SPHOTOGRAPHY: ARVIND SALHAN
The Suzuki e-Access is Suzuki’s first electric scooter and it attempts to take a shot at a segment where there are quite a few rivals. The question I had before heading to Bengaluru for a brief first ride was – what will the e-Access offer that could make it as popular an electric scooter as its petrol-powered namesake, the 125 cc Suzuki Access? The answer lies in a lot of what the e-Access offers, but are there still some areas where Suzuki could have done better?
Also Read: Suzuki e-Access First Ride Review
The Suzuki e-Access has quite a likeable design. It's well-built, well-proportioned and everything about its design underscores the attention to quality.
While the overall silhouette is traditional and “safe” the e-Access looks a lot better in the real world and should appeal to a diverse set of customers.
The 4.2-inch full-colour screen will offer you “access” to the usual information - battery charge, range, speedometer, odometer, clock and the ride mode being used. Smartphone connectivity further opens up other features, including turn-by-turn navigation, call & text alerts, high-speed warning and more.
Speaking of ride modes, the e-Access offers three - Eco (with speed limited to 51 kmph), Ride Mode A (with more regen, and top speed of 71 kmph), and Ride Mode B (with low regen, and top speed of 71 kmph).
Performance is linear, and throttle response is friendly. It's not designed for thrill, but quite likeable. From a standstill till about 12-14 kmph, the e-Access has very approachable and friendly performance, but then on, till the dash to 50 kmph is brisk and quite likeable.
You can toggle between Eco and any one of the other ride modes on the go, but you can't toggle between all three, and will have to come to a standstill. In any case, the regen difference isn't that much to make any stark difference in performance really.
In the dynamics department is where the Suzuki e-Access truly shines! It's agile, planted and stable - traits which are certain to be appreciated in the real world as well - during the daily commute while negotiating traffic.
Our first ride was limited to the smooth surface of a go-kart track, so we'll reserve our opinion on ride quality. Yet, the e-Access offers a comfortable perch and should be an easy, approachable and comfortable electric scooter.
What will eventually matter is the pricing of the Suzuki e-Access, which is expected to be announced soon!
A top speed of 71 kmph sounds adequate, but slightly higher maximum speed of around 80 kmph would have certainly been welcome.
Suzuki promises DC fast charging solution across all its 1,150 sales and service points by the end of 2025, and a separate app will showcase the fast-charging network on any route that you will be riding through.
The Suzuki e-Access employs a LFP (lithium iron phospate) with 95 km claimed range. LFP battery chemistry is known for being more stable and safe, and also have longer life than the more common NCM (nickel cobalt manganese) battery chemistry.
The DC fast charger is claimed to charge the e-Access from 0 to 100 per cent in 2 hours 12 minutes. A conventional bundled home charger will take 6 hours 20 minutes to fully charge the e-Access.
As far as first rides go, the Suzuki e-Access is an impressive package. It promises to be practical, with a neutral design which is certain to find wide appeal and oozes a level of quality which is impressive.
A lot will depend on pricing of the Suzuki e-Access, something which is yet to be announced. If Suzuki can make it competitive, with prices around Rs. 1.10-1.15 lakh, this is one electric scooter that will be very easy to recommend!
