Auto | Pure EV ePluto 7G: Trying out an India-made electric scooter

Pure EV ePluto 7G is one of the most popular electric scooters in India.

After months of speculations, White Lotus Group Nepal, the authorized distributor of Pure EV scooters, finally introduced ePluto 7G to Nepali consumers.

Whenever we think of escooters, we assume it to be a Chinese product. Moreover, our mind automatically tells us it to be unreliable.

However, this escooter fits neither of the bills.

Pure EV is an Indian product designed at IIT Hyderabad. It is committed to driving the future of e-mobility and energy storage systems.

Pure EV ePluto 7G, Pure EV’s flagship product, is priced at Rs 249,000.

We were fortunate to test the product for an in-depth review. Before that, we got an opportunity to test ride it for a few hours.

Recollecting that short experience, these are our first impressions of the Pure EV ePluto 7G:

Pure EV ePluto 7G Specifications

• Motor: 1.5Kw
• Battery: 2.5KWh
• Battery Type: Lithium-Ion
• Range: 120Km
• Top Speed: 60Kmph
• Charging Time: 4-6hours
• Tyres: 90/100-10 – Disc & Drum
• Tubeless Tyres: Yes
• Braking Type: Regenerative Braking
• Colors: Red, Black, Blue, Grey, White, and Yellow

Pure EV ePluto 7G first impressions

Design

Pure EV ePluto 7G sports a familiar design. It takes on the mantel of the classical scooter, more specifically the Vespa.

ePluto 7G’s front section employs the retro theme with a circular headlamp, flat apron, and eye-popping colors.

However, there are modern and premium touches to it as well.

It has LED lights and an all-digital instrument console. Likewise, it gets a fair amount of chrome around the headlamp housing, front fenders, and apron.

The rest of the body follows the retro look with graceful curves.

The seat gets large cushions to improve ride comfort.  However, there isn’t enough space for two at the same time.

When directly compared to a Vespa LX 125, it is slightly difficult to find a styling difference between the two, except for the front fender.

In ePluto 7G, there is a slightly raised front fender that creates a visible difference between the two scooters.

Pure EV ePluto 7G is available in six different colors: red, black, blue, grey, white, and yellow.

Performance

Pure EV ePluto 7G is powered by a 1.5KW motor with a 2.5KWh battery. It can generate a peak power of 2.2KW with a claimed top speed of 60Kmph. Its makers say it can achieve 0-40kmph in just five seconds.

Moreover, it provides a 90-120km range on a single charge with 5-6 hours of average charge time.

Unlike other competing Chinese scooters, the ePluto 7G features a larger capacity patented battery technology. So, the overall range is drastically increased by using the massive battery to power the 1.5kW motor.

Pure EV ePluto 7G feature highlights

• Retro design
• 0 to 40 kmph in 5 seconds
• 60 kmph Top Speed
• 120km Range
• 12 degree gradeability
• 10-inch alloy wheels
• 5-inch wide LCD screen with multiple speed modes
• High torque motor
• Anti-theft provision with smart lock
• Regenerative braking
• LED lights

First ride experience

Pure EV ePluto 7G packs in a good motor, large battery, and decent features.

Furthermore, it puts more emphasis on where things count: the battery and range.

With the onboard motor, it can easily achieve an average speed of up to 60kmph. Despite offering such speeds, the range still stands at an impeccable 90-120km.

So, it will be interesting to test those claims out in the real world.

Talking about the initial impressions, there is a slight delay in power delivery after opening up the throttle.

Unfortunately, all three modes suffer from slight delays. So, I’m more interested to know if there would be any real-world issues.

The performance seems to get an incremental increase with time, rather than a punchy push.

Perhaps, the 1.5kW motor has its disadvantages.

Again, we have only ridden ePluto 7G for a few hours, so take it with a grain of salt.

Moving on to the LCD display, it holds good enough information. In comparison with the competition, this one feels more static and limited.

Looking at the spec-sheet, there are a fair bit of features on offer, but they are yet to be tested.

In any case, one thing does jump out: the rear suspension. It feels rather soft, one of the softest ones we have ever tested.

If you didn’t know, the suspension should be a mix of soft and stiff to improve its real-world performance.

While using a softer suspension setup might absorb the bumps well, it reduces stability at higher speeds.

Maybe Pure EV found a different way to achieve that.

We will be sure to test it out just in case.