Daily usage of a minimum of 5 km; can go up to a maximum of 20 km.
BHPian arnav17 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Hey guys,
With age comes an upgrade. Although not immediately; we are looking to replace our 13-year-old Access 125. I had mentioned a problem in a thread, which was fixed up until now but it has returned with a vengeance, It now refuses to start, with choke, without choke, with a kick, without kick.
The dilemma is now obvious. Is it going to be a futuristic EV or the efficient old petrol? The criteria for this:
Daily usage of a minimum of 5 km; can go up to a maximum of 20 km.
Not mentioned the price criteria for the scooter as it depends on its VFM.
I have summed up the pros and cons of both types below as per my understanding.
Pros of getting an Electric Scooter:
- It’s Electric!
- I would be eligible to drive it in a few months.
- Cheaper to own.
- Electric is the future(?)
- Silent but fast!
- Electric just seems like a more popular and sustainable Idea.
Cons of getting an electric scooter (Mostly quoted by my mother):
- May struggle to take 2 people (?)
- Charging infrastructure is still not very developed
- Electricity prices in Karnataka
- After being used to petrol, adjusting may be difficult.
Pros of getting a petrol scooter:
- Have run in the past, Are running in the present, and will run for a long time to come.
- Convenient in terms of fuel compared to Charging stations
- No range anxiety
- Something that we are obviously used to.
Cons of getting a petrol scooter:
- Electric seems to be the future, at least for now.
- Higher long-term running costs compared to EVs.
- I know that I may have contradicted myself on some of the points, but I have just penned down what I thought.
Electric scooter options considered:
- Ather 450X (Primary choice)
- TVS Iqube
Not considered:
- Ola S1 Pro
- Simple one
- Vida V1
Petrol options:
- Suzuki Access 125 (the most obvious choice for a successor)
- Honda Activa 5G
(List can be expanded depending on the type of scooter chosen)
Looking forward to recommendations based on the type and also on the model.
Here’s what BHPian aargee had to say on the matter:
If you can afford an EV scooter, then by all means you should go for it
If you’re prioritizing any of the below points then you should go for the EV scooter:
- Convenience of ownership
- Latest technology
- Care for environment
- Heart says EV
If you’re looking for VFM or don’t mind too much convenience on maintenance then for your usage of up to even 10-12 km a day on average – a petrol scooter makes more sense than EV on the cost of ownership in the long run
Opt for EV only if your daily usage is over 18 km a day. Have given extensive research on this post if you like to compare EV vs fossil fueled scooters.
Here’s what BHPian Turbohead had to say on the matter:
Having driven the Ather 450 while currently being the owner of an Access 125, you’re just a test drive away from being converted to electric.
The real question you should be asking is:
- The ability to charge your scooter at home.
- Whether you want to pay the premium charged which I assume is about ₹50-60k probably more with the lowered subsidies.
- If you aren’t convinced of electricity, do check out the Ntorq 125. I loved its balance of ride and handling.
Here’s what BHPian Jaggu had to say on the matter:
Low running is the only case against EVs considering you will be paying more upfront and eventually battery replacement after say 7-8 years. If your running was more than 30-40 km daily, then it would have been a no-brainer. Voted for EV since an Ather is any day better than the ones you have shortlisted for petrol keeping the running (km) part away.
Here’s what BHPian Kkumar had to say on the matter:
One should consider the following points before jumping into the EV bandwagon:
- High initial cost
- Low range
- Also the range keeps on reducing with the age of the battery
- Replacement cost of battery
- Availability of charging infra
- Even though many people claim EVs to be green, it’s not true because the amount of pollution caused by lithium extraction is too much and also the majority of electricity generation in our is coal-based.
After considering the above points one should decide for himself.
Keyword: Petrol vs electric scooter: Need to replace my 13-year-old Access 125