Featured image credit: Image: Gnoeee via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Source

By Piyush P. Yadav

Every electric scooter brochure in India carries a range number, and almost none of them tell you the same thing. Ather prints two figures side by side, an “IDC” number and a “TrueRange” number, and the second is about 30 per cent lower than the first. Bajaj quotes the Chetak’s range as IDC. Ola quotes IDC for the S1 line but its 301 km headline for the S1 Z 5.1 kWh is a certified lab figure that no rider will see in traffic. TVS and Vida quote IDC and sometimes a separate “real-world” estimate. This guide explains what IDC actually measures, why ARAI certifies it, why Ather invented its own second number, how much you should knock off each brand’s claim, and how to work out a realistic daily range for the scooter you are about to buy.

What IDC range means

IDC stands for Indian Driving Cycle. It is the standardised test cycle laid down under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules for L-category vehicles, which covers two- and three-wheelers, and it is administered by test agencies such as ARAI in Pune and ICAT in Manesar. During the test the scooter is run on a chassis dynamometer through a fixed speed-versus-time profile that is meant to represent Indian city riding: repeated acceleration to modest speeds, cruising, deceleration and idling. Ambient temperature, rider weight, tyre pressure and throttle use are all controlled, and the cycle is repeated until the battery is exhausted.

That gives a repeatable number, which is the point. It lets a buyer compare a Chetak with an iQube on an equal footing, and it is the figure the government used to size the PM E-DRIVE incentive, which was paid per kWh of battery. What IDC does not do is reflect the way most people ride. The cycle’s average speed is low, it has no sustained 60 to 80 km/h stretches, it assumes a single rider of standard weight, and it is run in a lab with no headwind, no gradients and no monsoon puddles. The certified figure is therefore a ceiling, not a forecast.

Why the same scooter has three numbers

Three kinds of range figure circulate in India, and the confusion between them is where most disappointment comes from.

Figure Who produces it What it measures How to use it
IDC / ARAI certified range Test agency, on the CMVR cycle Lab range on the standard Indian Driving Cycle, usually in the most efficient mode Compare scooters with each other; never plan a trip on it
Brand “real-world” or “TrueRange” figure The manufacturer, from its own road testing Expected range in typical city riding in a stated mode A reasonable planning number if the brand states the mode and conditions
Independent tested range Magazines, owner forums What a specific rider got on a specific route The most honest number, but route and rider dependent

Ather’s TrueRange is the clearest example of the second type. For the Rizta and the 450 series the company states both figures on its website: the Rizta’s 3.7 kWh pack is rated at 161 km IDC and around 123 km TrueRange, and the 2.9 kWh pack at 123 km IDC. Ather’s own blog says a scooter rated at 161 km IDC will typically return 110 to 115 km in Eco mode in daily use, which is about 70 per cent of the certified number. That ratio is a useful rule of thumb for the whole market, not just Ather.

What the brands claim in September 2026

The table below lists the headline certified figures for the most popular scooters on sale, followed by a realistic planning range derived from the 65 to 80 per cent rule that Ather, Bajaj and independent testers all converge on. The lower end of each band applies to Sport or Performance mode with a pillion; the upper end to solo Eco-mode commuting.

Scooter Battery Certified IDC range Realistic planning range Ex-showroom price
Ola S1 Z 5.1 kWh 5.1 kWh 301 km 195 to 240 km From Rs 79,999 (base S1 Z)
Ola S1 Pro+ 5.2 kWh 5.2 kWh 320 km 205 to 255 km Around Rs 1.70 lakh
Simple Wave Up to 5 kWh class Up to 243 km 160 to 195 km From about Rs 1.10 lakh
TVS iQube ST 5.3 kWh 5.3 kWh 212 km 140 to 170 km Around Rs 1.60 lakh
Ather Konarc Up to 4.6 kWh class Up to 200 km 130 to 160 km From Rs 99,999
Vida VX2 Go / Plus 2.2 / 3.4 kWh Up to 187 km (Plus) 120 to 150 km (Plus) From Rs 59,490 under BaaS
Ather Rizta Z 3.7 kWh 3.7 kWh 161 km IDC (123 km TrueRange) 105 to 125 km Rs 1.36 lakh
Bajaj Chetak 35 series 3.5 kWh 153 km 100 to 125 km Around Rs 1.20 to 1.30 lakh

Two things stand out. First, the ranking by certified range is not the ranking by useful range, because the gap between IDC and reality widens as scooters get faster and heavier; a 300 km claim is a five-hour ride at city speeds that no commuter does in a day. Second, the two scooters with the most conservative claims, the Rizta and the Chetak, are also the ones with the smallest disappointment gap in owner reports, which is why Autocar India’s Mumbai comparison test years ago found the Chetak and iQube delivering 100 to 107 km in Eco mode against claims in the same ballpark, while the Ola of that era returned 130 km against a much higher claim.

What actually eats range on an Indian commute

The physics is the same on every scooter, so the factors are worth knowing in order of impact.

  • Speed. Aerodynamic drag rises with the square of speed. A scooter that returns 110 km at a steady 40 km/h will struggle to do 75 km at a steady 70 km/h. Most of the IDC cycle is spent below 50 km/h, which is why highway commuters see the biggest shortfall.
  • Ride mode. Sport or Performance modes raise the current limit and the top speed. Manufacturers certify in Eco; riding in Sport costs 15 to 25 per cent by itself.
  • Load. A pillion adds 60 to 80 kg to a 110 kg scooter, and the cost is felt on every acceleration and every climb. Budget 10 to 15 per cent for regular two-up riding.
  • Stop-start density. Regenerative braking recovers some energy, but hard braking and hard acceleration in dense traffic still cost more than smooth flow.
  • Tyre pressure and gradients. Under-inflated tyres and hilly cities like Pune, Shimla or Bengaluru’s flyover-heavy routes take a further 5 to 10 per cent.
  • Battery age. Warranties across the industry promise 70 per cent of original capacity at the end of the term, which means a scooter that did 110 km new may do 80 km at year five. We compared those terms brand by brand in our guide to electric scooter battery warranty in India.

A four-step way to size the scooter you need

  1. Add up your daily distance honestly. Commute both ways, school runs, errands, and a margin for the day you forget to plug in. Most urban riders land between 25 and 50 km a day.
  2. Multiply by three. You want to charge every second or third day, not nightly, and you want to keep the battery between 20 and 80 per cent most of the time for longevity.
  3. Divide by 0.7. That converts your real-world need into the IDC figure you should look for. A 40 km daily rider needs 120 km of real range and should therefore shop for scooters certified at roughly 170 km IDC or more.
  4. Check the mode the claim was made in. If a brand quotes only a single number and does not say which mode, assume it is Eco and treat the other modes as 20 per cent lower.

On that logic a 30 km-a-day commuter is perfectly served by a 3 kWh scooter such as the Vida VX2 Plus, the Chetak 35 or the Rizta S, and does not need to pay for a 5 kWh pack. Someone doing 60 km a day with a pillion should be looking at the iQube ST, the S1 Pro+ or the Simple Wave. Our round-up of the best electric scooters under Rs 1 lakh sorts the affordable end of the market on exactly this basis, and our five-year electric versus petrol scooter cost comparison shows why a smaller, cheaper pack that covers your real need usually wins on total cost.

How to test range yourself in a showroom ride

A 15-minute test ride will not tell you range, but it will tell you whether the range display is honest. Note the state of charge and the predicted range at the start, ride your normal route at your normal pace, and note both at the end. If the scooter shows 100 per cent and 150 km at the start and 92 per cent and 138 km after 10 km, the estimator is tracking real consumption and you can trust it. If the predicted range barely moves while the percentage falls, the display is showing a fixed IDC-derived number and you should apply the 0.7 factor yourself. Owners on forums consistently rate Ather’s and TVS’s estimators as the most accurate, and that matters more than a big number on the brochure. If you are choosing a scooter with a removable pack so you can charge upstairs, our list of electric scooters with removable batteries covers weights and charging times for each.

Sources & Further Reading

FAQ

What is the difference between IDC range and real range?

IDC range is a certified lab figure measured on the standard Indian Driving Cycle in the scooter’s most efficient mode. Real range is what you get on the road, and across brands it works out to about 65 to 80 per cent of the IDC figure depending on speed, mode, load and terrain.

What is Ather TrueRange?

TrueRange is Ather’s own real-world estimate published alongside the IDC figure. For the Rizta 3.7 kWh it is around 123 km against 161 km IDC, and Ather says a 161 km IDC scooter typically returns 110 to 115 km in Eco mode in daily use.

Which electric scooter has the highest real range in India?

The Ola S1 Pro+ 5.2 kWh and S1 Z 5.1 kWh have the highest certified figures at 320 km and 301 km, which translates to roughly 200 to 250 km of realistic riding. The Simple Wave and TVS iQube ST follow.

How much IDC range do I need for a 40 km daily commute?

Multiply 40 km by three for a charge every third day, then divide by 0.7 to convert to IDC: about 170 km. Any scooter certified at 170 km or more with a 3.5 kWh or larger pack will do it comfortably.