Ampere showcases Primus scooter at Auto Expo 2023

Ampere showcased the new Primus electric scooter at Auto Expo 2023. The EV claims a range of 120km on a single charge. The company has also taken the wraps off the new NXG and NXU e-scooter concepts, both of which will be launched this year. The company claims these two new e-scooters will have a claimed range of 120km on a single charge, when launched.

Visually, the Ampere Primus features similar styling to the existing Magnus electric scooter but gets four new dual-tone colours. The Primus e-scooter gets a new 3kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery, similar to the Oben Rorr e-bike. This endows it with a claimed IDC range of 120km and a claimed top speed of 75kph. A full charge takes four hours when plugged into a regular 5A socket, which drops to two hours when plugged into a fast-charging 30A socket.

The company claims the Primus’ new mid-mounted motor has a peak power output of 3.8kW and power is transferred to the rear wheel via a belt final drive, a first for an Ampere product. The Primus can manage the 0-40 kph sprint in under 5sec.

The Ampere Primus is equipped with three riding modes — Power, City and Eco — as well as a Reverse mode. It gets features such as Bluetooth connectivity enabling turn-by-turn navigation and notification alerts on the digital dash via the proprietary Ampere app. The Primus gets keyless operation as standard, like the Bajaj Chetak.

The Ampere Primus rolls on 12-inch wheels but gets drum brakes at both ends with a combined braking system. Underseat storage capacity stands at 22 litres and the Primus weighs 110kg. Its load-carrying capacity is rated at 150kg and it has a ground clearance figure of 160mm.

The Ampere Primus can be booked now and its pricing will be revealed soon.

The new NXG and NXU e-scooter concepts are based on a new modular platform and feature the same mid-mounted motor as the aforementioned Primus. The NXG will be available to private buyers and will be a more premium offering from the Greaves-owned subsidiary, compared to its existing portfolio.

The styling is in line with some premium e-scooters on the market rather than Ampere’s own products with elements like footpegs that sit flush with the bodywork, all-LED lighting, a TFT dash, fast-charging and it even gets a front disc brake. Ampere claims the NXG will be launched by the first half of the year. Considering the premium positioning of the Ampere NXG, we expect its price to hover around the ₹1 lakh mark.

The Ampere NXU, while based on the same platform as the NXG, is targeted at B2B and last-mile deliveries and features a luggage system in the form of a large top box and side panniers. The payload capacity of the NXU is rated at 200kg. The Ampere NXU gets a revised front apron with a circular headlight, a beefier front fork and chunkier tyres to cope with the additional weight its intended usage will most likely entail. The company says the NXU will be available to private buyers as well. Ampere plans to launch the NXU by the end of this year.