The year 2017 had its share of scooter launches. It also witnessed the arrival of new electric scooters, some of them touted as the future mode of transport for a country pushing for the alternate fuel vehicles.
Honda, TVS and Vespa were the major players. Others were new entrants such as Okinawa that arrived with its models. So which was your favourite pick from the 2017 school of scooters? Here, we take a closer look at some of the landmark scooter launches of the year as the New Year 2018 awaits us.
Also read: TVS to launch 2 new scooters in early 2018: What can we expect?
Okinawa Ridge electric scooter
Okinawa Autotech, headquartered in Sohna Road, Gurgaon launched its first offering, the Ridge electric scooter in India this year with a price tag of Rs 43,702, ex-showroom, New Delhi. Okinawa Ridge electric scooter is claimed to have a range of 200 kms in full charge and can reach a top speed of 55kmph. The scooter can be fully charged in 6-8 hours, while there is also an option of charging it by up to 80 percent in less than two hours.
Okinawa Ridge electric scooter is offered in red, white, green-gold and red-white colour choices and features alloy wheels, telescopic suspension and digital speedometer. Okinawa Ridge electric scooter needs to be registered with the RTO, unlike other electric scooters, because of its high power.
Hero Flash
Hero Electric, a wing of Hero MotoCorp expanded its electric scooter portfolio in India with new Flash scooter. The Flash electric, one of the most affordable scooter in its segment, is powered by a 250 Watt electric motor coupled with a 48 volt, 20 Ah VRLA battery pack and it claims a range of 65 km per charge. The scooter can achieve full charge in 6-8 hours and weighs 87 kilos. The Hero Flash does not require any registration or a driving license, thus targets to reach a wider demographic in the country. It comes in two colours- Red-Black and Silver-Black and features alloy wheels, telescopic front forks and a full-body crash guard.
Honda Activa 4G
Honda upgraded its popular Activa in 2017. The main change in the new version of the Activa is the engine. While it continues to be powered by a 109cc air-cooled four-stroke engine that can churn out 8bhp at 7500rpm and 8.83Nm of torque at 5500rpm, it is now BS-IV compliant. The new Activa engine comes mated to an automatic CVT gearbox.
The Activa, the scooter that has been a favourite among riders for several years now, in its new avatar features Automatic Headlamp On (AHO) function for improved visibility. The new Activa 4G remains identical to the existing model in the market in its styling and design, it now also gets Combi Brake System (CBS) with Equalizer technology. There is also mobile charging socket on offer.
TVS Jupiter Classic
The Jupiter Classic is a retro-themed variant of its popular scooter model Jupiter. The Classic version is a purely cosmetic upgrade. The highlight of the new variant is the Sunlit Ivory body colour. A chrome backrest, chrome covered round ORVM units and a new windscreen lends a classic appeal to the scooter. It is also complemented with 'classic-edition' decals.
The new variant boasts of a smart USB charger and comfortable dual-tone seat. The Jupiter Classic is based on the Jupiter ZX and comes with disc brake at front and Sync Braking System (when the rider pulls the rear brake lever, it also applies some amount of brake on front wheels) as standard.
Honda Cliq
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter's another new automatic scooter is the Cliq. The Cliq has been specially developed to maximise utility with additional values of comfort and convenience for utilitarian customers. It comes with a 110cc offering of Honda and is manufactured at the company's Tapukara facility in Rajasthan.
Cliq is powered by the tried and tested 110cc Honda BS-IV HET (Honda Eco Technology) engine, which is tuned to deliver 8bhp of power. The new scooter weighs 102kg, which makes it easy to ride. It comes equipped with Combi Brake System (CBS) with Equaliser technology and comes in four colours — Patriotic Red with White, Black, Moroccan Blue with White, and Orcus Grey.
Honda Grazia
Honda Grazia is a new and stylish 125cc scooter joined the scooter range of HMSI that already boasts of established models like the Activa, Dio and Aviator. The scooter comes with an edgy design which is precisely aimed at young and urban customers.
The chiselled tail lamp and split grab rail project a modern image, while the three-tone head unit adds a sporty character. The 3D logo emblem on the side panel and Honda badging on the floor panel gives the Grazia a premium feel. The Grazia is powered by the same 124.9 cc air-cooled four-stroke engine that does duty in the Activa 125. The mill develops identical 8.52bhp at 6,500rpm and a peak torque of 10.54Nm at 5,000rpm, and is mated to CVT automatic transmission.
Vespa RED
Italian two-wheeler maker Piaggio introduced a special edition of its Vespa in India with a mission to join the fight against HIV/ AIDS. The new RED has been priced in India at Rs 87,000 (ex-showroom Maharashtra).
In India, the Vespa RED is the model based on 125cc model. In the international market, Vespa RED is an all-red version of the classic scooter 946, which contributes towards initiatives fighting the scourge of HIV/AIDS, the spread of tuberculosis and curbing malaria.
The new RED is the 125cc version of the Vespa scooter. As its name indicates, the highlight of the new Vespa RED VXL is the red shade and it also gets red treatments on the body panels, seats and other parts of the scooter. Vespa RED comes powered by the same 125cc engine that can churn out 10.45 bhp at 7,500 rpm and a peak torque of 10.6 Nm generated at 6,000 rpm.
Okinawa Praise
Okinawa Praise is the second scooter from the company in India. Priced at Rs 59,889, ex-showroom Delhi, the Praise gets a sporty front apron and houses LED headlight unit with integrated daytime running lamps. The scooter is equipped with telescopic front suspension and double disc brakes up front. The rear wheel also gets a single disc brake unit. In addition, Praise also boasts of Electronic-Assisted Braking System.
Okinawa Praise is powered by 1,000 Watt, BLDC motor and power is stored in the option of 72V/45 Ah VRLA battery or 72V/45 Ah lithium-ion battery. The VRLA battery requires six to eight hours to fully recharge while the lithium-ion battery requires just an hour. In one full charge, Praise can travel 170 to 200kms. The speed in Economy mode is limited to 35kmph, the Sporty mode allows 65kmph while in the Turbo mode, the scooter can traverse up to 75kmph.
