TVS Orbiter Review: Real-World Performance and Range Tested

PHOTOGRAPHY: ARVIND SALHAN

TVS Motor Company’s most popular electric scooter is undoubtedly the TVS iQube, which also ranks among one of the most popular electric scooters on sale in India today. To date, the iQube has crossed sales of over 7,00,000, with nearly 3,00,00 units sold in just the past year. Building on this success, TVS has now introduced the new TVS Orbiter, an electric scooter positioned below the iQube, as a more affordable offering. We spent a few days with the Orbiter to get to know what it offers, and if it’s worth its Rs. 1 lakh (Ex-showroom) price tag.

Also Read: TVS Orbiter Vs TVS iQube - What's Different?

Design & Features

There’s no denying that the TVS Orbiter sports a funky, futuristic, and trendy design that is sure to turn heads. It looks especially striking in the blue and yellow dual-tone colour option called Neon Sunburst, seen in our test unit. In all, there are six dual-tone colour options to choose from. While the iQube carries a more conservative and universally appealing design, TVS has taken a bolder approach with the Orbiter, giving it a youthful and stylish character.

Also Read: TVS Orbiter First Ride Review

To my eyes, it stands out as one of the better-looking electric scooters currently on sale. Fit and finish levels are impressive, with good paint quality and panels that feel well put together. The bodywork material feels premium, despite the sub-Rs. 1 lakh (Ex-showroom) price tag. With that sticker price, TVS has opted for a colour LCD screen, so no fancy TFT here, but everything is laid out nicely on the Orbiter’s display.

Switchgear quality is quite nice, and the switches are tactile and slot into position precisely with a reassuring click. In terms of features, there are two modes – Eco and City promising different levels of performance and range. Interestingly, the Orbiter also gets cruise control, a feature which isn’t offered even on the slightly more expensive TVS iQube. However, the Orbiter does miss out on is a front disc brake. Braking duties are handled by a combined braking system, with drum brakes at both ends, a point we’ll talk about later.

There's hill-hold control, reverse park assistance system and first-in-segment cruise control system which works quite simply and flawlessly. The LCD display also has Bluetooth connectivity through which you can access additional features through the TVS Connect app, including live location, charging station network, turn-by-turn navigation, distance-to-empty, and more.

TVS Orbiter: Practicality & Ergonomics

The Orbiter boasts of a massive volume of underseat storage space – all 34 litres of it. So, there’s no dearth of space, even with the bundled charger stored inside the boot. But despite the volume, the depth of the boot isn’t quite cavernous enough to swallow a full-face helmet. Of course, it can comfortably accommodate two half-face helmets in the boot.

The seat is flat, straight and long, with a length of 845 mm and height of 763 mm. It's a comfortable perch for both rider and pillion and full marks to TVS to design a seat which is both comfortable and goes with the aesthetics of the Orbiter. Floorboard space is decent as well, with a flat, straight space of 290 mm. The ergpnomics are comfortable, offering an upright riding position which will be appreciated by riders of different height and build.

TVS Orbiter: Performance

From the get-go, the Orbiter comes across as a friendly and familiar scooter. Despite being an electric, throttle response is linear, smooth and progressive – neither too quick, nor too aggressive – which makes it near perfect for new and first-time riders. In Eco mode, top speed is limited to 45 kmph, with the focus on maximising range. If you want slightly brisker performance, City mode will take you to a speedo-indicated 68 kmph, although I suspect true top speed will be closer to 62-63 kmph.

Essentially, it’s not a very quick scooter, even though acceleration feels brisk and the mid-range performance, from speeds ranging from around 35 kmph to 55 kmph, the Orbiter feels sprightly and doesn’t feel like it will run out of steam. Overall, below 60 kmph, you won’t feel the lack of shove from the Orbiter’s hub-mounted BLDC motor with a modest output of 2.5 kW (approximately 3.3 bhp).

Basically, the Orbiter isn’t a performance-oriented electric scooter, and it’s made with commuting in mind. As long as your use case is short dashes around town, it’s fine, but if your commute is longer, where you need sustained higher speeds, you may start to notice the lack of top-end performance. The cruise control works like a charm. It’s designed with simplicity in mind – first click activates the feature, and second click sets the speed. No “resume” no “set” and no “+” or “-“ buttons to confuse you.

Ride Quality & Dynamics

As far as ride quality is concerned, the Orbiter will meet anyone’s expectations. It may not be as plush and comfortable as the Chetak or its sibling, the iQube. Compared to those two, the Orbiter has a slight bouncy feel to it on the move, but it’s not something which is alarmingly uncomfortable or make you notice and squirm in the seat. In fact, it manages to tackle all kinds of road imperfections, speed breakers and the occasional pothole that we encountered, without protest.

The 14-inch front wheel and 12-inch rear wheel combination may seem odd to many, who may be eager to critique the Orbiter, but handling and dynamics are quite impressive. Around corners, the Orbiter stays planted and offers a level of confidence that is quite impressive. The only drawback is the lack of a front disc brake, which makes stopping the Orbiter a rather wooden, and doubtful experience. This is not to say that the brakes lack performance, but a front disc brake would have added confidence and better bite overall to make the braking experience feel more confidence inspiring.

TVS Orbiter: Range & Charging Time

TVS claims 158 km IDC range on a single charge for the Orbiter, and during our tests, which involved mixed riding conditions, the Orbiter returned a true range of around 100-110 km, which is impressive. However, the charging time isn’t ideal and takes anywhere between 4-6 hours to recharge the battery from a low of 15-20 per cent charge left, and that is something which requires planning – both in usage and in re-charging.

TVS Orbiter: Price & Positioning

The TVS Orbiter is priced at Rs. 1,04,900 (Ex-showroom) and is positioned just below the iQube. At that price, the Orbiter is aimed not only at price conscious buyers, but also at the two-wheeler delivery and gig economy segments, where its practicality and range will likely make it a somewhat attractive option than its sibling and other rivals.

TVS Orbiter: Verdict

The TVS Orbiter gets a lot of things right. Its funky and attractive styling certainly will grab attention from customers of all ages, young, middle-aged, and of both genders. It’s practical, comfortable, light on its feet and quite fun to ride. And with a real-world range of approximately 100 km on a single charge, the Orbiter makes for a practical electric urban scooter which many will appreciate. There are, however, a few drawbacks with the Orbiter.

If only it had slightly more performance and a higher top speed, as well as a front disc brake, the TVS Orbiter could have taken the game to the next level in the sub-Rs. 1 lakh electric scooter segment. If TVS introduces a slightly bigger motor with more power in the Orbiter, along with a front disc brake, even as a variant, those additions would make the Orbiter very easy to recommend.

Even then, for anyone looking at decent range, funky design and affordable pricing, the Orbiter in its current form still makes sense, more so for gig workers who need the space and practicality it offers and don’t really need more than the performance it packs.

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