Earlier in June of this year, it was reported that the Bengaluru-based electric vehicle startup Simple Energy Pvt. Ltd. commenced the test rides for its first flagship electric scooter – the Simple One along with the news of its delayed delivery. Well, four months later we still have not seen any deliveries happen and yet again the company has stated that the deliveries will once again be pushed back. Simple One, this time has said that the deliveries will begin in Q1 of next 2023, although still no specific dates have been revealed.
According to Simple Energy, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ new battery safety requirements are to blame for this recent delivery hold-up (MoRTH). The EV startup stated that this delay will give them time to make sure that its ONE electric scooter complies with the new safety requirements.
As mentioned earlier it is not the first time the deliveries of the first Simple Energy product have been delayed. Following its debut on the 15th of August of 2021, it was first announced that the deliveries for the Simple One will commence in December 2021. However, the company missed that deadline and pushed it back to June 2022. The same scenario repeated once again in June 2022 and the deliveries were yet again postponed to September of this year. One would think that these should be the final dates but once more we find ourselves waiting for the deliveries of this highly anticipated electric scooter. This time the wait will also be a little longer.
Last time out the company issued a statement for its delay saying, “Update on Simple ONE deliveries – Simple is committed to ensuring optimal vehicle safety and in-depth R&D before our vehicles hit the road. We are anticipating new guidelines and certifications in light of recent events in the industry, which have delayed the delivery of the flagship scooter- the Simple ONE. We appreciate your patience throughout this process, regardless of the delay. Join us in electrifying the nation, as we look forward to pan-India deliveries.”
However, on the bright side, the company did commence the test rides for the electric scooter. The first phase of the test rides began on July 20th in Bangalore which was then followed by Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Panaji, and other cities, according to the company’s schedule. Interested customers can reserve their test ride slots in their cities by visiting the company’s website. In the coming months, Simple plans to perform testing in a number of additional cities as well it stated.
With its new and improved battery pack, Simple One’s range has been enhanced from 235 km to 300 km. The company claims that by allowing users to go further distances, this range enhancer was created to assist customers who have range anxiety. For improved performance, thermal management, and economy, a new, more potent motor with 8.5 kWh of power and 72 Nm of torque was also included. At full power, the new motor operates at 96 percent efficiency according to the company.
The scooter’s current pricing is Rs 1,09,999 (ex-showroom), with the long-range configuration costing Rs 1,44,999 (ex-showroom), and having a range of more than 300 kilometres. The standard model has a real-world range of 203 kilometres and a range of up to 236 kilometres under ideal conditions. For Rs 1,947, the scooter may be reserved in advance on www.simpleenergy.in.
