Best Scooters in India

The Piaggio Vespa is one of the best scooters in India today. However its price of Rs. 78,300/- (on-road, Mumbai) makes it really very expensive. The Vespa is unlike any other scooter available in the market, it looks unique and extremely attractive.

The Wego is one of the lightest scooters around, weighing just 104 kgs. It is powered by a 110cc engine which produces 8 BHP of power and 7.8 Nm of torque. The Wego feature telescopic forks and retails at an ex-showroom Mumbai price of Rs. 47,000/-.

    The Mahindra Duro DZ was recently updated, after the company took feedback from customers and incorporated changes. The Duro is one of the cheapest 125cc scooters around and offers a mileage of 47 km/l.

      The Duro DZ is powered by a 125cc engine which produces 8 BHP of power and 9 Nm of torque. The scooter has telescopic forks at the front, which is a big boon for comfort. The increased ground clearance also ensures the Duro doesn't bottom out.

      The Vespa LX125 is powered by a 124cc, 4-stroke engine which has 3-valves. This motor produces 10.06 PS of power and 10.6 Nm of torque, giving it stellar performance. The mileage is also one of the best and one can expect 50 km/l in normal riding conditions.

     Suzuki's Swish is nothing but the Access scooter in a new avatar. The Swish is 5 kgs lighter and is slightly taller than the Access. The Access has been a runaway success and there is no reason why the Swish shouldn't be.

      The Suzuki Swish is powered by a 124cc engine which produces 8.58 BHP and 9.8 Nm. The scooter is quick and offers a mileage of 45 km/l in the city. The telescopic forks give it a good ride quality. The Swish is priced at Rs. 56,000/- (on-road, Mumbai).

     Honda recently upgraded the Dio scooter, giving it major upgrades all around. The Dio is now powered by the Activa's 109cc engine. The Dio also gets the combi-braking system from the Activa.

      The Honda Dio is very sporty. Its low weight gives it good performance, while the compact dimensions make it easy to handle and ride hard. The striking appearance makes it the perfect scooter for the youth. It is priced at Rs. 51.500/- (on-road, Mumbai).

    The Hero Maestro looks a lot like the Honda Activa, because it is indeed based on the Activa. The Maestro is priced at a premium of Rs. 3000/- over the Activa (on-road Mumbai price of Rs. 57,000/-). It is powered by the same 109cc engine.

      The Honda Dio is very sporty. Its low weight gives it good performance, while the compact dimensions make it easy to handle and ride hard. The striking appearance makes it the perfect scooter for the youth. It is priced at Rs. 51.500/- (on-road, Mumbai).

    The Maestro returns a mileage of 50 km/l. It has one of the best consoles in scooters, which is digital in nature. The size and looks of the scooter will attract many, while Hero's large service network is just the icing on the cake.

     The TVS Wego is one of the best handling scooters around. It has a feature called Body Balance, which keeps the weight at the front, thereby keeping the Wego stable. It has a full metal body.

Innovative concept cars from Tata

Cars that are envisioned to meet the requirements of the gen-next, incorporating futuristic technology and features. 

Tata Aria Roadster - Tata showcased in the year 2000 the concept of an exceedingly good looking roadster - a two seater coupe convertible - called the Tata Aria. The then Ms. World Yukta Mookhey, along with the Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata did the honour of unveiling the Aria to the international press. Built on the same platform as the Tata Indica, The Tata Aria, proposed to be powered by a 140 hp engine

The interior emphasizes space and elegance with an innovative ventilation system and driver-oriented instrumentation stylishly packaged in the steering column.

  Tata Pixel - The Tata Pixel's ability to manoeuvre and park in the tightest of spaces is made possible by its Zero Turn toroidal traction-drive Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT), which assists rotation of the outer rear wheel forwards and the inner rear wheel backwards, while the front wheels turn at acute angles. The result is a turning circle radius of just 2.6 metres. The 'scissor' doors rotate upwards from the front to allow passengers to effortlessly enter or exit the Tata Pixel, even in the tightest of spaces.

    Tata Elegante - Tata Motors unveiled the Tata Elegante, a Sedan Concept based on all new platform, at the 77th Geneva Auto Show in the year 2007. The Tata Elegante, larger than the current Tata Indigo Sedan, is conceptualized to incorporate 4 cylinder transverse petrol and diesel engines from 1.4 litres through to 2 litres and a compact V6 petrol power unit. Common rail direct injection turbo diesel engines with variable valve timing and capabilities to comply with Euro V emissions norms will also be available. Power varies from 90 to 200 PS with torque of upto 280 Nm. Transmission options include 6 speed manual and automatic gearboxes.

   Tata Elegante - Tata Motors unveiled the Tata Elegante, a Sedan Concept based on all new platform, at the 77th Geneva Auto Show in the year 2007. The Tata Elegante, larger than the current Tata Indigo Sedan, is conceptualized to incorporate 4 cylinder transverse petrol and diesel engines from 1.4 litres through to 2 litres and a compact V6 petrol power unit. Common rail direct injection turbo diesel engines with variable valve timing and capabilities to comply with Euro V emissions norms will also be available. Power varies from 90 to 200 PS with torque of upto 280 Nm. Transmission options include 6 speed manual and automatic gearboxes.

Tata Megapixel - Combining a lithium ion phosphate battery and an on-board petrol engine generator for recharging on the move, the Tata Megapixel offers a range of up to 900 km (with a single tank of fuel), path-breaking CO2 emission of just 22 gm / km and fuel economy of 100 km / litre (under battery only power). The at-home charging system is an as innovative induction charging system. The car has simply to be parked over the induction pad for charging to begin.

Tata Indiva - Tata Motors has unveiled a new 7-seater MPV concept in the year 2002. Built on the same platform as Tata's B-segment offering, the Tata Indica, this MPV concept demonstrates the versatility of the Tata Indica platform. The Tata MPV, the Tata Indiva has been designed as a compact, space-efficient vehicle and is amongst the shortest 7-seater conceived with an overall length of just under 4.3 metres. It has a high seating position, which enhances passenger comfort, safety and visibility. The interior layout is flexible with the 3rd row of seats being removable which frees up interior space. Sporting 16" alloy wheels, it has been designed as a streamlined peoples' carrier, which is more car-like with on-board electronic systems integrating high level of in-car entertainment, navigation and internet connectivity. The concept has a permanent sunroof and a headliner with LED lighting, which gives the interior an airy, spacious feeling.

  The Tata Cliffrider is derived from the Tata "Crossover" Concept, which was originally unveiled at the last Geneva Auto Show. Sporting a silhouette like a high-slung sedan, the Tata Cliffrider is a dynamic package that combines lifestyle and sporty usage with the practical functionality of a pick-up truck.

  The Concept showcases Tata Motors' idea of how a utility product could evolve in future for the discerning customer through a truly multi-purpose, multi-terrain usage of a car.

The Concept showcases Tata Motors' idea of how a utility product could evolve in future for the discerning customer through a truly multi-purpose, multi-terrain usage of a car.

   The exterior styling cues carry forward the visual theme of the Tata Crossover. The door trims show a continuity of form due to the disguised central pillar, with the front door hinged at its leading edge and the rear door at its trailing edge, allowing better access to the rear seats.

The exterior styling cues carry forward the visual theme of the Tata Crossover. The door trims show a continuity of form due to the disguised central pillar, with the front door hinged at its leading edge and the rear door at its trailing edge, allowing better access to the rear seats.

BMW unveils C evolution electric scooter

Ø  With 11 kW continuous output and 35 kW peak output, the "C evolution" has a powerful motor and    provides a high level of riding fun. The top speed is electronically limited to 120 km/h. The scooter supremely handles motorway riding and overtaking - even with a passenger. It is also capable of effortless hill starts on steep slopes with a pillion passenger. In terms of acceleration from 0 to 60 km/h, it comfortably holds its own against current maxi scooters a capacity of 600 cc or more.

·        The "C evolution" is powered via a drive train swing arm. The alternator is positioned behind the battery casing and integrated in the swing arm.

             Thanks to elaborate power electronics settings, the alternator offers the rider an instant, spontaneous response. There are no delays in torque build-up at all as are typical in combustion engines due to the clutch engaging and disengaging.

      BMW Motorrad has conducted lengthy road tests to develop a form of recuperation which is unique in single-track vehicles and very transparent for the rider.

The charge cable required is housed in a storage compartment on the right-hand side of the footwell. It is fitted with a mains plug to fit the respective national system.

      BMW Motorrad has presented the near-production prototype of the C evolution e-scooter as it might soon go on the market.

One of the main technological challenges was optimum cooling of the high-voltage battery. On the one hand it was necessary to avoid excessively low temperatures due to the fact that the interior resistance of the cells is heavily increased as a result, thereby reducing power

     On the other hand, the temperatures must not be too high since this would impair the lifetime of the cells.

      While in electrically powered cars a cooling agent is normally used to cool the battery, air cooling is used in the "C evolution" in order to save space and weight.

      The heat of the high-voltage battery is dissipated by means of an aerodynamically optimised cooling air shaft at the centre of the battery casing through which there is a constant flow of air. To ensure optimum heat dissipation, the battery base has longitudinally arranged cooling ribs.

     However, the battery casing in die-cast aluminium not only holds the cells with their special architecture but also the entire electronics unit for monitoring the cells. It also acts as a load-bearing chassis element.

      The power electronics for the electric drive is installed behind the battery casing. This not only takes care of controlling the alternator within a range of 100 to 150 volts but also responds to rider commands, for example by detecting the position of the throttle grip.

      The system also processes information from the brake system and decides whether energy should be recuperated and how much recuperation torque is to be applied to the rear wheel if required.

      Innovative electric drive via drivetrain swing arm with liquid-cooled alternator, tooth belt and planetary gear.

      Due to the proximity of the alternator output shaft and the swing arm axle, the moment of inertia around the swing arm centre of rotation is minimised. This also provides optimum suspension/damper settings and a sensitive response.

     The secondary drive is via a tooth belt from the alternator to the rear belt pulley on the output shaft. From here, power is transferred to the rear wheel via a planetary gear. The total gear reduction is 1:8.4, while the maximum rotational speed of the alternator is 10,000 rpm.

     Since it was conceived as a future-oriented vehicle for commuting between the urban periphery and the city centre, there were two particular requirements for its development: performance figures comparable to those of a maxi scooter with a combustion engine and a long range in realistic conditions of use.

The "C evolution" is ridden in exactly the same way as a scooter with combustion engine. The rider does not have to actively initiate energy recuperation since the vehicle does this automatically whenever possible.

      For example, energy recuperation commences when the throttle grip is closed and - as in a combustion engine - the generator function of the alternator creates drag torque which depends on the degree of recuperation.

The drag torque generated by the alternator is like the familiar "engine brake" that takes effect when removing the accelerator with a combustion engine.

Recuperation is also carried out during braking, converting kinetic energy to electrical energy so as to charge the battery. Here, a system of sensors is used to tap into the brake pressure on the front and rear wheel brake.

    When the power electronics detects that the rider is braking, the alternator builds up drag torque, thereby supporting the brake manoeuvre and recuperating energy. By regaining energy during coasting or braking, the range of the two-wheeler can be extended by 10 to 20 per cent, depending on riding style.

The battery is charged via the integrated charging device, either at a regular household socket or a charging station. When the battery is completely flat, charging time ideally lasts less than three hours.

     The car-type charging socket - currently the only one of its kind in an electrically powered two-wheel vehicle - is located behind a cover in the footwell at front left.

The combined effect of the colour "Light white" and the highlight colour "Electric green" reflects the vehicle's specific properties, such as maximum environmental compatibility, supreme dynamic performance and simple handling. What is more, the illuminating "e" inscription on the two battery side trim elements and motor unit bear out the technical character of an electrically powered scooter.

      With 11 kW continuous output and 35 kW peak output, the "C evolution" has a powerful motor and provides a high level of riding fun. The top speed is electronically limited to 120 km/h.

     The scooter supremely handles motorway riding and overtaking - even with a passenger. It is also capable of effortless hill starts on steep slopes with a pillion passenger. In terms of acceleration from 0 to 60 km/h, it comfortably holds its own against current maxi scooters a capacity of 600 cc or more.

    Compared to conventional combustion engines, the electric drive of the "C evolution" also offers significant advantages at low speeds in particular.

     At 8 kWh, the storage capacity of the battery is extremely generous and ensures a range of up to 100 kilometres. This means that realistic zero-emissions riding in the big city and in urban environments is no problem at all.

    As in other areas, BMW Motorrad has been able to draw on synergy effects with BMW automobiles here. For example, the "C evolution" uses the same lithium-ion storage modules as are installed in the BMW i3.

     Here, developers paid particular attention to the quality and service life of the storage modules so as to ensure that the range is preserved even after many years of service life and in very cold weather.