Bengaluru-based electric vehicle startup River EV launched its first scooter, called the Indie, a few months ago. During its launch, the company claimed that they had taken a scooter back to its basics, by allowing the Indie to be able to carry things on the floorboard and in the boot, while not losing out on the fun factor.
Now, the scooters are ready to go into the hands of their new owners, but before that, we got the chance to test ride the Indie EV around some twisty roads, narrow highways, and back roads. The company calls the Indie the ‘SUV of scooters’, but does it live up to its name?
River Indie – Quirky design
Quirky is the word to describe the Indie’s design, as the scooter is large compared to the other EVs in the market. It has a massive front end with twin headlights, 14-inch wheels, a large and wide floorboard, and a massive rear section that houses the unique rectangular-ish tail lamp. The Indie weighs 140kg and comes with a host of accessories such as panniers, a built-in crash guard, a mobile phone holder, and more.
Unlike other scooters though, the Indie gets a pair of clip-on bars like motorcycles and the rider is seated comfortably in an upright position. The floorboard is roomy and if the rider pleases, there are fold-in footpegs that offer a cruiser-like riding triangle. The seat is roomy, yet comfortable enough to get both feet on the ground.
River Indie – Features and equipment
The Indie gets dual telescopic forks up front, dual shocks at the rear, 14-inch wheels wrapped in MRF tyres, disc brakes at both ends with a combi-braking system, and LED light all around, similar to other EVs in the market. However where it stands out is with its suspension, that are gas charged and not the regular hydraulic units. River says that it was specifically chosen and made to keep the ride quality top-notch — more on that later.
The Indie gets an LCD instrument cluster that displays all the vital statistics clearly, however, the company is making slight tweaks to it to make the display brighter. There is no touch operation, however, the instrument cluster does its job well.
Indie ride and comfort – Flow like a river
The suspension has been tuned to offer good comfort and not be too soft either, and River has done a good job. The suspension is on the stiffer side but soaks up broken roads and potholes well, without losing its composture. The Indie EV is quick and has a top speed of 90kmph, and the company claims that the scooter has a gradability angle of 18 degrees in all modes, which does work, but it’s better off with any of the other modes than Eco.
What was a surprise was when the Indie was shown some twisty roads. Riding up the famous Nandi Hills in Bengaluru, the Indie easily managed to put motorcycles to shame — not with its performance, but the way it handled and hid its 140kg mass. There was a moment when I had completely forgotten that the Indie was a scooter with the way it effortlessly changed direction around winding roads.
Adding to its handling capability were the brakes that were predictable and progressive. However, one crucial character to note with the Indie’s power delivery is that in Rush mode, when the throttle is closed and opened again, there is a surge of immediate power, however, when one brakes and accelerates again, there is a slight delay. River says that it was partially intended.
Indie EV – Utility and quality
River markets the Indie EV as a utilitarian scooter, which can carry everyday items, produce from the market and back, or kit it up completely to be a tourer. The scooter offers a massive 43-litre under-seat storage, big enough to accommodate a full-face helmet and possibly two or carry other things. The scooter also has a 12-litre glovebox, while panniers are optional, along with a grille to make the floorboard a storage area.
Indie EV — Who is it for?
Let’s look at the basics, the Indie EV comes with a 4kWh battery pack with a claimed range of 120km – which we could not test on our review – and can be charged from 0 to 80 percent in 5 hours. The scooter gets three ride modes – Eco, Ride, and Rush – and park assist, which can be a bit fiddly to put in reverse.
The Indie delivers what it says, carries a load and upto 200kg of it, can be customised in many ways, and for those who like butch SUVs, it delivers that in looks as well, and it is large compared to any electric scooter in the segment. However, it has its own unique appeal, and the handling is something to consider seriously.
What we suggest is to take a test ride first, forget the weight, its size, the way it handles, and spend some time on it. In my opinion, the Indie can be that one upgrade for daily commutes, carry cargo, a lot of it, and offer an experience no other electric scooter in the market offers today.
