TVS M1-S Electric Scooter Teased, India Launch Soon?
TVS Motor Company is a major in the two-wheeler and three-wheeler spaces in India. In fact, it has presence in multiple international markets as well. TVS has lately been posting rapid progress in developing and selling electric scooters. Its Indian portfolio currently has two all-electric products- the hot-selling iQube and the TVS X. In the upcoming years, more all-electric products are expected to roll out from the Chennai-based manufacturer's stable. An official teaser of one of these, has now surfaced. It shows the TVS M1-S- a maxi-styled electric scooter.
Interestingly, this teaser has surfaced on TVS Indonesia's website, and not on the manufacturer's India website. It shows a sparsely-lit image of the scooter with text that reads 'M1-S. Coming soon'. This makes us assume that the product will be unveiled in Indonesia soon, and will later go on sale in multiple global markets. India is expected to be one of them.
A Closer Look At The M1-S Electric Scooter
The M1-S is a maxi-styled electric scooter. At least some of you might have realised by now that this product is essentially a rebadged ION M1-S, sold previously by the EV startup ION Mobility. TVS was an investor in this company and in March this year, divested its stake and acquired identified assets for USD 1.75 million.
ION Mobility's founder and CEO James Chan is now a Senior Vice President at TVS Motor, and leads the company's operations in ASEAN region along with the M1-S project.
Circling back, the M1-S has a futuristic design. The front fascia looks strong with twin headlights and integrated eyebrow-like LED DRLs. These lend a muscular stance to the vehicle. Another notable highlight is the tall windscreen.
The M1-S also comes with a flat floorboard, a stepped single-piece seat, a single-piece grab rail, LED tail lights and LED turn indicators. The scooter rides on 14-inch wheels and gets fat tyres. Both the front and rear wheels get disc brakes as well. Other features include a 7-inch TFT instrument cluster and smart key. It also has 26 litres of underseat storage.
The M1-S gets a telescopic front suspension and twin rear shocks. It features a 4.3 kWh battery pack that powers an electric motor which is capable of producing 16.8 hp (12.5 kW) and 45 Nm of rated torque. The performance is impressive. It can hit 100 kph from a complete standstill in just 3.7 seconds, and has a top speed of 105 km/h.
The M1-S promises a range of 150 km per charge. The company claims the 0-100% SOC charging to take a time of under 3 hours. The vehicle weight stands at 152 kilograms, and the wheelbase is a good 1,350 mm. It even has a ground clearance of 155 mm- decent for Indian roads.
Why TVS Should Launch The M1-S In India?
The M1-S can be a good product for the Indian crowd. TVS' current EV lineup has just two products- the iQube and the X. The former continues to post good monthly volumes.
The iQube has a family format design and is targeted straight at buyers who are on the lookout for a comfortable, practical electric scooter for two. The TVS X, on the other hand, is a niche product with a sporty design. It is targeted at spirited young riders who crave for thrill and performance. There is definitely a large void in between, where the M1-S could possibly fit in.
It could have a lot of appeal with the sporty design and impressive performance. Remember how the Ultraviolette Tesseract rose to instant acceptance? We don't intend to do an A-B comparison, but it is a fact that EV buyers today are ready to spend on products that look flashy and perform well.