Honda QC3 and QC1 electric scooters compared on price, range and charging time
Honda's new QC3 costs Rs 1.35 lakh, Rs 44,292 more than the QC1, and offers a bigger battery, longer range and faster charging.
Demand for electric vehicles is rising quickly in the country's two-wheeler market. Honda has entered the segment directly with two electric scooters, the QC3 and the QC1, aimed at buyers with different budgets and needs.
The Honda QC1 starts at Rs 90,708 (ex-showroom). The newly launched Honda QC3 is priced at Rs 1.35 lakh (ex-showroom), a difference of Rs 44,292. The QC1 is the cheaper, budget-friendly option. The extra money for the QC3 buys a bigger battery, more range, faster charging and more modern features.
In the initial phase, the company will sell the QC3 through its "Redwing" dealerships in Delhi, Agra, Cuttack, Surat and Kollam. Bookings for the new e-scooter have opened with a payment of Rs 5,000.
The QC3 has a fixed 3kWh battery and a claimed IDC range of 145 km on a single charge. The QC1 has a smaller 1.5kWh battery with a claimed IDC range of 80 km. On paper, the QC3 is the better choice for long daily commutes. The QC1 is lighter, which makes it more convenient for short errands and short trips in the city.
On charging, the Honda QC3 is clearly ahead. It charges to 80 per cent in just 2 hours 40 minutes and takes about 4 hours for a full (100 per cent) charge. The QC1 lags behind, taking 4 hours 30 minutes to reach 80 per cent and a long 6 hours 50 minutes or so to charge fully.
The new QC3 is the more modern and better equipped of the two. It has a 5-inch TFT display with Honda RoadSync, along with smart connectivity features such as call and message alerts, turn-by-turn navigation and music controls. It has a large 32-litre under-seat storage compartment.
The QC1, by contrast, focuses on basic, simple features. It has a 5-inch digital LCD display, a USB Type-C charging port and two riding modes. Its under-seat storage is 26 litres.
