Electric scooters are rapidly becoming the default choice for urban transportation, but only a handful of manufacturers are ready to rethink and experiment, going out of their way — the TVS Orbiter is exactly that. With its futuristic design and neat proportions, it shows how TVS has interpreted the ‘city scooter’ for the masses. My first tryst with the Orbiter was at TVS’ Hosur facility, where I had a number of laps around their test track and simulated courses, which depicted everyday scenarios in cities and towns. But to be honest, unless you ride a two-wheeler in the real world, it is very hard to tell what it is going to be like on a regular basis. So when the opportunity came to check it out in our home base of Pune, I was excited at the prospect of assessing its real-world capabilities. 

The Orbiter is designed to encourage people to ride two-wheelers with approachable dimensions, or attract daily commuters who need an easy and efficient way to get around town without breaking a sweat or their bank. The design is certainly quirky, as it attracts a lot of attention when you stop at a traffic light. But its electric nature is not known by all, and that’s where people come and ask me which scooter it is, and whether it is petrol or electric. TVS’s choice of colours ensures that buyers get what they want for themselves – subtle or eye-catching; the neon sunburst colour in this case screams for attention. The rest of the package is, as I mentioned before, is made to be approachable for all. In fact, I have picked the keys of the Orbiter just so I could happily commute to work and otherwise forget about filling up the tank and worry about getting stuck in traffic. ​

The Orbiter comes with two riding modes – Eco and City. As the name suggests, the ‘Eco’ mode aims to extract the max range per charge by softening the throttle input with a restricted top of 45kmph; it is good enough to get you to your workplace and those short-distance grocery runs. But the ‘City’ mode opens up the restricted top speed to 68kmph and changes the way the twisting force is delivered to the rear wheel. And all this happens with just the touch of a dedicated ‘Mode’ button, and you feel the difference, like literally. As it was in my case, I chose to keep it in the City mode and took advantage of the brisk acceleration to keep my office commutes engaging, while the top speed was okay for most scenarios.

​Handling is genuinely a major plus for the Orbiter, especially with the unconventional 14/12-inch wheel combination, and the kerb weight of 112 kg makes it easy to steer it into the desired direction. Then comes the comfort, thanks to the supple suspension and the cushy flat seat ensure you and the pillion are not moving around much on the seat. Bumps, potholes and undulations are an easy affair for this electric scooter. TVS has given the Orbiter drum brakes with combined braking, and they do a decent job of bringing the Orbiter to a halt. The LED headlamp is bright, and the simple cruise control function allows you to roll effortlessly when you have less traffic; no rocket science, just plain and simple. Last but not the least is the impressive charging time of slightly over four hours with its supplied 650W charger when plugged to a regular 15 amp socket, making sure you are ready to go. While TVS claims a range of 158 km, I have been able to extract 115 km in Eco mode and 99 km in City mode.

Should you buy the Orbiter? Why not? With an ex-showroom price of ₹99,900, which is approximately ₹5,000 higher than the base variant of TVS’s iQube electric scooter. However, the Orbiter brings a quirky design and approachable ergonomics, which should be able to attract those who want something different for their daily usage.

The post  TVS Orbiter Review first appeared on Turbocharged.

The special edition Ronin shared the stage with the Rann of Kutch edition Apaches. However, this one is slightly different in terms of the choice of colours and accessories, which give it a different look altogether.​

Starting from the paint, which is inspired by the skies and waters with different shades of blue. The white and grey is inspired by the salt flats and barren desert. TVS has also added motifs which denote the people of the Rann of Kutch.​

However, this specific motorcycle also features other interesting elements like a head lamp grill, an underbelly cover and knobby tyres. At the rear, you can see a passenger grab rail, which also doubles up as a luggage rack. Speaking of luggage, the bike gets handmade leather seats and handmade leather saddlebags mounted on the sides. The motorcycle also features leather installations on the tank and leather wraps on the handlebar grips, besides the ROK (Rann of Kutch edition) badging on the head lamp.​

The special edition Ronin remains mechanically identical to the standard one. TVS has not announced any prices and does not intend to mass produce the special edition motorcycles, with a sole intention to showcase the art and culture of the region and the amalgamation of motorcycling with it.  

The post TVS Unveils Rann of Kutch Special Edition Ronin at Rann Utsav 2.0 first appeared on Turbocharged.

Created specifically for showcase, the custom Apaches featured desert-inspired colours,and design elements reflecting the beauty of the region.

The unveiling took place at sunset as the backdrop, that very closely resembles the theme and the colours used on the motorcycles. From the colours of the sky to the orange and yellow hues of sunset to the white and gray colours of the salt flats, the motorcycles depict the landscape, art and culture of the Kutch region of Gujarat, India.

At the heart, the motorcycles remain the same with no mechanical changes to the cycle parts. However, TVS has incorporated custom elements like handmade leather seats, which add to the beauty of the bikes, made to represent the the art forms of the region. Each motorcycle also gets a special ROK (Rann of Kutch) edition badge as well.

Apart from the unveiling, the TVS Rann Utsav 2.0 also featured curated rides, motorsport arenas, cultural experiences, and interactive sessions for TVS Apache owners and the media alike.

The post TVS Unveils Rann of Kutch Edition Apache Lineup at the Rann Utsav 2.0 first appeared on Turbocharged.

Diving deeper into the new electric series, the machinery that’ll be used is the TVS Apache RTE (Racing Throttle Electric) race motorcycle that will be powered by a liquid-cooled electric motor. Other highlights include a carbon fibre battery case that also acts as a stressed member of the chassis, Öhlins front and rear suspension, a Brembo braking system that comprises a 320mm front disc, radial callipers and Pirelli SuperCorsa tyres. Even the chassis and wheels are made from carbon-fibre. 

Mr. Sudarshan Venu, Managing Director, TVS Motor Company said, “TVS Motor has been championing racing ever since we started India’s first factory racing team. TVS Racing has been instrumental in making motorsports aspirational yet accessible for enthusiasts across the country. Many of the technologies that we pioneered in our racing machines have made way to our production vehicles, giving shape to our ‘track to road’ philosophy. In line with our vision of providing exciting and sustainable mobility solutions, we are thrilled to announce the debut of India’s first ever EV two wheeler racing. TVS Racing e-OMC will not only set new benchmarks in the racing segment but also demonstrate the potential of electric vehicles in delivering high-octane and thrilling racing experiences for the world to witness.” 

The inaugural round of the TVS Racing Electric One Make Championship will have an eight-rider grid hand-picked by TVS Racing. 

The post TVS Racing Electric One Make Championship announced first appeared on Turbocharged.