River Indie Electric Scooter Gets 8-Year Battery Plus Motor Warranty Option

River, a Bengaluru-based EV maker, has introduced an extended warranty scheme for its Indie scooter that covers both the battery and motor for 8 years or 80,000 km. The plan starts October 1, 2025, and is available to new and existing customers at an extra cost.

What the Plan Covers

The extended cover kicks in if the battery’s state of health drops below 70 percent or if the motor cannot be repaired and requires replacement. New buyers after April 1, 2025, can opt in for ₹8,399 plus GST.

Existing owners who had earlier purchased the 5-year extended warranty can upgrade to the 8-year plan by paying ₹3,399 plus GST, but they must decide within a one-month window from launch.

The warranty comes with an 80,000-kilometre cap in addition to the 8-year duration. For daily users riding 20–25 km a day, this works out to roughly 7,000–9,000 km annually, meaning the mileage limit should not be restrictive for most.

How It Compares With Rivals

Eight-year battery cover is not new in the electric two-wheeler market. Ola offers an 8-year / 80,000 km battery warranty with paid options to extend further, and Ather sells its Eight70 add-on that stretches battery cover to 8 years / 80,000 km. Both schemes apply a 70 percent state-of-health trigger for battery replacement.

What sets River apart is that its new plan extends the same 8-year protection to the motor as well. Rivals usually limit vehicle or motor warranty to 3–5 years. In a segment where battery replacement costs often exceed ₹40,000 and motor failures are expensive to fix, the added motor cover is a notable differentiator.

The Indie Scooter in Context

The River Indie is priced at about ₹1.25 lakh ex-showroom and is positioned as a practical, lifestyle-oriented scooter. It uses a 4 kWh battery pack with a claimed real-world range of 120 km, produces 26 Nm of torque, and reaches a top speed of around 90 km/h. Large 14-inch wheels, wide footboards, and spacious storage aim to appeal to riders who need utility as well as style.

River is still a small player compared with Ola, Ather, TVS, or Bajaj. Its current footprint covers 32 outlets in 15 cities, mostly in southern markets like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi, and Visakhapatnam. The company plans nationwide coverage by 2026, alongside the launch of a second model. For now, its sales are in the thousands, far behind the monthly volumes of established rivals.

Why the Warranty Matters

Battery reliability and replacement costs remain top concerns for EV buyers, especially in tier-two and tier-three cities where vehicles are often kept for longer. By offering both battery and motor protection for up to 8 years, River is attempting to position the Indie as a safer long-term bet.

Whether the plan makes an impact will depend on how River handles warranty claims through its still-small service network. If executed smoothly, it could put pressure on bigger brands to extend motor warranties too. If not, the benefit may remain only on paper.