Bangalore/Hosur:
Meet India’s fastest, most advanced, longest range and costliest electric two-wheeler: The Ultraviolette F77. As a manufacturer, what can you really do with such a motorcycle? Well, maybe fine-tune. The newly introduced F77 Mach 2 has a slight power gain, improved safety equipment and a host of delectable colour schemes. Sweetening the deal, the price has gone down by Rs 80,000. We travelled to Hosur, Tamil Nadu and rode the motorcycle on twisted, open roads. Read along to find out what’s changed:
Let’s dive into the most likeable part: Ride. The 30 kW motor in the Recon variant now generates 40.2 horsepower and 100 Nm, up by 1.2 units in power and 5 units in torque. The F77 feels quick off the block and the instant torque, especially in ballistic mode, lunges the motorcycle forward with considerable thrust. The speedo readout clocks 100 kmph in less than 8 seconds, and one can easily cross 150 kmph with little effort on open straights. Riding on the highways will be a breeze, albeit with regular stops to replenish the battery. The 10.3 kWh battery pack, the largest in an EV two-wheeler in the country, can be topped up in about 6 hours. The boost charge halves the downtime and the series of public fast chargers, which Ultraviolette is working on, even lowers time to a fourth. However, carrying the off-board charger continues to be a headache. It’s heavy and the owner has to buy accessories to load up the charger for travel requirements – impractical, if I may say so.
A massive battery pack means a decent range. The claimed IDC (Indian Driving Cycle) range stands at 323 kilometres. We had the opportunity to ride the earlier generation for a week, and it offered us at least 250 kilometres in combat mode (eco). In most used case purposes, the eco mode feels enough for city rides. The throttle map is slightly subdued and the speed is capped at 80 kmph, good enough to keep up with the pace of the traffic. All things being told about performance, the feel is slightly different on the saddle compared to earlier. A 9-level regenerative braking comes as standard, with the lowest being a complete turn-off. At the highest setting, especially in combat (eco) mode, the motor recuperates strongly, mimicking engine braking in a petrol-powered motorcycle. While I had no worries about the range during the media event, I whacked the throttle open whenever I found traffic-free tarmac and allowed the regeneration to kick in without really feathering the brakes much. The entire process of slowing down feels seamless. Electric two-wheelers have indeed come a long way!
There are no changes in the mechanical parts, and the ergonomics feel the same. If you are 5.6 feet or above, tiptoeing will be usual. The posture is somewhat committed, and the rider has to stretch out to reach the handlebars. The foot pegs are rear-set. While the ergonomics are manageable, the weight is not, especially in slow-moving traffic. Tipping the scale at 207 kilograms, is a bit of getting used to the weight. However, the reverse mode is accessible, making it easy to draw the F77 out of a parking lot. The hill hold assist is also a handy feature in stop-and-go traffic and, mostly will be put in use on flyovers and inclines. The Mach 2 also brings in multi-level traction control and dynamic stability control. All these subtle integrations tend to make the Mach 2 safer than its predecessor and importantly, Ultraviolette will pass on these benefits to the existing customers free of cost through over-the-air updates. Cruise control is a feature that should appear soon on the F77. For the time being, the officials say, it’s a work in progress and the current switchboard lacks space to accommodate an additional key.
The ride quality is slightly on the firmer end, which goes hand-in-hand with the sporty intent of the F77. The front employs 41 mm upside-down forks and a rear monolink spring, where the damping can be controlled using preload adjustability. The handling is on point. The trellis frame with aluminium bulkheads firmly sandwiches the large battery pack. The F77 charges into corners with aggression and pulls out with a grin. The handling is sharp and highly likeable. On the other hand, the ground clearance of 160 mm can be worrisome in our potholes-filled cities and otherwise. It needs to slow down over large road undulations.
The F77 is an edgy-looking, modern motorcycle and Ultraviolette has worked on the finish and paint schemes to make it appear more youthful. A total of nine – pop and vibrant – colours are available with the motorcycle. Beyond the colours, the fit and finish seem a level up than before. The charger flap is now a metal top, doing away with the flimsy plastic cover. The colour seems more consistent on the panels and the gaps in between seem to have reduced. The exposed wiring, especially around the swing arm looks ugly and should be fixed with a bit of rework. That being said, it’s still a step up.
Ultraviolette F77 starts at Rs 3 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base variant and Rs 4 lakh (ex-showroom) for the Recon variant. The price drop is attributed to a global fall in the cost of cells and better optimisation of resources internally. For consumers, the F77 is an attractive package with upmarket tech and pacey performance. While a lot works in favour of the F77, the question that remains to be answered is whether super sport styling attracts you or not. If it doesn’t, we are in the same team, waiting for the smart start-up to bring something different yet equally exciting.