The TVS X made a grand debut in Dubai a few months ago, and topped the headlines after its specs and the Rs 2.50 lakh price tag was announced. We got to spend a brief time with the Hosur-based bikemaker’s flagship electric scooter to see if spending that much really makes sense.
TVS X: The Headturner
The vertically-stacked LED headlight, aggressive bodywork, sleek tail section… every bit of the TVS X is unique and is sure to grab eyeballs. And it is not just the overall styling, but the attention to details. For starters, the pillion footrests sit flush with the rest of the bodywork, and pop out when required. Then there are the stylish, yet functional mirrors. Even the way the front indicators are integrated into the bodywork add to the visual appeal. Overall, this e-scooter looks straight off a sci-fi flick.
TVS X: Features Gallore
TVS has equipped the X with a bunch of features, including cruise control, hill hold assist, navigation, and even web-browsing and games to name a few. Being a keyless electric scooter, you can unlock it via your smartphone, smartwatch or the passcode. Yes, for a feature-packed scooter like this, proximity unlock has been missed out.
All of these functions can be toggled via the 10.25-inch touchscreen TFT console. Of course, with the amount of distractions the screen has, TVS has in-built failsafes, that won’t allow you to access some features when you are riding.
Another interesting feature of the console is that you can tilt and adjust it for best visibility. While overall, the console functionality is quite interesting, the software still needs a lot of fine-tuning. Our e-scooter’s console froze and went blank, and we could not switch it on until TVS’ engineers intervened.
TVS X: Xciting Much?
But on the move, the TVS X was quite interesting. There is a distinct difference in the way the Xtealth, Xtride and the Xonic riding modes deliver power. The Xtealth mode offers decent acceleration off the line, so it should be good, and more importantly, safe for city use. However, what did not feel safe was the emergency cut-off that TVS has built for the X. Upon giving it generous acceleration, the TVS X would stall and go to lower riding mode. To resume riding, I had to go through the whole start sequence again – that’s pressing the brake and the starter button to turn on the scooter. However, TVS has said it is working on improving that.
Another issue when giving it the beans was that there was a jerk, and slight delay, because of the silent chain that TVS has opted for, instead of a belt drive. What seemed impressive was that the TVS X’s performance would not deteriorate despite belting through the track in the Xonic mode. There were no temperature warnings, nor did it switch to the lower mode. However, we’ll definitely need more than 10 minutes to fully understand if the X can sustain its performance consistently. And while the company claims a top speed of 105 kph, our scooter clocked as much as 118 kph.
The handling of the TVS X is what made things interesting. It is comfortable and confident when changing directions or while going through corners. The 12-inch tyres offer decent grip and control. However, as I started pushing the e-scooter through the corners, the issue with the suspension became evident. While the suspension has been tuned for everyday riding, the front tends to feel too soft and lightens as you build speed. However, we were told TVS is still working on the best setup before the deliveries commence.
Lastly, the brakes of the TVS X. They offer great stopping power, and could have done with dual-channel ABS. While the front does its job pretty smoothly, the rear is a bit too sharp and tends to lock up quite easily.
TVS X: Worth the money?
This is the first time that TVS has built a motor in-house, and also stepped into a niche segment like this. Unlike the iQube, the X does not comply with the FAME 2 regulations, and hence, there’s an additional cost of Rs 16,000 for the charger.
The TVS X certainly offers good performance and handling, but from my experience, it also comes with its own set of glitches and issues. What good is the performance if you can’t launch the scooter to experience that, right? But what TVS seems to be banking on, is the balance of features and performance. Most of the aforementioned issues are software-related, and OTA updates should bring it to TVS’ standards, but currently, it is far from perfect.
And is it worth Rs 2.5 lakh? Well, while our experience says otherwise, we’ll definitely want to spend more time with the X to give you the final answer.
