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Greaves Electric Mobility, the e-mobility unit of Greaves Cotton Limited, has introduced its Ampere Primus electric scooter into the high-speed electric two-wheeler segment. Priced at ₹1.1 lakh (ex-showroom), this ‘Make-in-India’ product is locally sourced, featuring components made within the country. According to Sanjay Behl, the Executive Director and CEO of the brand, the Primus is its flagship scooter.
Ampere, one of the leading EV start-ups in India, has recently launched its first indigenous and made-for-India e-scooter, the Primus. The company has been selling e-scooters that were designed and developed overseas, but with the acquisition by Greaves Cotton Ltd, a company with a diverse engineering background, Ampere is now able to produce its own e-scooter. We got the chance to take a short spin on the Ampere Primus to see how it stacks up against the competition.
Price and Performance
The Ampere Primus sits at the top of the Ampere line-up, priced at Rs 1.10 lakh (ex-showroom, India, except North Eastern states). It's a little below the base variant of the TVS iQube and exactly on par with the Ola S1 Air in its most expensive 4kWh guise. The Primus comes with a mid-mounted 4kW motor that delivers a claimed 0-40kph time of 4.2 seconds and a claimed top speed of 77kph, which are almost identical to the TVS iQube. However, in the real world, the Primus doesn't feel as peppy as the iQube, and acceleration trails off quite significantly above 40kph. The overall performance is adequate for everyday city commutes, but it's not going to wow you.
Range and Battery
The Primus is powered by a 3kWh LFP battery, which offers safer thermal characteristics but slightly lower energy density than the more widespread NMC counterpart. It's a non-removable unit housed under the seat, and it offers an ARAI-certified range of 107km, although you probably won't get quite that much in real-world conditions. We spent most of the day riding in the highest 'Power' mode, and the scooter seemed on course to cover somewhere between 70km and 80km on a full charge. Ampere says a full top-up will take about 5 hours, while an optional fast charger will cut this down to roughly 2.5 hours. The SOC indicator isn't the most accurate or reliable unit around, and the DTE readout fluctuates by huge amounts very quickly depending on the riding style at any given moment, which doesn't inspire confidence.
Ride and Handling
The Ampere Primus has a well-balanced chassis package, with a reasonable amount of space for both rider and pillion, and the floorboard is quite roomy too. The riding position can be a little knees-up for taller riders, but it's not a major issue. Underseat storage space is decent, at 22 litres, although it's not deep enough to fit a helmet. There's also a fairly large cubby on the back of the apron, with a USB charger. Other features include an LED headlight, Bluetooth connectivity, three riding modes, and reverse.
Material Quality and Price
The Ampere Primus is a solid e-scooter, but the material quality is not up to the mark. The plastic panels feel a little flimsy and don't inspire confidence in their longevity. For the price, the Primus doesn't offer anything special, and it's expensive for what it offers. The LCD panel is quite small and difficult to read under bright sunlight, and the single trip meter cannot be reset manually, which is a strange design choice.
Conclusion
The Ampere Primus is a well-balanced e-scooter, but it's not going to blow your socks off. The performance is adequate for everyday city commutes,
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