Hero’s Electric Scooter Compared With The Yamaha Neo’s

  • Apr 16, 2022
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How can the Yamaha Neo’s match up against the desi EV, on paper?

We covered the exclusive story about the confirmation of the arrival of the Yamaha Neo’s. The Neo’s is basically an electric take on the 50cc petrol-powered scooters that were popular in Europe. But the asking price of GBP 3,005 which translates to around Rs 3 lakh (before taxes) is too high for what it has to offer. So we pit it against the Hero Optima CX, a desi EV which has performance similar to that of a 50cc scooter. Let's see how the two e-scooters fare against each other in terms of specifications on paper.

Engine

Specifications

Optima CX

Yamaha Neo’s

Motor Type

BLDC hub motor

3 phase synchronised motor

Peak Power

1.2kW

2.5kW

Battery Capacity

30Ah

19.2Ah

Charging Time

4-5 hours

Around 8 hours

Range

82km(single battery)

140km(dual battery)

38.5km(single battery)

68km(dual battery)

Torque

NA

136Nm

Top Speed

45kmph

40kmph

The two e-scooters are closely packed when it comes to performance. Both of them have performance similar to a 50cc scooter. While the Yamaha Neo’s has a peak power advantage, the Optima takes the cake in terms of its range. The massive gap in their ranges is thanks to the Optima’s substantially bigger battery capacity. That said, both the scooters have removable batteries. While the Neo’s takes around eight hours to charge to 100 percent, the Optima takes only about half of that.

Underpinnings

Specifications

Optima CX

Yamaha Neo’s

Frame

Underbone

Underbone

Front suspension

Telescopic fork

Telescopic fork

Rear suspension

Dual shock absorbers

Single shock absorber

Front brake

Drum 

Disc

Rear brake

Drum

Drum

Front tyre

90/90 - 12

110/70 - 13

Rear tyre

90/90 - 12

130/70 - 13

When it comes to underpinnings, the Neo’s is superior, at least on paper. It not only gets a front disc brake, but the wider tyres should also provide better traction on any surface. The Neo’s also gets a single shock absorber which should ideally result in better handling. 

Dimensions

Specifications

Optima CX

Yamaha Neo’s

Wheelbase

1290mm

1305mm

Ground clearance

140mm

135mm

Boot space

N/A

27-litres

Seat height

N/A

795mm

Kerb weight (without battery)

82kg(single battery)

93kg(dual battery)

90kg

A slightly better ground clearance means that the Optima will be able handle our miserable roads a tad bit better. That said, both the e-scooters’ ground clearances are on the lower side. At 795mm, the Yamaha’s seat height is more than most of its competition, so it might not be accessible for riders of all sizes. Being 8kg lighter(for the single battery back) also ensures that the Optima is lighter on its feet. Having a lesser wheelbase also means that the Optima is quicker with its turn-ins and is more fun to ride in the city.

Features

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Optima CX

Yamaha Neo’s

Cruise Control

Yes

No

USB Charging Port

Yes

No

Reverse Mode

Yes

No

Walk Assist

Yes

No

The Optima has a rich features list and comes loaded with cruise control, USB charging port, reverse mode, walk assist mode along with a digital instrument cluster, LED headlamps and an anti-theft alarm with a remote key. The Neo’s on the other hand gets a smart key and an LCD instrument cluster with smartphone compatibility allowing you to access things like vehicle battery status, route tracking and viewing the calls and messages. That said, for its asking price, the Neo’s should come with a more features such as TFT instrumentation, fast charging, etc.

Price & Verdict

Optima CX

Yamaha Neo’s

Rs 62,190(single battery)

Rs 77,490(dual battery)

Rs 2,50,000(expected)

(all prices ex-showroom Delhi) 

This is where the Hero Optima CX blows the Yamaha Neo’s away with its value-for-money proposition. The Optima not only has a much bigger range, but a price tag of Rs 77,490 for its top-end variant makes the Yamaha’s Rs 2,50,000 (expected) tag look unnecessarily expensive. Even if Yamaha manages to price it competitively, we doubt it could match the Optima. The Euro-spec Neo’s doesn’t have room in our competitive EV market. So it would be a better option for Yamaha to bring in an India-specific model to match up against our pre-existing EVs. 

Yamaha Neo's Video Review

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