EV is the future, people say.
So last December, I got the EV, an electric bike (to be specific) for the generation WHY in my hands. After driving a 1.5 L petrol engine car for regular commute there were few solid reasons for this experimentation: the rising price of petrol, heavy traffic in Pune, and contribution towards a clean environment. Still, when you are used to the swift and comfortable drive in your car, it’s difficult to adjust to something that’s not even been tried by anyone in the city for a daily commute. I was one of the first ten customers to own the e-bike in Pune and after a year, I would like to share my first-hand experience with the EV enthusiasts through this article.
Driving a four-wheeler in a congested city for daily commute has got its own disadvantages. If you have the windows of your car open at a traffic signal, the carbon emissions from the nearby vehicles would definitely choke up your lungs for a while. And this was the trigger for me to book an electric bike instead of a bullet for my daily commute in Pune. Of course, I still use my Gasoline SUV for outdoor trips and commuting with family, but the experience of riding an AI-Enabled Electric Motorcycle is very special.
As the makers of the Revolt RV400 promised this EV is revolutionizing my daily commute. Even if you own a Merc, people won’t stop to ask you what’s that you are driving. But with Revolt EV for the whole last year I have been asked at traffic signal about the bike. Some people still wonder why the bike has got a green number-plate and few are trying to figure out where the silencer is placed. The sound of firing as we say makes your adrenaline rush to unleash the rebel within you. When the remote key starts the bike and the rebel sound is heard (without anyone sitting on the bike), it is bound to turn the heads. It actually feels futuristic as all the bike’s vital statistics are available on a mobile app. Also, the side stand acts as a safety stand which makes sure that the bike engages only if the stand is put off. And the LED projector headlamp along with the design of the bike (although it is the same as the Chinese Super-Soco bike) looks super-cool. So, I have to say that this e-bike has got the style, power, and comfort, and most importantly, it is environmentally friendly.
Of course, there are few things with this EV, those were not very pleasant, for instance, the waiting period for the delivery. But with every product, there are some drawbacks. The KYC procedure of owning the bike was something akin to owning a chartered plane but then it was about owning the first e-bike of India, so all the would-be owners of Revolt RV400 (who were constantly in touch with each other through various WhatsApp groups) had to keep our patience levels high for three months. The speed of the bike thrills you as it can go really quick from 0-40 in few seconds. But sometimes there might be power-lag due to electronic issues, after all the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in our country also malfunctions, you see. Sometimes, the State of Charge (SOC) and range on the odometer goes blank while riding which can cause a RANGE ANXIETY, which can be fixed by either changing the fuse or the BMS pin on the battery connector. The noise from the belt under heavy acceleration may also annoy you sometimes but it can be resolved by cleaning the dust on the belt with a toothbrush. The seat design might irritate you if you are driving for a longer duration, but you may add a seat cover with a cushion for your own comfort. Sometimes, the communication of bike with Revolt’s servers may not work but it won’t affect the running of the bike and it could be reset within minutes by the service team whose support has been excellent, swift, and reliable for the whole year.
Apart from these petty issues, there are no maintenance expenses to the bike. Today when the petrol prices are around Rs. 90 per liter, the portable battery takes 4 units to charge (3.24kwh battery) costing only around 40 Rs. for a full charge which can give a range of around 100 km. I never got a range of more than 90 km per charge as I use all the three modes, i.e. economy, normal, and sports mode to get the riding pleasure. Still, I saved 3000 Rs. monthly on the fuel costs with this bike. The battery swapping facility is very convenient and it is free to date. The removable battery, which can be swapped in 2 minutes really works in Revolt’s favor. People living in apartments can easily carry the battery home, charge, and put it back without the worry of having an on-board charging facility.
My affair with Revolt RV400 has been practical for daily usage and fun to ride. The quality of the product is decent although the battery and motor are from China. The bike saves a lot of money in form of fuel expenses and maintenance. It can cruise to speeds that are practically unachievable in the cities. And it has got an X-factor that makes it a cynosure for others while a winner for the environment. This EV had overtaken Thunderbird and Duke twice on Pune-Bangalore Highway to receive a salute from the bike riders for the commitment towards green-mobility.
