Revolt RV400: Price Expectations

[UPDATE: Revolt has launched the RV400 in India and here are the details. We've also ridden the motorcycle and you can check out our first ride review here.]

Even though Harley-Davidson showcased the LiveWire today, we are pretty excited about the launch of the Revolt RV400 tomorrow. After all, it is India’s first electric motorcycle and packs some pretty decent features. Obviously, it won’t be as exorbitantly priced as the LiveWire. However, what could be a reasonable price for it?

For Rs 80,000 (on-road), the RV400 will offer great value for money, especially if you consider this motorcycle as a replacement for your petrol-powered commuter bike. At this price, you get a feature-loaded electric bike for almost the same price as a premium 125cc commuter like a Honda CB Shine SP or a Bajaj Pulsar 125 Neon.

If the asking price is pushed to Rs 1 lakh (on-road), we feel that the Revolt RV400 is priced a bit on the higher side, especially considering the fact that its usage will mostly be restricted to urban commutes. The performance of the RV400 is nowhere near a 150cc motorcycle. Plus, with the recent reduction in GST rates for electric vehicles, the asking price of Rs 1 lakh feels a bit high.

The bigger picture here is the overall usage costs. Electricity costs a lot less than a litre of petrol and fossil fuels aren’t getting any cheaper either. Moreover, an electric bike has the distinct advantage of being considerably less expensive to maintain. There are less moving parts and most of the time, servicing would only involve lubricating the parts and tightening the bolts.

Also, the app-based features help you know your motorcycle a lot better than a conventional bike. The possibility of adding more software-based features are endless, and this would only make the overall ownership experience even better over time.