E-Motorad Ranger First Impressions: Playfully Practical!

We automotive journalists have a rather messed-up lifestyle. Odd and long work hours, not knowing where the next meal is coming from, and an irregular workout schedule mean health becomes a low priority. Lately, in my early midlife crisis, I was remembering my old cycling days and wanted to get back on the horse. But this time, I decided to start with a “cyborg horse” — the E-Motorad Ranger. This is a battery-powered cycle that can run purely on electric juice like a scooter, give you electric assist while pedaling, or run purely on manpower.

I will be spending a month with it to find out two important things. Firstly — can it replace traditional commuters for short-distance commutes? Secondly — can the workout be as good as a traditional good cycle? I have spent a week with it, and here are my first impressions.

Vacation Time

As soon as I received the cycle, I found myself packing my bags for a quick weekend escape to Alibaug. This gave me an opportunity to experience the cycle in a more lifestyle setting. Along with my bags, I loaded the Ranger in the Kia Carens and set off. It was a bit of an effort, as this is a heavy cycle, but relatively compact dimensions meant it wasn't an issue to manage with the rest of the luggage.

Once I checked into my Airbnb, my wife was quick to give me a small essentials shopping list. This time, I decided not to take the car out and just use the Ranger. It was a blessing. Alibaug has narrow roads where parking and turning a Carens is not ideal. The Ranger was perfect. It was like a mini bike that I could use. I easily navigated my way with the phone in the phone pouch and parked it right next to the shop. It also has a bit of storage under it to keep essentials like a wallet or keys to make cycling easier.

Because the throttle lets you get up to 24 kmph, I did not have to pedal even once on my journey to the grocery shop. I was back home with the goods in just under 10 minutes, and I’m sure parking the Carens would have been more of a hassle and would have taken more time too. This is a fantastic last-mile option in places where you don't want to take a car or a cab, especially while traveling.

The Beach Buggy

Because E-Motorad showcases the Ranger in a harsh off-road setting, I wanted to test it out on the beach. Alibaug has a long connected coastline which is beautiful for long walks around sunrise. I wanted to see if the Ranger could make the experience better. And it did! I took it out to the beach before sunrise. The cycle comes with an LED headlamp which is quite powerful and lights up the beach well. The large knobby tyres ensured that the cycle never sank in the sand and never lost momentum. And with the pedal assist, I could easily keep cycling along the coastline without any hassle.

It was like cycling on a rather smooth surface, and it made my experience on the beach even better. I came back to the beach that evening, and this time my wife refused to let me have the cycle and kept pedaling along the beach herself. The five assist settings allow you to choose how powerful you want the assist to be, and this allows you to cruise along with minimal pedal assist at different speeds. This option was particularly useful on the beach, as we could go fast (when chased by dogs) and, at the same time, enjoy the cycle in the waves a bit by slowly cruising along. We even tried to sit together on the cycle, which was a squeeze, and the seat is best used by a single person. But surprisingly, the motor took our combined 160 kg payload with ease, even on beach sand! This was indeed a very convenient and pleasant experience overall. E-Motorad, I will need two of these for my next vacation, please!

We would have ridden close to 30 km on the beach, and the battery indicator came down to its last bar. Which is understandable because the beach would have caused a lot of rolling resistance, which the Ranger never let us feel. The claimed range is up to 75 km on pedal assist, which is honestly a lot. I will test it out in my next report — but I do not have a reason to doubt it as of my current usage.

Useful Features

What I also liked about the cycle was its tech. The display is clear and shows all information neatly. The controls on the handlebar are easy to use, and the light setup — just like a regular scooter or a motorcycle — makes it safe to use in the city. It also comes with Shimano Tourney TZ500, 7-speed gears, which further make using it on different terrains and speeds easier. The battery can be detached and charged at home, and the charger is like a laptop charger, which charges to 100 percent overnight. Also, the cycle’s electronics start with a key, which makes sure no one vandalises the system while it is parked. Neat.

So far, I have really enjoyed the Ranger, and it was a lovely addition to my beach vacation. So much so that next time around, I am genuinely going to miss it. As a lifestyle option, it is fantastic. But now it is time to get back to Pune and use it for a month as my daily commuter. Will my thoughts change, and will some shortcomings, which I have already started to notice, become more glaring? It will all be concluded in my final review. Stay tuned!