Slow speed electric scooters make up 90% of the electric scooter market. While Ola, Ather, Bajaj, TVS together make up just 10% of the electric scooter market share.

It is rather surprising to see that none of the top 4 branded companies (Ola, Ather, Bajaj &TVS) make slow speed electric scooters and together the fast eScooters make up just 10% of the electric scooter market in India.

What are slow speed eScooters? Slow speed electric scooters are those electric scooters which have a top speed less than 30kmph.

Indian govt must encourage this adoption by removing the WATTAGE RESTRICTION for slow speed eScooters because scooters need higher wattage if they have to carry another passenger or heavy load over flyovers.

So Govt should amend the Indian Motor Law… actually it could increase the speed to 30kmph (from the existing 25kmph) and remove wattage restriction and ensure these vehicles do not cross 30 kmph… actually the speed could be increased to 40kmph to make the vehicles more popular.

In the age of flyovers its time modern India does away with old laws with nonsensical wattage restriction… which prevent slow speed eScooters from climbing flyovers even with single rider… carrying a heavy load is unimaginable for him… India needs to do this to reduce the petrol consumption in Indian vehicles.

Currently these slow speed scooters do not require:

1. No Driving License: You don’t need a driving license to operate a slow-speed electric scooter, as their top speed is typically limited to 25 km/h.
2. No Registration: These scooters often don’t require registration with the Regional Transport Office (RTO), simplifying the process of ownership.
3. No Road Tax: Since they fall under the category of low-speed vehicles, they are usually exempt from road tax.
4. No Insurance: Insurance is not mandatory for electric scooters in India that have a power output of less than 250 watts and a top speed of 25 kilometers per hour.

These factors make slow-speed electric scooters the highest selling eScooters in India. It is attractive option for many, especially for short-distance travel and urban commuting. Look all around you these Electric Haati (elephants) are carrying a lot of luggage around your place. They are the favorite of all delivery agents.

DUMB eSCOOTER ADVANTAGE: Another advantage is that it is a DUMB eScooter, No TouchScreen and computer and no SIM Card so its operational cost is very low and it is very easy to repair.

Smart eScooters with TouchScreen is very difficult to repair as it needs Company-Trained-Technicians. While Dumb eScooters have very simple parts which are available in open market.

The reason you will never find any data for these vehicles is because UNFORTUNATELY the sales of all electric vehicles below 30kmph speed are excluded from the data collection of eScooter sales.

Since there is no record… there is no accounting… and do these vehicles get any penalty… for say riding on the wrong side of the road? Or for not stopping at Red Signal etc?

We at PlugInCaroo feel that Registration of Slow Speed Electric Vehicles are a must. Only then can the owners of these vehicles held responsible for any violation.

Also the sales performance of such vehicle become visible. Only then will good companies like Ola Electric and Ather Energy start making Indian electric vehicles for local use.

Govt must make registration for slow speed vehicles mandatory because:

1. It will discourage theft of slow speed eScooters and tracing of such theft will become easier.

2. It will help to catch the culprit of of road accidents if such accident happened due to the mistake of slow speed eScooter rider.

3. Traffic Police Cameras can identify number plates to charge fines for breaking traffic rules (like riding on wrong side of the road, making wrong turns, riding & parking in restricted areas, etc).

Lets change the British set rules… cause its time to re-write history… and India is leading it this time.