Ultra Velociti

The Ultra Velociti is cheaper than anything else on the market. (It costs Rs.39,441 on road, Navi Mumbai) But the question is how easy is it to live with the Ultra Velociti? And is it really cheap to run? AutoCar (Nov. ’08) attempted to find out.

Firstly the Velociti uses a 24-amp battery connected to a brushless motor fitted in the rear wheel hub. Because it is a brushless motor, it needs minimal maintenance. And it is more practical than other electric scooters thanks to its acceptable performance. Electric motors produce max torque from the word go. So when one twists the ‘throttle’, the peppiness of this little scoot takes one by surprise and it’ll get to its 40kph top speed quite easily. The Velociti comes with a disc brake which brings this 88kg to a halt instantly.

But, this electric scooter’s biggest disadvantage is its 40km range on full charge. Travel in Mumbai often exceeds this limit and hence one needs to figure out where to get a top-up recharge. It can only be recharged from a 220-volt plug point and unlike the Yo!tuff electric moped, the Velociti’s battery can’t be detached and carried up home for charging. This means one either takes the scooter up home or office for charging. A full charge takes four to six hours but you can get an 80 percent charge in just two hours.

Ultra motors claims that the Velociti uses just one unit of electricity for a full charge. Reliance energy bills Rs. 3.53 per unit so that’s Rs. 109 a month for a potential 1,200 km. the battery life is approximately two years and a new one costs Rs. 7000.

It has other niggles too, like a pillion adds weight and eats up battery charge, inclines are more difficult to climb, the centre stand is a little tough and the plastic quality is not all that good.

So does it sense to buy one? It ultimately depends on your usage and needs says AutoCar (Nov. ’08). You have to plan ahead and fix charging points if you have a long distance to cover but it gives a lot of freedom when you want to cover the neighbourhood or use it in a smaller town where distances are shorter. So it’s much cheaper to run but not as practical.