Joy E-Bike Mihos First Ride Review: Likes & Dislikes

Can Joy E-Bike’s flagship electric scooter take the fight to the big boys?

The Mihos, Joy E-Bike’s flagship product and its latest entrant into the high-speed (over 45kmph) electric scooter space, promises to be a balanced, all-round product. But is it? That’s exactly what we intend to find out! 

But before we proceed, let’s make it clear that since we had limited saddle time, that too at a go-kart track, facets like range estimations and rough road comfort will have to wait till a full-fledged road test.

With that said, here’s some things we liked, and a few things we didn’t, about the Joy E-Bike Mihos.

Likes

Solid Build Quality

A majority of the body panels (save for parts like the headlight, taillight and indicator surrounds) are made of a material called Poly DiCyclo PentaDiene, which Joy E-Bikes claims is unbreakable. And they backed it up by allowing us to take a mallet to the body of the demo scooters as well as the test bikes. And despite the harsh treatment they got at the hands of the various journos throughout the day, the panels showed no more than a few minor scuffs. 

So, an electric scooter that’s sturdy, without the additional weight implications of a metal body. We’re already off to a ‘strong’ start!

 Smooth Power Delivery 

We’re used to electric scooters seeming a bit “hesitant” to get off the line, especially in their lowest power mode. Or continuing to accelerate for a fraction longer even after the throttle is closed (trailing throttle). Or a sudden ‘kick’, or bogging down as you toggle through the power modes. 

However, none of these issues rear their ugly head on the Mihos. So the progress is smooth off the line, without any throttle play; switching both up and down the three power modes (Eco, Sport and Hyper) is glitch-free, and there’s so untoward acceleration even when chopping the throttle. 

Capable Handling

As we’ve mentioned, the smooth tarmac at the go-kart track was hardly where ride comfort could be sampled. In fact, even the straights weren’t long enough to test the weight transfer under heavy braking. However, the suspension setup on the Mihos was able to handle the sudden direction changes of the go-kart track with aplomb. This led to lap after lap of trying to set faster (imagined) lap times, and as many instances of the stand grounding on the Tarmac, accompanied by delighted whoops from the rider. 

Impressive Features List 

The 4.3-inch TFT console on the Mihos is smartphone-compatible, with the usual call and message alerts supplemented with turn-by-turn navigation via the Joy E-connect app. Also on offer is vehicle tracking, geo-fencing and post-ride stats. Moreover the app also features remote unlock, ignition and immobilisation, all of which can be done via the key fob as well.

Cons

Derivative Looks 

That the Mihos resembles the Vespa from some angles already works against it. Granted, it’s not an absolute carbon copy like the Pure EV ePluto 7G or the Benling Aura. However, considering the fledgling electric scooter space, even a passing resemblance to petrol scooters can be a turn-off for many. 

Fit & Finish Issues 

Despite its ‘solid’ construction, there are many niggles all across the Mihos. On our test scooter, for instance, the ignition switch was backwards, which meant we were riding around with the switch in the “off” position. The indicator switch, too, had already come loose, despite most of us not even using the indicator. 

But that’s not all: the cover on the apron-mounted charge port is a flimsy, unsecured rubber flap; the pillion footrests, when retracted, are not flush with the body; and the seat hinge is so loose that the seat would shake even when it was down (and locked). Similarly, both the position and angle of the side stand saw us invariably scraping it on the tarmac during sharp left turns.

Moreover, the inordinately thick bezel around the TFT console spoils the show. Speaking of which, except for the speedometer (displayed prominently in the centre) the font size of all the other important info – like the range, charge percentage, mode selected and the like – is too small to read on the go.

Ergonomics not suited for taller riders 

Now this may not apply to all, but despite the decent overall size of the Mihos, it’s not suited for riders taller than, say, six feet. The handlebar was constantly bumping into the knees of your six-foot-two correspondent, remedied somewhat by sliding into the pillion seat. But that riding stance not only puts stress on the lower back, but also gets rid of any pillion space forthwith!

Verdict

As per Joy E-Bike, our test scooters were all pre-production prototypes, which means the Mihos that will reach the customer (when deliveries start in April) will be a lot more polished. Moreover, it's priced at Rs 1,30,000 (ex-showroom, excluding subsidy), which means an effective price of approximately Rs 1 lakh (considering the 2.9kWh battery pack). This, coupled with the solid build quality, ease of use,  eager handling, and decently long list of features, makes the Joy E-Bike Mihos a competent product in itself, as well as an affordable alternative to established names like the Ola S1 and TVS iQube.