The new electric scooter spotted testing in Silicon City, Bengaluru, bears more design semblances with TVS iQube and less with Ather’s design patents
Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka state, is known for many things. But with automotive relevance, it is a startup hub for many new electric mobility companies. A lot of these startups conduct their vehicular testing around Bengaluru. One such test mule has been spotted and bears stark resemblance with TVS iQube.
New Electric Scooter Spotted Testing In Silicon City – Is it TVS?
Given that the test mule has been spotted in Bengaluru, thins down the possibilities of it being a TVS product. Most of TVS’ testing happens in and around Chennai, close to their R&D centre. But the design similarities with TVS iQube are uncanny.
Take the front of this test mule. It has iQube inspired handlebar cowl, LED headlight assembly, and bulbous and curvaceous body panels among others. From the sides, differences start to get more profound. We can see slightly different body panels, grab rail, smaller floorboard with slightly more intrusive elements behind front apron and more.
Seat appears to be slightly more cushioned and the area around its swingarm is slightly different. Rear gets slightly different tail lights from iQube too. Front gets RSU telescopic forks along with a petal disc brake. ORVMs are now different as opposed to the squarish units on iQube.
Rear wheel seems to be covered, hinting at a hub motor and the way this test mule has elements near its swingarm on both sides reminds me of iQube too. We would lean on the possibility of this being TVS’ iQube ST that never launched. If TVS can spend R&D budget on 200 units of Apache RTR 165RP, surely they can carve out a different looking top-spec model.
Is this an Ather?
This concept of selling different body styles within the hierarchy has worked wonders for Ola Electric, TVS’ key rival. So, this test mule might be TVS’ top-spec iQube ST with slightly more premium hardware and componentry. The vehicle might be testing some of these new components that are developed by a Bengaluru-based company. This theory checks with uncanny design similarities with iQube.
Conversely speaking, there is a possibility of this being Ather’s upcoming family scooter too, considering it was spotted tested in Bengaluru. As of now, Ather has just one body style that is of a sporty and youthful scooter and there is a maxi-scooter design patented as well. If this is Ather’s baby, there could be legal tussles with TVS owing to design similarities.
This test mule looks like it is packing an all-new platform that looks slightly similar to the one seen with Ather’s maxi scooter patents. Increased performance and range along with practicality might be primary attributes. Launch might happen in 2024 or in early 2025. Ather Energy has homologated 450X HR and 450S HR, that will launch before this new scooter spotted testing.
Source
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
