Honda rolls out new QC3 electric scooter at Rs 1.35 lakh

Honda has introduced its third electric scooter, the QC3, carrying a price tag of Rs 1.35 lakh. The new family electric vehicle comes equipped with a 3kWh battery. This power source takes about four hours to charge completely, while going from zero to 80 percent takes two hours and 40 minutes.

Launch Details and Range

The initial market release will cover only five cities: Delhi, Agra, Cuttack, Surat, and Kollam. A broader nationwide rollout will happen later in steps. The QC3 follows the QC1, which was priced at Rs 90,408, and the Activa e:, which cost Rs 1.2 lakh. Both earlier models faced criticism for offering too little value for their prices. The QC3 addresses this by featuring a larger battery than the QC1's 1.5kWh unit and delivering greater range than the Activa e:'s claimed 102km IDC range.

Features and Storage

Riders get a 5-inch TFT display that supports turn-by-turn navigation through the Honda Roadsync system. Under-seat storage stands at 32 litres, which is higher than the 26 litres offered in the QC1. The Activa e: model lacked this boot space because its removable battery took up nearly the entire area.

Pricing and Competition

Local manufacturing helped keep the price of the QC3 competitive at Rs 1.35 lakh. Buyers can choose from four paint options: Matt Photon Gray Metallic, Pearl Precious White, Pearl Shallow Blue, and Pearl Siren Blue. These prices place the scooter directly against competitors like the TVS iQube 3.1kWh at Rs 1.30 lakh, the Chetak C3502 at Rs 1.44 lakh, the Vida VX2 Plus 3.1 at Rs 1.03 lakh, and the Ather Konarc S 161 at Rs 1.45 lakh. All quoted prices are ex-showroom in Delhi.

Bookings and Future Plans

Honda has not yet announced a specific date for customer deliveries. People living in the five launch cities can book the vehicle on the official Honda website or at a local RedWing dealership by paying an advance of Rs 5,000. With this launch, prices are now public for seven of the ten products Honda announced in July. Only the XR300L, the XR300 Rally, and the twin-cylinder Rebel 500 remain pending for release.