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BGauss RUV350 First Ride Review: Not Quite There Yet
Indian EV startup BGauss recently revealed its latest entrant into India's ever-expanding electric scooter market in the form of the RUV350 (Rider's Utility Vehicle). Like every new electric scooter that seems to be popping out of every corner of the country these days, the new BGuass RUV350 comes with its own USP.
BGauss claims that this made-in-India electric scooter has been developed to deal with any kind of terrain or road conditions that we find in our nation. We recently got to ride the BGauss RUV350 at the firm's facilities in Chakan, Pune and we do have quite a few thoughts about that we would like to share...
BGauss RUV350: Design & Features - Uniquely Different
At first glance, the BGauss RUV350 looks rather different compared to the scooters you see on our roads today, looking more like the ones you see scampering around the streets of Southeast Asian nations like Thailand and the firm's own D15 Pro.
Up front, the scooter features a square headlight with a chrome surround mounted onto the handlebar which is flanked on either side by the turn signals. The central section of the front apron features a gloss black section which is quite reflective and sports the BGauss logo.
The big highlights in terms of design are the 16-inch alloy wheels, which are the largest we've seen on any electric scooter so far in India. The wheels are offered in three colour options - Grey, Orange and Yellow - which contrast with the dual-tone colour options and stickering on the metal body panels of the RUV350.
The RUV350 also sports a wide floorboard, along with a soft-close seat for which there is a single-piece grab handle. The taillight looks quite compact and along with the turn signals and other lighting elements of the scooter are LED units.
The BGauss RUV350 sports a 5-inch TFT display which features an IP67 rating and offers features like turn-by-turn navigation, call notifications, riding and charging stats. The screen also displays which riding mode you're in and is controlled using the buttons on the right side of the handlebar.
The under-seat storage area is quite cramped and can hold a small size half-helmet. This is also where you find the charging port for the RUV350 as well as the powertrain on/off switch which should prove useful if you put this electric scooter into long-term storage.
For those looking for a bit more storage, there are small pockets on the front apron that can hold your phone and other essentials along with a hook to hook up your grocery bags. This is also where you find the USB charging port.
Another storage space can be found under the floorboard and is usually used to store the charging cable. This is a lockable storage and is hidden under the floor mat, which is useful if you have something to hide.
The BGauss RUV350 that we rode was a pre-production unit and had a few issues with its paint finish and the panel gaps, especially near the display. The quality of the plastics used felt rather cheap and these we rather easy to scratch up as well. The hidden storage under the floorboard also made it feel quite a bit flimsy.
BGauss RUV350 Review: Specs & Dimensions - The Everyday Stuff
The BGauss RUV350 is powered by the firm's new Hyperdrive in-wheel motor that produces a peak output of 4.69bhp and 165Nm (wheel torque). The motor is connected to a 3kWh lithium-ion battery pack that delivers an ARAI-certified range of 135km (claimed true range of 120km) on a single charge.
The battery pack can charge up from 0-80 per cent when connected to a 1.35kW off-board charger in one hour and 55 minutes, with a full charge taking another 40 minutes. Slower charging options are also offered, which take the charge time to 100 per cent to either three hours and 55 minutes (840W) or six hours and 50 minutes (500W).
It is to be noted that the rated range quoted by BGuass is the RUV350's Eco riding mode, where the top speed is limited to just 45km/h. There are two more modes on offer - Ride, which ups the top speed to 60km/h and Sport with a top speed of 75km/h and allows for a 0-40km/h sprint of 5.4 seconds.
The RUV350 sports a tubular chassis suspended off conventional telescopic forks at the front and a 4-step adjustable monoshock at the rear. The electric scooter's 16-inch wheels are shod with 80/80 (front) and 90/80(rear) tyres. Braking duties are handled by 130mm drum brakes at both ends that are aided by a combi-braking system.
The BGauss RUV350 measures 1,928mm long, 697mm wide, and 1,200mm tall and features a 1,335mm long wheelbase. The RUV350 offers 160mm of ground clearance and a seat height of 785mm.
BGauss RUV350 Review - Riding Impressions - Needs Some Work
On the road, the BGuass RUV350 feels like a regular scooter. The motor linearly delivers power, though the initial punch isn't as pronounced as in other scooters from rival marques.
There is a measurable change in performance levels when shifting between modes on the RUV350 and our personal preference was Sport mode. However, if you're after a good balance between performance and range, Ride will be the mode for you. Eco, while useful to eke out extra range, feels a bit stifled in terms of performance.
Over the rough stuff, the front end of the RUV350 behaved quite nicely, absorbing the bumps and ruts with ease. However, the rear end felt a bit too stiff for our liking with the pillion rider getting rather well acquainted with every imperfection on the road.
Around the corners, the oversized and ultra-skinny tyre setup of the RUV350 doesn't give you the confidence to have any sort of fun while going around a turn. What made the situation worse was the fact that while turning our knees were constantly flicking the key, switching the RUV350 off multiple times when on the move.
The brakes were another issue. While the rear brake worked well, thanks to the combi-braking system activating at just the right time. However, the front brake felt extremely unstable and gave you no confidence at all.- be it in terms of the initial bite or the overall stopping prowess.
BGauss RUV350 Review: Final Thoughts & Verdict - Still Unfinished
The BGauss RUV350 sees the Indian EV startup once again bring out an electric scooter that looks different from the regular options currently available to the public. While the claimed range and unique design make it an attractive option on paper, the tall and thin tyres and stiff rear suspension along with the usage of cheap plastics, obvious panel gaps and some rather weird storage choices make the BGauss RUV350 an electric scooter we could recommend as an everyday electric runabout, until we're able to really test it for a longer time.
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