The options in the Indian electric two-wheeler market seem to be increasing at a rather alarming rate. There’s a new launch on almost every alternate day, with every other product claiming to be the best in that particular segment. Frankly speaking, most of them feel like the same thing in different packaging. Out of the clutter, there are a select few that really manage to capture our interest, the likes of which then go on to prove their mettle. The question that follows is simple: What decides an EV’s fate in the industry?

The EV startup, BGauss, was game enough to invite us to their facility in Chakan to ride the new RUV 350 before its launch. The first thing that went through my head when I saw the e-scooter was that it reminded me of the Bajaj M80, which at one point was truly the epitome of a utilitarian vehicle for the Indian masses. With large, skinny 16-inch wheels, the RUV 350 bears a resemblance to its now-discontinued sibling, the D15. It comes with a long and accommodating seat, 15 litres of underseat storage, and an additional floorboard space (4.5 litres) for the portable charger to be tucked away.

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As per the manufacturer, RUV stands for ‘rider utility vehicle’. From the looks of it, it does appear like the many step-through scooters that ply the roads of Thailand, loaded up with either people or goods. The e-scooter gets a 5-inch Bluetooth-enabled colour TFT screen that is IP67-rated to provide turn-by-turn navigation updates, call alerts, ride statistics, and digital document storage, among other functions. The RUV is further equipped with features like cruise control, hill-hold assist, fall sense, and three riding modes, with custom and adaptive riding modes to be introduced at a later date. Enough to tick a few boxes on the deciding list? Maybe not yet, so let us find out more.

As far as the build quality is concerned, there were a few inconsistencies in the panel gaps of the metal bodywork, and the paint quality isn’t exactly the best we’ve seen. Being pre-production units, such issues are fairly common, but the manufacturer says that these issues should be rectified in the production models. In terms of mechanicals, it gets an in-wheel hyperdrive system, which, according to BGauss, is more efficient than a conventional belt drive system. This also means that the motor now becomes a load-bearing component on a single-sided swingarm mechanism.

Comfort-wise, the seat is decently cushioned with firm padding, and the suspension does a good job of soaking up most of the undulations on the road while also staying reactive enough to feel slightly sporty. The setup includes a 5-step preload-adjustable monoshock at the rear and a regular telescopic fork setup at the front. There were a few squeaks and creaks coming from the moving components, but it didn’t seem bad enough to be worried about. The e-scooter is fairly accommodating, but the low handlebar position means that the rider’s knees touch the handles at full lock.

The RUV 350 comes with three ride modes: Eco, Ride, and Sport, where the top speed in Sport mode is 75 kph with acceleration from zero to 40 kph in 5.8 seconds. The throttle calibration is pretty good, and the cruise control feature sure is innovative, but I genuinely think that it needs more fine-tuning. The handling is surprisingly nimble and confident, courtesy of the Bee Connect tyres from TVS Eurogrip. It made up for the lack of stopping power on the part of the 130-mm drum brakes equipped on the e-scooter. In the course of testing, I observed that the handlebar alignment had gone awry on the unit I was riding. That is slightly worrying, and not something I was expecting at all.

It features a fixed, air-cooled, 3kWh battery that is located in the under-seat area with an aluminium casing and is certified to be IP67 rated. With regard to charging, BGauss is offering three charger options that include a 500W, 840W, and 1350W charger, of which the first two options fit snugly in the floorboard storage. Coming back to performance, the RUV is not the fastest e-scooter, but it is engaging enough to be fun. Overall, the RUV 350 has some potential, provided that the manufacturer makes some much-needed changes to the production model, so until we get our hands on that, we shall continue to tread lightly.