Hopping onto the Primus feels natural. And keeping both feet on the ground is easy thanks to its low seat height. It wouldn’t matter even if you are 5’5. That said, with your feet on the floorboard, the Ampere Primus is equally welcoming. There is ample space to keep a large bag between your feet and still have some room to move.
The seat too is wide and long making it accommodating for larger riders as well. And because of the seat’s large dimensions, a fairly large pillion can be seated in comfort. Well, since we are on the topic of comfort, the Primus ticked all the right boxes there; even when it comes to ride quality. Now the reason I emphasize its ride quality is that it is one of the comfiest electric scooters I have ridden.
Up until now, the TVS iQube had pliant suspension. But the Primus goes a level higher. Equipped with telescopic forks at the front and a pair of shocks at the rear, the setup absorbs everything thrown at it without complaint. We even rode it two-up on an unpaved, broken road and it still felt equally comfortable.
It is also when the 3.8kWh PMS motor that is focused on performance revealed what it is capable of. It jollied all through the broken section with enthusiasm. Although what impressed me, even more, was when we had to climb a significantly elevated section of the off-road path and the Primus didn’t even break a sweat. Mind you, this was with a pillion on board and the scooter in its City mode. Switching it to Power wherein the scooter offers the most power would have translated to an even smoother climb.
Regardless, the motor is smooth with almost no vibrations throughout. What did seem to hinder the otherwise silent experience was the noise of the belt drive that increased as the ride came to an end. Now, the Primus not only boasts of a potent motor but also intuitive handling. At 130kg, It is around 15kg heavier than the TVS iQube, but it feels extremely agile and light on the move. The belt drive makes it slightly difficult to move around but that is when the Reverse mode comes in handy. Now, when it comes to brakes, the Ampere Primus has a decent set. The feel and feedback from the setup are adequate however we would have to use it extensively to tell you if the bite is consistent.