how all these features would work in real life.
Colours & Price
The Simple One comes in four colours. The flagship colour is the Namma Red while the three others are called Brazen Black, Azure Blue and Grace White. Coming to the pricing, the scooter is priced between 1.1L to 1.45L depending on the state you are in and what the subsidy norms are for your state. This pricing puts the Simple One in direct competition with the Ather 450X and the Ola S1 Pro.
Verdict
While we a yet to see a finished product, the Simple One is shaping up to be a formidable competition to the current market leaders. The performance and styling are the key highlights coupled with decent ride and handling. The implementation of two batteries also adds to the convenience of the users. The range on the other hand is best in class and we would really like to put the scooter to test for longer durations to see if the numbers are consistent. Simple Energy also has a robust plan to expand its dealership network and if they play their cards right, Simple One can be a segment leader very soon. For now, I would wait and see what the finished product looks like and how Simple Energy is managing the deliveries of the scooters that have already been booked.