Most new technologies are quite expensive to start with before economies of scale kick in to reduce costs. The world of electric two-wheelers is no different, qualified offerings such as the Ather 450X and Bajaj Chetak currently cost significantly more than their gasoline counterparts. At the other end of the scale, there are some fairly affordable Chinese imports, but many of them are slow e-scooters that go over 25 km / h and or have fairly poor build quality.
Somewhere in the middle is the Ampere Magnus Pro, with 73,990 rupees it costs about as much as a Suzuki Access or Honda Activa 125, its top speed of 55 km / h, though not as much as the Ather’s, it should make it useful in the city, and the stated range of 75 km seems to be sufficient for commuting. So let’s see if this applies to the real world.
Features And Design Of Ampere Magnus Pro
For starters, the Magnus certainly looks more mainstream than some of the other electric vehicles from other manufacturers. Sure, not the prettiest or alluring scooter on the market, but also not suitable for exaggeration. The lights are all plain and straightforward, there is an acceptable amount of chrome trim on the apron, the side panels are slightly wrinkled, and the Magnus Pro offers pretty good overall clear lines. It looks like it skipped leg day, and the slightly larger alloy wheels would have done a lot to add some substance to the design, but overall no major complaints on the style front.
The situation is similar to the quality of workmanship and equipment variants. The Magnus would never ride like the Japanese gasoline scooters mentioned above, but it still feels almost on par with something like the Hero Maestro Edge. Pretty dense and even, and the quality of the plastic, at least in the places that it touches and feels the most, is decent. However, the construction of the switchgear is not very well thought out, because if the switches are pushed too far, the palm of the hand must be removed from the handle to operate them.
The feeling of quality is compromised when the seat is opened because the plastic and metal battery cover feels quite rough to the touch. On the plus side, the storage space is decent and Ampere threw in a boot light too.
Battery Of Ampere Magnus Pro
The battery itself is a 1.8 kWh lithium-ion battery, which can be taken out through the storage compartment under the seat for charging tediously. The simplest alternative is to load it onto the scooter using the opening under the seat hinge. Once you’ve charged the battery this way, it can travel 75 km on a full charge, plus or minus 5 km, according to Ampere. In our range test, we actually reached 83 km, so the manufacturer’s information is pretty accurate, albeit a bit conservative.
Range And Speed Of Ampere Magnus Pro
One reason for the respectable range is of course Magnus’ rather thin performance. The Ampere claims 55 km / h, but our trusty old VBox told us a true top speed of 51.33 km / h with a leisurely time of 50 km / h in 13.7 seconds, but at 40 km / h it is only 7.48 seconds, which is not only faster than Ampere’s declared time of 10 seconds, but also fast enough to get around in city traffic to be able to keep up. Of its two driving modes, Magnus’ 1.2kW motor does a pretty good job of lugging the scooter around, and the throttle feels and calibration are pretty good too, which is a rarity on these lesser-known e-scooters.
Specifications Of Ampere Magnus Pro
Unfortunately, like many other e-scooters, the driving position of the Magnus is a bit on the knees. The seat is quite long and should comfortably seat two people, but the low handlebars and high floor take away the feeling of space. The telescopic fork and twin shocks don’t add much to comfort either. So we don’t expect it to be too far north of 100kg. Because of this lightness, the Magnus requires quite soft springs, which are almost completely exhausted with a heavy driver on board.
They’re quite a harrowing ride, with most of the bumpy road going to your back and palms almost unfiltered. It could only break the 50km / h limit, but still, we would have liked a disc brake at the front, instead, you have to be content with 130mm drum brakes at both ends, which feel a bit unsuitable when stopping quickly from the top speed.
Conclusion Of Ampere Magnus Pro
In terms of price, the Ampere Magnus Pro is comparable to a 125cc petrol scooter. Experience has shown that no drive longer with a full tank. So when you’re sitting on $ 75,000 and torn between an escort and a combustion scooter, choosing the oil burner is a breeze, and you want to do it without breaking the bank, the Magnus Pro is a reasonably good option. Sure, the TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak, and Ather 450X are significantly better scooters, but also significantly more expensive.
Most worryingly, even if you had the money, they are only available in a handful of cities right now. Ampere Vehicles has the power of Greaves Cotton behind them and has been selling e-scooters in India since 2008, so you can now buy Magnus Pro in over 250 locations across the country.
