TVS Orbiter: Road Test Review

Styling And Quality

Usually, electric scooter designs aren’t the most exciting ones, at least in my eyes. Sure, there are some exceptions here and there. But more often than not, it’s the same old tried and tested formulas. The Orbiter, in this regard, stands out as something fresh and appealing. The design is modern and feels like a big departure from the iQube lineup’s family-oriented looks.

The funky colour options available also add to its good looks. The unit I was riding for this review had the Neon Sunburst colour scheme, which combines a flashy fluorescent yellow colour with a subtle dark blue shade. The contrasting colours and the overall flashy appearance give it a youthful vibe, which younger riders, like me, will appreciate.

The only bit that I found odd in the scooter’s design is the unusually tall windscreen. It just feels unnecessary, as it doesn’t offer any wind protection. The placement also makes it dangerous in scenarios such as hard braking or hitting a deep pothole, where you might end up hitting your face on it.

Ergonomics And Comfort

Astride the Orbiter, I was easily able to get a flat foot with my height of 5’7, thanks to the accessible seat height of 760mm. The seat is well cushioned and feels comfortable during my short commutes to and from the office. It is also very spacious, and there’s ample leg room on the floorboard. The long profile also makes it easy to accommodate a pillion rider without feeling cramped.

Even while riding for longer stretches on the highway, there was no compromise in seating comfort. The foam is adequately thick and can easily hold its own even during extended times on the saddle.

Performance And Handling

The Orbiter’s 2.5kW motor can handle city rides well, with its linear acceleration. There are two modes, Eco and City; the Eco mode restricts the top speed to 45kmph and the City mode unlocks the scooter’s full power. I’ve been using the city mode for most of my commutes, as the Eco mode felt too slow, and my commute also includes a bit of open highway stretches.

In city traffic, the scooter feels in its element, and making quick overtakes is fairly easy, and the top speed of 69kmph (speedo indicated) is more than enough for daily commutes. Move on to the highway, and things change a lot.

Twist the throttle hard, and try to ride the scooter at its top speed to cruise down the highways, and you’ll immediately feel the heaviness of the throttle. The second thing that’ll be most evident is that the scooter just doesn’t have the power needed to keep up with highway traffic. Once you cross speeds of 60kmph, the motor just doesn’t have the performance needed to make overtakes, so you’ll have to plan your moves in advance.

Now, the Orbiter gets cruise control, which even the base TVS iQube doesn’t get. This feature in a scooter that isn’t powerful seems pointless at first glance, but I found it to be very useful. As mentioned earlier, the heavy throttle can get annoying after a while, but putting the scooter on cruise control solves this issue to a large extent.

That said, the lack of power is still there, and during my highway runs, I just tend to put the cruise control on and patiently wait till the highway sections are over. This lack of highway legs, however, wasn’t a major deal breaker because the scooter is primarily meant for city commutes, and it does that job very well.

Battery and Range

In our test, the TVS Orbiter returned a range of 97.5km in mixed riding conditions. Even when the battery was low, there was no drop in acceleration, and the performance remained consistent throughout.

Handling and Ride Quality

City riding on the busy streets of Mumbai is all about getting stuck in traffic, but the Orbiter makes life easier. Thanks to its agile nature, which makes filtering through traffic quite easy. But what surprised me the most was how enthusiastically the scooter tips into corners. The grippy tyres also inspire a lot of confidence when leaned over.

But the good handling comes at the expense of ride quality. The suspension setup is tuned towards the stiffer side, and with my weight of 63kg, I could feel most of the bumps and potholes on road. In fact, whenever I was riding through a bad patch of road, I often slowed down. With the pillion, the ride quality improves marginally.

Speaking of slowing down, the drum brakes do a good job of bringing the scooter to a halt quickly. The rear brake offers good feel and stopping power, and easily brings the scooter to a halt. However, for slightly better performance, the brand could have gone with a disc brake at the front instead of a drum.

Features And Technology

The Orbiter gets a colour LCD instrument console with smartphone connectivity for features like turn-by-turn navigation. Although I haven’t used this feature, it is still good to have. The console, meanwhile, has a clean layout and offers enough visibility in all lighting conditions.

The 34-litre underseat storage space has been practical, and it saved me an extra trip home to pick up gym equipment. I could pack for the day and keep my things inside the scooter while I was at work.

For perspective, the underseat storage can fit a full backpack along with the scooter’s charger on board. Lastly, the scooter also gets a park assist feature. But I didn’t find myself using it much, as the Orbiter feels very light, and moving it around the parking lot was never a hassle.

Verdict

The TVS Orbiter is not the fastest electric scooter, nor is it the most feature-packed one. But it still gets a lot of things right. The performance is adequate for city runs, and the large underseat storage is very practical for personal and family needs. The good looks also expand its scope from being just a regular commuting scooter to something even younger riders can consider. At an ex-showroom (Bengaluru) price of Rs. 1,05 lakh, the Orbiter is a compelling proposition if you’re looking for a simple, no-nonsense electric scooter for your daily commutes.

Photography by Kapil Angane