Bounce Infinity E1: Does this new e-scooter solve the EV puzzle?

The E1 comes with in-built anti-theft function, geofencing, battery health monitor and swap station locator – all accessible via the Bounce Infinity app.

Bounce Infinity is one of the newest entrants in the electric two-wheeler start-up space which appears to be getting increasingly crowded. Bounce, a Bengaluru-based firm which began as a ride-sharing start-up, appears to have one ace up its sleeve that several makers of premium electric scooters don’t: a ready-to-deploy, battery swapping model that the brand intends to bring to 10 major cities in its first phase. The vessel for this battery, of course, is its all-new, built-from-scratch scooter: the Bounce Infinity E1. Bounce has rather refreshingly not opted to position the product as a performance scooter, with highway riding capabilities. Instead, the brand is calling it what it is: a city-based commuter scooter.

In the metal, the scooter looks the part. Despite this being a pre-production model, the paint finish is top-notch, and barring the odd niggle with the side-stand and footrests this is a well-finishing, trendy looking scooter with a few retro flourishes but nothing too radical to alienate the traditional scooter buyer.

The Infinity E1 features a 2 kWh battery that can be purchased with the scooter and recharged using a standard 5 amp socket. Alternatively, a buyer can opt for a battery subscription model that allows them to swap a depleted battery at a nearby swapping station.

Bounce offers a monthly battery subscription plan for Rs 849, with a per swap price of Rs 35.

The E1 has an uncluttered design, decent legroom for the rider and a wide berth that most scooter riders will find comfortingly familiar. It’s got two primary modes: Power and Eco, with the former allowing the scooter to reach a top speed of 65kph while the latter limits the speed to 35kph. Both modes get the same amount of power delivered upon opening the throttle so the differences don’t make themselves known until you get past 35kph in Power mode. Bounce Infinity has also thrown in a 'Drag' feature which, in the event of a puncture, enables the scooter to crawl along without any throttle input, while the rider holds it upright. Limited to 3 kph, Drag mode can be enabled easily with the flip of a switch, followed by squeezing the front brake. There’s also a reverse mode, once again limited to 3 kph, that can be engaged using the same red switch, and the high beam switch. The scooter comes with an indigenous app, which features SatNav and allows you to track the scooter’s location. Each battery also comes with a tracking function and offers a real-world range of 65 km (in Eco mode).

There are other features too. The E1 comes with in-built anti-theft function, geofencing, battery health monitor and swap station locator – all accessible via the Bounce Infinity app. Both wheels are equipped with a disc brake with the front brake offering combi-brake technology.

What the Infinity E1 gets right

The E1 feels compact, well-finished and sure-footed the moment you place yourself on its wide berth. The E1 takes off smoothly enough, equipped with a system that cuts power immediately should you tap the brakes. This is done in order to facilitate regenerative braking, but for petrol scooter riders, it’s something to be mindful of. Ride quality and suspension remain top notch, the scooter doesn’t rattle and isn’t fazed by rocky roads.

The E1 has an uncluttered design, decent legroom for the rider and a wide berth that most scooter riders will find comfortingly familiar

Room for improvement

Bounce Infinity made it clear that the test scooters were pre-production prototypes and that the final product would be put on sale based on feedback received from journalists and customers. On narrow B-roads with little to no traffic, the E1 thrives. It’s smooth, silent and easy to manoeuvre. However, the throttle response could do with more consistency and that’s the pre-production E1’s most glaring shortcoming. There’s more than a hint of throttle free-play, but twist it a bit more and power kicks in quite effectively. However, shortly afterwards that power delivery becomes a tad inconsistent. This can be mildly annoying on a closed campus circuit and unnerving on wide city roads, where quick overtaking manoeuvres can be necessary from time to time. A more aggressive throttle response at the bottom end would help make the scooter more reactive when you need it to be.

The E1 doesn’t do high speeds, and its accelerative prowess while impressive didn’t have the consistency that a rider would look for. Its power delivery seemed staccato, even with the throttle pinned and there was a nagging sense that the E1 could do with a bit more power, or at the very least, a smoother, more consistent power delivery that riders can then calibrate their riding mannerisms around.

The E1 feels compact, well-finished and sure-footed the moment you place yourself on its wide berth.

Drag mode is certainly a convenient feature, as long as it’s limited to 2-3 km. Any software glitch and the scooter tries to get away from you, requiring greater physical exertion. However, Bounce assured me that it’s designed to facilitate movement in the event of a puncture. However, a gentle dab of the throttle in such an instance works just as well. The 'Reverse Mode', which automatically flashes the hazard lights works particularly well when there’s an obstruction behind the scooter. In other scenarios, a ride height of 780 mm and the scooter’s own lightweight mean that you can just use your legs to back it up.

The battery swapping model

The most compelling aspect about this all-new e2W offering is its battery subscription plan. The scooter can be purchased without a battery for Rs 36,000, significantly dropping ownership costs. While I didn’t see the app in action, Bounce claims that it allows the rider to detect the nearest swapping station, along with the charge in the station’s batteries. Based on the distance and the time it would take for the rider to reach the station, the app allows the option of booking a battery, so you don’t reach a station only to find it empty.

At present each station can carry anything from 2 to 9 batteries, each depleted battery requiring two hours to be fully charged, once docked into the station. Bounce says it will partner up with, in its own parlance 'mom-and-pop stores', general stores that have been earmarked by the brand to serve as hotspots where a battery swapping module can be placed. All charging stations will remain functional 24x7. Bounce gives you the option of purchasing the scooter with a detachable (though not swappable) battery which can be charged at home, should you wish to. But it’s clear that its subscription model will be one of its key sources of revenue as the brand plans to open its swap stations to other brands.

Bounce offers a monthly battery subscription plan for Rs 849, with a per swap price of Rs 35. According to the brand, this brings down the per kilometre cost of running down to Rs 0.65 – a figure that will have infinite appeal for consumers who are tired of exorbitant fuel costs. For consumers who opt to buy the scooter with a removable battery and charger, sans subscription, the scooter can cost anywhere between Rs 56,999 to Rs 79,999 depending on the subsidies offered by the state it’s registered in.

In totality, Bounce Infinity is aiming for 2,000 swapping stations in each major city, although it hasn’t mentioned which cities qualify as major ones. Sales will continue to be done via a dealership model with 25 dealerships which will be set up across 10 cities. These dealerships will also double-up as service centres, with the added option of door-to-door service available for those whose base of operations don’t feature a dealership.

With the aim of establishing a swapping station per km within the radius of every city it operates in, Bounce is looking at an all-encompassing, pan-India network of swapping stations whose capital costs are much lower than a wide range of charging stations, but ease of use is much greater. In its first phase which includes cities like Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Delhi and Mumbai, Bounce aims to set up 150-200 swapping stations, which include automated ones at select petrol stations and manually operated ones found outside grocery/department stores. Out of the 200 stations, roughly 120 will be manually operated, requiring the rider to take the battery out and place it into an open slot, while inserting a fully charged battery into the scooter, all done within seconds.

Given its price point, Bounce Inifinity will go up against Hero Electric, which continues to dominate the e-scooter space with a 36 percent market share. Which means Bounce Infinity would have to use the efficacy of its subscription and swapping model, to get ahead in an increasingly crowded space. With over 1 million swaps under its belt, the brand is off to a promising start.