Usage 500 km per month: Does it make sense to switch to an e-scooter?

The option of going for a new electric scooter would have been a no-brainer if the daily usage was 25 to 40 kms.

BHPian Scarlet_Rider recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

We currently have a Suzuki Access 125 scooter (registered in August 2009) that is used for short runs like dropping and picking up kids from school and the evening sports activities. It is also used for other errands like grocery shopping, etc. Each trip is not more than 4 kms. The monthly usage is a maximum of 500 kms. It is even less during summer vacations as there are no trips to and from the school.

The fuel efficiency is less (32 kmpl) due to the short trips which are mostly in medium to heavy traffic. It returns a better efficiency (40+ kmpl) on the rare occasions when it is taken for a long trip. It has just run 45,000 kms and will complete 14 years in August this year. The fitness will be due for renewal in August 2024.

The option of going for a new electric scooter would have been a no-brainer if the daily usage was 25 to 40 kms. However I am not sure whether it would be worth switching to electric for our current usage pattern. Hence wanted to get views of fellow BHPians on whether it is advisable to switch to an electric scooter sometime early next year or continue with the current scooter by renewing the fitness for another 5 years.

Here’s what BHPian kadanaJ had to say on the matter:

This is not exactly a straightforward answer, but here’s a quick calculation of your 5 year savings with an electric scooty:

Certain assumptions made above, such as petrol and electricity prices being that of Mumbai, not Hyderabad.

It’s a quick calculation, so haven’t considered which electric scooter you would buy (they range from a 1-1.5 lakh depending on the model), EMI, interest costs, maintenance on the old Scooty, etc.

Also consider that some electric scooters like the Aether are powerful and genuinely lots of fun (consider it a premium for riding pleasure), if that is relevant.

Am attaching the Excel if you wish to play around with it.

Here’s what BHPian aargee had to say on the matter:

Our background is similar: We’ve 18 year old Activa that was refurbished in 2020 & after few dramas now, no matter how much we pamper, the scooter does not turn pristine. Anyway we don’t regret as we could not find a scooter to our satisfaction in the market today, so our old Activa atleast costs us less is the only consolation.

Getting to your point whether EV makes sense or not, ofcourse no. Pls see this post for my exhaustive justification on the breakeven between EV & fossil fueled scooter & when it makes a difference.

Note – There’s something seriously wrong with your Access; typically the FE has to be over 45 Kmpl on highways; even going by the logic of yielding 40 Kmpl on highways, the city & highway difference cannot be 15 Kmpl difference, perhaps 35 is acceptable, certainly not 25.

Here’s what BHPian sri_tesla had to say on the matter:

Here is a simple comparison I prepared to check the running costs between different options:

First, you need to decide if you are in the market for a new scooter or not. If your existing scooter is in good condition, then that is always the cheapest option even though it may cost slightly higher maintenance costs. If you are in the market for a new scooter, then going for an electric scooter like TVS iQube will be a no-brainer over another new petrol scooter. Even with low usage of 500 km per month, you will be able to recoup the higher initial costs in less than 2 years due to extremely lower fueling costs with an electric scooter. I took one of the highest electricity slabs in Hyd/Telangana for per unit costs in the comparison.

If you decide on the electric scooter, would suggest you test ride all the options like Ather, Ola, TVS iQube, Chetak, etc… TVS iQube is a perfect replacement scooter for all the Activas, Jupiters, or Access scooters. It has better acceleration than those and provides a silent, comfortable, and reliable ride at a much cheaper price than Athers or Olas.

Here’s what BHPian shyampsundar had to say on the matter:

Unlike the 12V battery which is either working or one fine day stops working on our cars, the battery on EVs like Ather doesn’t fail overnight. The end of life is generally defined as 70% – 80% of the battery storage capacity on day 1. That’s what the warranty covers.

In your case since your daily running is not much I don’t think it will matter if the range drops from 80 KMs to 60 KMs. Also, the warranties are designed in such a way that the manufacturer is at least 95% sure that the battery doesn’t need replacement in the warranty period. So Ather’s battery for example on average should last at least 8 years for most people.

What I would recommend is the following:

• Buy an EV from a reputed player like Ather.
• Add extended warranty cover for peace of mind. I wouldn’t based on the running you have described.
• Take care of the battery. Charge to 80% – 90% as far as possible and don’t let the battery run out and not use the scooter for weeks together.

Pretty sure it will work out for you. Added benefit is the fun of driving EVs.

Keyword: Usage 500 km per month: Does it make sense to switch to an e-scooter?