25 km city commute: Should I get a small EV or an electric scooter

The vehicle should be super comfortable, reliable and VFM in terms of initial costs as well as service.

BHPian sapien recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Greetings to all the lovely folks here at Team-BHP. I am writing to seek help for my daily commute which involves a total of 25 km of city drive with moderate to dense traffic.

Background :

We have 2 cars and 2 two-wheelers :

• XUV700 Petrol AT : Primarily used for longer drives, we got it in 2024. I don't mind using it for the commute but the petrol bills and size are deterrents.
• Tiago Petrol Manual : It's 8 years old and a manual, I love driving automatics in city traffic. Planning to sell this one soon, just keeping it for wifey's wishes to have a smaller car for her in case of some last-minute need. She's not comfortable driving the AT SUV yet.
• Dio : It's nearly 13+ years old and suspension has gone to the dogs! Used for super short grocery runs etc. Q: What will be the cost to overhaul the suspension and how long will that last?
• Honda Stunner : It's completed 15 years in 2023 and I want to sell it, but registration needs to be renewed which costs nearly 11-14k with all taxes and fines. Max resell value is going to be 15k so it's just lying around in the garage due to the sentimental value of being the 1st bike - a lot of beautiful memories with my then-fiancee, now wife.

Need:

Till now, I was primarily working from home so there was no such pressing need, but due to a recent job change, I need to go to the office crossing the superb city roads, if you know what I mean! In order to reduce the outflow from my pocket I'm leaning towards getting a new EV two-wheeler but also exploring the idea of selling Tiago and getting a small EV like Comet etc, due to its size advantages.

PS: The new place that I am joining is likely to have a paid transport service.

Also, we have only 1 car park, using someone else's parking for now to park the XUV. And, it rains for 3-4 months here, so those days I will be only using a car. Now, for those of you who are still with me, I have these specific requirements for the EV 2-wheeler if I decide to buy one. Requirements remain the same if you are suggesting getting a smaller car, just that it should be an AT-

• Super comfortable.
• Reliable - spoilt by Hondas in my garage.
• VFM in terms of initial costs as well as service.

Shortlist :

• TVS iQube : Most comfortable from what have understood from the internet / media.
• Ather Rizta : Most reliable brand with a good charging network, but I am not a fan of its looks, only if the 450 series were available with a comfortable suspension.
• Chetak EV : This has everything going for it, but somehow not sure. Convince me how comfortable is it.
• Classic 350 / Harley 440 : This is a wildcard option to get while we still have some thumping ICEs around, might push me to make solo 1-day trips to the countryside and enjoy the greenery!

So here's to all the knowledgeable experts:

• Q1 : Is it reasonable to buy a new vehicle? or shall I continue with whatever I have in my garage? Am I just being materialistic?
• Q2 : If yes, what makes more sense in the long run, EV/ICE 2-wheeler or an EV car? Note I am 36 years of age working in IT with somewhat average physical health.
• Q3 : If you were in this situation, what would you buy literally?

I am open to all kinds of advice, suggestions - pour in!

Here's what GTO replied:

The weather is getting way too H-O-T and I've never agreed with using a 2-wheeler as a daily ride due to safety reasons (especially since you have the option of affording a car).

Sell the Tiago MT. Getting old, and MT is out now.

An EV is perfect for your use case. Either a Tiago EV or even better, the Punch EV. You anyway keep your cars for long, so buy the better car (Punch EV) and enjoy the drive.

Here's what BHPian salluks replied:

Had the same situation last year and went with the TVS iQube. If I had to remake the decision today I would honestly sell all 3 vehicles and instead buy MG Comet (or BYD Seagull if it existed here). It however depends on the children (if you have).

Here's what BHPian Sensible_Speed replied:

If you're replacing the Tiago, an EV might be a good choice. The Tiago EV or a mid-variant Punch EV should fit the bill perfectly. Regarding scooters, I picked the Rizta because it looks cooler, but all the above are well-proven products and you can pick any one of them.

Here's what BHPian shankar.balan replied:

If you have the ability to do so, please buy a small city car.

For your usage pattern as outlined, close your eyes and buy the tiny footprint, well-designed, super-efficient little MG Comet.

MG has a better service reputation. And the Comet is perfect for the city. Parking. Squeezing through narrow streets. Airy Glasshouse so it is spacious. Great for office commute, weatherproof, local loafing, grocery shopping etc. Cheap as chips to charge and run.

My money is absolutely on MG Comet.

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