The emergence of EV startups is an interesting development in the automobile industry. While the concept is still relatively new, there is no doubt that it has generated a lot of anticipation and curiosity. We have become accustomed to hearing terms like prototype, pre-production version, and software testing when a product is showcased and tested. It's okay to put out these stunts, but more often than not, the timeline they promise is often not delivered. But, times are changing, startups are getting mature, and their production and supply chain is getting streamlined. Good thing, right? One such startup is - Oben Electric. Last year, when we first rode Oben Rorr, it had its fair share of niggles and problems. They introduced the latest version to fix those issues. So, read further to check how good their fix is and how the changes have been reflected in real-world riding.
Verdict
At 1.50 lakhs (ex-showroom), the brand has played its value card as it merits. Oben Rorr is a no-nonsense, simple e-motorcycle that does all things fundamentally well. It rides decently, handles nicely, performance is adequate and looks unique. A few things still could be better: firstly - the braking bite and feedback, and secondly - seating comfort. The fit and finish is adequate - not too good, not too bad either. Based on my initial short experience, I find the bike to be quite satisfactory. I am interested in testing its limits in the real world to gain a more comprehensive understanding of its capabilities.
The designers have done a good job. It looks more appealing with the colour schemes and graphics. It doesn't look like a conventional motorcycle, and the neo-retro styling does make it stand out. The aluminium cast components around the battery holder, grab rails, and headlight look fantastic, especially in the yellow shade colour of our test bike. The quality of the paint and graphics feels nice. The charging port does feel a bit flimsy, and the smudges around the black panel appear pretty visible.
The bike gets a rather decent colour-segmented LED display, which has a photoelectric sensor in it that automatically manages its brightness according to the ambient lighting. In terms of safety - it gets a driver alert system - that basically keeps the rider aware of beep noise whenever the bike's speed is reduced to 5kmph or less. This could be an annoying feature to some and quite helpful to many, as it helps consumers be aware of the throttle input when the motor is on. The bike also comes with an e-sim that enables real-time vehicle tracking and anti-theft features via a mobile app.
Battery capacity-4.4kWh
Three riding modes-Eco,City,Havoc
Acceleration - 0-40kmph-3sec
Peak power-8 kW
Peak torque-52 Nm
Weight-147kg
Front disc-270mm
Rear disc-240mm
Price- Rs 1.50 lakhs (ex-showroom )
One of the significant talking about the Oben Rorr is its battery chemistry. The bike gets a 4.4kWh battery pack that is a subtype of lithium-ion battery, which has lithium iron phosphate as its constituent of cathode. Well, what this essentially helps is to form a strong covalent bond. I won't dig deep into scientific details, but what this LFP chemistry does is improve the safety quotient of the battery by being less prone to thermal runaway and overheating. It also has a comparably larger life span and less self-discharge rate. The lack of nickel and cobalt also makes them a bit more environmentally friendly. There are certain flip sides to this chemistry as well , the primary being shorter energy density - which results in more space and weight.
In terms of range, the company claims an IDC range of around 187 km, but out in the real world, it is claimed to have a range of 120km in Eco mode. I haven't spent much time with the bike, so I will reserve my judgement on the accuracy of the claim. In terms of the motor, it gets a PMSM that sends power to the rear wheel via a single-stage belt drive. The max output power from the motor is 8kW, and the max torque is 52Nm.
In terms of riding performance, the acceleration feels quite linear and gradual. It's the havoc mode that feels quite sportier, whereas Eco mode, as the name suggests, prioritises economy over performance- feels a bit dull, and its top speed is capped at 50kmph. Thus, it would only be good to be usable in stop-and-go traffic. City mode tends to find the balance with both, and it would be adequate in the real world. However, it's the Havoc mode, which is fun to use. Accelerating from 0-40 kmph is claimed at 3 sec. It also feels decently spirited till 70-75kmph; however, after that, the speed tends to trail off slightly despite having a top speed of 100kmph in Havoc mode.
Throttle calibration also felt predictable, and it had consistent performance throughout the test. In havoc mode, though, the bike can hit the 100kmph mark. However, in some instances - it struggled to hit that mark despite max throttling, and I had to correct myself with inputs to ditch its max performance. In City and Eco mode - It was all predictable and nice.
The bike gets a telescopic unit at the front and a monoshock at the rear. The suspensions are tuned on a bit stiffer side, the rear to be precise. Associate the rear suspension setup with less foam density of the seat - and the experience over bad patches of the road becomes uncomfortable. I wish the brand could further fine-tune it with more damping. The bike feels quite agile, and despite its 147kg of weight - it doesn't feel heavy and cumbersome to manoeuvre around. The riding ergonomics are pretty comfortable, and the seat height of 810mm would be accommodative to average Indians. The seats, however, are slippery, and whenever you brake hard, you tend to come forward.
The Oben Rorr comes with a 270mm disc at the front and a 240mm disc at the rear. It does not get ABS, but what it gets is a Unified Braking Assist, which links the front and rear brakes for better stability. In the case of Oben Rorr, the front brake could have more bite from it, and in case of hard panic braking, the rear tends to lock up, but with a 1433 mm wheelbase, the bike does not seem to go out of control and feels maintained.
