2023 Simple One Electric Scooter in India – Review Price and spec

5/5 - (7 votes)

Simple One Electric Scooter in India, specifications, features, competition and more are discussed in the following article. Simple One is a premium electric two-wheeler from Bangalore-based startup, Simple Energy.

The company aims to provide users with the best in class range without compromising too much on other aspects of the scooter. Furthermore, Simple Energy has scheduled deliveries starting in September. Meanwhile, interested buyers can book a free test ride in their respective cities. Here’s what you need to know about the common one:

Simple One Electric Scooter :

Simple One

Simple One was initially launched in the country,It appears to have become the norm that new-age EVs coming from two-wheeler start-ups are far from ready when launched. Bengaluru-based Simple Energy ‘launched’ its One electric scooter in August 2021, but at the time the scooter was actually very much in the prototype stage. Almost a full year later, we’re finally getting to ride this hotly anticipated electric scooter.

As it turns out, the company only allows its scooters to be driven in a very short loop within a gated housing society outside Bangalore. This means we can share first impressions of this scooter for now and a detailed road test will be possible only when Simple lets us drive its scooter on public roads. In a way, that’s a good thing, because the scooters we’ve experienced still don’t come off as fully finished products. But, there is some good news, as the Simple One’s fundamentals seem to be in good place when it comes to motor and chassis.

Simple One Electric Scooter specifications :

ModelSimple One
Range300 km/charge
Battery typeBattery type
Battery capacity4.8 kWh
Motor power8.5 kW
Top speed105 kmph
 0-40 kmph2.95 seconds
Price Rs 1.1 lakh – 1.55lakh ex-showroom

Simple One Performance :

Simple Energy claims it will be the fastest electric scooter when it goes on sale, and the specifications certainly back it up. The in-house developed motor produces the same power figure as the Ola S1 Pro (4.5kW continuous/8.5kW peak), but a torque figure of 72Nm which is unmatched in the e-scooter space. The company claims a segment leading 0-40kph acceleration time of 2.77s and a top speed of 105kph.

Speaking of modes, the Simple One features four of them – Eco, Ride, Dash & Sonic. These ride modes make a massive difference in performance and range and they also make it one of the most practical electric scooters out there.

These figures are impressive, but what stands out to me is that the accelerator response in all four riding modes is smooth, predictable and easy to use. That being said, the top two modes exhibited a slight overrun where the scooter continued to accelerate for a fraction of a second after you let off the accelerator. To their credit, a well-tuned accelerator response is something many EVs seem to struggle with, and the Simple One is already far better than most EVs we’ve tried. The company says this will be fully fixed when the scooters go into production.

Even in the limited space we had to ride, the scooter easily surpassed the indicated speed of 80kph in its top sonic mode. Overall performance feels just as fast as the Ola S1 Pro in Hyper mode, which means it should be right up there with the fastest scooters in the country. But Simple One’s real trump card is its range.

Simple One Range :

Simple One

Simple Energy claims its electric two-wheeler Simple One is India’s first premium affordable EV. The EV comes in two different variants that differ only in the range per charge i.e. 236 km and 300 km, the latter being the recently launched version. Apart from that, the performance of the car is taken care of by an 8.5 kW motor which can deliver a maximum torque of 72 Nm. Under the hood is a 4.8 kWh lithium-ion battery unit that comes with fast charging support.

Simple has come up with a system where battery power is split between a 3.3kWh fixed battery under the floorboard and a 1.5kWh removable battery that slots under the seat. This should help solve the charging concerns to some extent and also means that the company can offer a cheaper version of the scooter in the future without an easily removable battery pack.

  • Motor power: 8.5 kW
  • Top speed: 105 kmph
  • Acceleration: 0-40 kmph (2.95 seconds)
  • Certified range: 236 km (old variant) / 300 km (new variant)
  • Motor type: BLDC
  • Max torque: 72 Nm
  • Carrying capacity: 30 L
  • Reverse mode: Yes

Simple One charging :

As for charging time, the scooter will take about 4 and a half hours to charge from 0-100 percent on a standard home charger. In an industry first, Simple says it will sell an accessory fast charger (Rs 15,499) that doubles the home charging rate and cuts the time down to about two-and-a-half hours. It is worth noting that the removable battery will start charging only when the main battery is charged up to 80 percent.

  • Battery type: Li-ion
  • Battery capacity: 4.8 kWh
  • Battery charging time: 1.5 hours
  • Charger output: Portable 650W
  • Fast charging: Yes

Simple One Design :

Simple One

Futuristic, edgy and agile are some of the words that quickly come to mind when you first look at the simple one. Angular design lines are found throughout the scooter and it looks beautiful. Up front is an almost triangular LED headlamp that looks very stylish and premium. The front apron is angular and has sharp lines all around.

Flanking the headlamps is a design element that Simple Energy claims is an aerodynamic element. It allows air to enter from the front and rear and the indicator is also integrated with this design element. The front mudguard has a unique design for its almost square design whereas all other scooters in the Indian market feature a curved design.

Eyebrow-shaped LED DRLs are integrated into the handlebar and instrument cluster housing. Viewed from the side profile, the first element that catches the eye is the 12-inch alloy wheels. They have a unique, almost star-shaped styling that looks pretty cool.

The side profile body panels also feature the same angular and sharp design lines. It features strange black colored elements. These black components look good on the Brazen Black color we rode. But they look absolutely brighter than all other colors. The floorboard is flat and rather high while the single-piece seat itself is unique. The seat is slightly higher at the back and slopes forward.

At the bottom is the stylish swingarm that not only looks great but is also compact in size. The petal disc brakes with gold colored calipers also make a style statement of their own. At the back, the LED tail lamp looks super stylish and the grab rail is almost industrial.

Brakes, wheels, suspension :

  • Brakes technology: Combine Braking System (CBS)
  • Front brake type: Disc
  • Rear brake type: Disc
  • Wheel type: Alloy
  • Radial tyres: No
  • Tyre type: Tubeless
  • Rear-wheel size: 304.8 mm
  • Rear tyre size: 110/80-12
  • Front-wheel size: 304.8 mm
  • Front tyre size: 110/80-12
  • Front suspension: Telescopic forks
  • Rear suspension: Mono shock

Overall, the Simple One is a brilliant looking scooter. If you love youthful and futuristic designs and styles, this will surely impress you.

seating position :

Simple One

As for the seating position, the handlebar is high enough to handle taller riders and is certainly not as cramped as the Ather 450, but not as wide as the Ola S1 Pro either. The 775mm seat height is good for short riders, but the seat shape could be improved as it slides the rider forward and doesn’t leave much room for taller people. Simple says they are working on it.

As for what’s under those seats, the storage space (26 liters with battery and 30 liters apart) isn’t segment-leading, but it’s still pretty good. The company’s portable charger design isn’t complete yet, so we can’t tell you how much space it will take up in the boot.

Simple One colours :

You get to choose from four brilliant colour options with the Simple One: –

  • Namma Red
  • Azure Blue
  • Brazen Black
  • Grace White

All of the colours look great, however, it is the Namma Red that really grabs eyeballs.

Simple One Features :

Simple One

When it comes to the list of features, we must say that Simple One seriously impresses. Headlamps, DRLs, indicators and tail lamps are LED units. The Simple One gets interesting switchgear. In terms of design, the switches look nice. However, the quality and fit and finish still has miles to go before it is ready for production.

We rode the pre-production scooter. The quality of the plastics and body panels is still in the pre-production stage while the mechanicals are ready for production. Given that the switches were still in the pre-production stage, we will reserve our comments on the same for when we drive the final production models.

Instrumentation duties are handled by a large 7.0-inch touchscreen. The responsiveness of the touch interface is great, but there are a few niggles. The scooters we’ve ridden have beta versions of the software and that simply means all functionality is missing.

In a fully functional unit, there is a truckload of information. Speedometer, odometer, trip meter, average speed indicator, range display, and battery charge status are all displayed on the home screen. There is one feature that sets it apart from other electric scooters and that is the battery health display.

The battery health monitor displays the health status of the battery pack and is a rather useful feature. This feature also helps the rider judge whether the battery pack needs a little attention. This feature is particularly useful if the battery pack has a thermal runaway.

The screen also displays ride modes and yes, it can be paired with your smartphone via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Simple Energy has loaded it with MapMyIndia which will make navigation a simple task. Connected features include remote access, geo-fencing, OTA updates, saving.

Another useful feature is the document display through which the rider can store and display important documents like vehicle registration papers, driving license. insurance papers, etc. You even get cruise control and reverse mode.

When all this is put together, you begin to realize that the Simple One electric scooter has no shortage of features. In fact, Simple Energy has done a brilliant job of loading it with some nice features. We are waiting for the delivery of the scooter to start so we can see the production plastics and software.

Simple One Price :

On the bright side, Simple says that despite massive supply challenges, it is holding onto its initial quoted with a starting price of Rs Rs 1,09,999. This was followed by a newer variant with an improved range and a price tag of Rs 1,44,999.

Interested buyers can go with either variant since both are available to pre-book on Simple Energy’s official website at Rs 1,947 with a full refund provision in case buyers change their minds. The price can further be reduced by claiming the FAME II subsidy of Rs 60,000 provided by the government on the purchase of the Simple One e-scooter.

Simple One warranty :

Simple One service and maintenance users of Simple One can take their vehicles to Simple Energy’s official workshops and service centres for regular maintenance and checkups.

  • Vehicle warranty – 3 years
  • Battery warranty – 3 years
  • Portable charger warranty – 3 years


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