Simple Choice

We got a chance to experience the Simple Energy One scooter before deliveries began and here is what we have to say about it

- Joshua Varghese

SIMPLE ENERGY MADE A LOT OF noise in August 2021 when they revealed the One. It was a scooter that promised a range of 200-plus kilometres along with performance that rivalled 150-cc combustion-engine motorcycles and these at a price that was tempting enough to consider ditching petrol for batteries. What was there not to like about it? Almost a year later, the firm has amassed more than 60,000 bookings and is mere weeks away from rolling the scooter out to customers. We were invited to have a go and, predictably, the venue was Bengaluru which is now becoming a hub for EV start-ups in India.

We were allotted a fairly large area of a private property to test the One and that explains the lack of mirrors on our test unit. The "Simple people" are an enthusiastic bunch and, during my interaction with the lead designer, I was told that the One was not designed to be aggressive or intimidating. It needed to have a sporty form that complemented its function and so they drew inspiration from a bird, the Indian Paradise Flycatcher, to be precise. Just as the bird does not have anything that is not functional, the Simple One has also kept frills to a bare minimum and the effect of its frugal diet is evident from every angle. The combination of the exposed swing-arm, belt, and pulley further amplify the One's sporty stance.