Numeros Diplos Max Review: The Rugged Electric Scooter You Need

The Diplos Max electric scooter has an IDC (Indian Driving Cycle) range of 140km and charges in just 3-4 hours (claimed)

The Indian electric scooter market is growing quickly, and a new player has joined the race. Bengaluru-based EV manufacturer Numeros has launched its latest offering, the Diplos Max. We rode the Diplos Max on the road as well as off-road terrains and here’s our take on it:

Looks Unique

The Numeros Diplos Max comes with a unique boxy and rugged design. At the front, this EV features a round headlight mounted on the apron. The scooter has bike-like indicators and an LED DRL both of which are placed on the headlight cowl. The scooter has a split seat setup, with a small underseat storage only under the rider’s seat. It also has a single-piece grab rail. 

At the rear, the scooter has a wide tail section with a small LED tail light. The front fender is slim but functional and the rear wheel gets a tyre hugger. The Numeros Diplos Max comes in two different colour schemes: Red and Grey. The Red one has white graphics all around, whereas the Grey scooter features black graphics.

Motor and Performance

The Diplos Max has a hub-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), that produces a peak output of 2.67kW and 138Nm. The electric scooter can reach a claimed top speed of 63km, which is sufficient for everyday city use. It offers smooth power delivery and good acceleration. Sometimes though, when I tried accelerating the scooter quickly from a standstill, there was a half a second delay in the motor’s response. But with uniform acceleration, especially when on the move, the scooter responded quickly to the throttle response.

The Diplos Max has 2 ride modes: Eco and Normal. The acceleration becomes a bit slower in Eco mode, as it focuses on increasing the scooter's range. But we liked the Normal mode more as it offers adequate power and a decent range. There’s also a Reverse mode on the scooter, which we didn’t really like much because the power delivery in reverse mode felt weak. When riding off the road, reversing the scooter manually was much easier than using the reverse mode as it didn’t work well.

The Numeros Diplos Max comes with two 1.85kWh lithium-ion battery packs, which give it a total battery capacity of 3.7kWh. While we didn’t get enough time to do a proper range test, the Diplos Max has an IDC (Indian Driving Cycle) range of 140km in Eco mode, which means it should easily deliver a real-world range of 90-100km on a single charge. Moreover, the electric scooter takes 3 to 4 hours to charge from 0 to 100 percent using a 1.2kW charger, which is a pretty decent charging time for an e-scooter.

Handling and Ride Quality

In terms of handling, the Numeros Diplos Max performed nicely. While the handling is not as sharp as a sporty scooter, it is easily comparable to a family scooter. The electric scooter really impressed us with its ride quality. Its front fork and the twin rear shocks work nicely to absorb most bumps and potholes pretty nicely. Moreover, the scooter has 12-inch wheels with chunky tyres and a 150mm ground clearance, making it easier to ride on broken roads and off-road. 

Comfort

The Diplos Max has a spacious split-seat setup, which Numeros claims is the biggest seat in the segment. Both rider and pillion seats are pretty wide and spacious and come with thick, soft foam padding that keeps the rider and pillion comfortable even on bad roads. The riding posture is relaxed and upright, thanks to the easy-to-reach handlebar and a decently spacious floorboard. There is also an extra pair of footrests for the rider, which can be useful when carrying goods on the floorboard (similar to what we’ve experienced on the River Indie).

Gets What it Needs

The Diplos Max comes with an all LED lighting setup and a fully digital instrument console which is clearly readable, even under the harsh sunlight. It displays speed, odometer, battery, range and other important tell-tale lights. It doesn’t have smartphone connectivity features, which in a way is good and makes it a straightforward and easier-to-ride scooter for everyone in the family.

What really disappointed us is its underseat storage. It is so small that you can only keep a half-face helmet and a pair of gloves in it. The scooter is very practical for Indian road conditions, but the small storage could be a deal-breaker for some people. There is a main power button inside the boot to turn off all the connections with the battery to save its remaining charge while being parked for a long time. But one bug we encountered was that, if you left the scooter’s ignition on for around 8-10 minutes, the scooter wouldn’t start unless you switched the main power button under the seat off and on again, which is pretty annoying.

Verdict

While the Numeros Diplos Max is a decently practical and comfortable electric scooter, it has enough power and range for everyday city commutes and is decently capable of riding on bad and broken roads. It can be a good scooter for small business owners, delivery partners and even families, who are looking for a practical electric scooter for everyday use. However, the small underseat storage can be a big turn-off for many people as it contrasts with the scooter’s practicality.

The price of the Diplos Max will be announced on January 17-18 at Auto Expo 2025, which will reveal whether it offers good value for money or not.