Range Anxiety Explained: How Far Can an Electric Bike Really Go on Indian Roads?

The Fear of “Running Dry”

“Range Anxiety”—the fear that your battery will die in the middle of nowhere, leaving you stranded—is the single biggest psychological barrier to buying an EV. It is a primal fear, similar to the fear of running out of water in a desert.

But in 2025, is this fear still grounded in reality? Or is it a hangover from the early days of low-capacity scooters?

The truth is nuanced. While battery technology has improved drastically, marketing claims have also become more aggressive. This article cuts through the brochure jargon to give you the Real-World Range Reality of electric bikes on Indian roads in 2025.

1. Decoding the Jargon: IDC vs. True Range

When you look at a brochure for an electric scooter in 2025, you will see a number: “Certified Range: 195 km!” Do not believe this number.

• What is IDC? The “Indian Driving Cycle” (IDC) is a laboratory test conducted by ARAI. The bike is run on a dyno (treadmill) in a controlled room, with no wind resistance, no pillion rider, no incline, and at a painfully slow speed (often averaging 30-40 kmph) with gradual acceleration.

• The Real World: You ride in traffic. You brake hard. You accelerate fast. You carry a backpack or a pillion. You ride up flyovers. The wind pushes against you.

The Golden Ratio of 2025: As a rule of thumb, True Range = 65% to 70% of IDC Range.

• If the brochure says 150 km, expect 100-105 km in the city.

• If the brochure says 100 km, expect 65-70 km.

Note: Some transparent manufacturers like Ather and Ola now publish “TrueRange” or “Real World Range” alongside the IDC number. Always look for the lower number.

2. The Four Killers of Range

Why does the range drop? Understanding the physics helps you predict your mileage.

• A. Speed (The Drag Factor): Unlike petrol engines, which are efficient at cruising speeds, electric motors consume disproportionately more energy at high speeds due to wind resistance (drag).

  • Riding at 40 kmph: You might get 120 km range.

  • Riding at 80 kmph: That range might drop to 75 km.

  • Tip: In 2025, many bikes have “Eco,” “Normal,” and “Sport” modes. Sport mode unlocks top speed but drains the battery 40% faster.

• B. Payload (Weight): Two heavy adults on a scooter require more torque to move. A solo rider (75kg) will get significantly more range than a double rider load (150kg). Expect a 15-20% drop with a heavy pillion.

• C. Terrain (Gravity): Riding up a flyover or in a hilly city (like Pune or Hyderabad) consumes massive power. However, EVs have a secret weapon: Regenerative Braking. When you come down the flyover, the motor turns into a generator, putting energy back into the battery.

  • 2025 Tech: Modern EVs have “adjustable regen.” Setting this to “High” can recover up to 10-12% of energy in stop-and-go traffic.

• D. Riding Style (The Wrist): Aggressive acceleration is the biggest enemy of range. If you launch from every traffic light like a drag racer, you will drain the battery. Smooth, gradual acceleration preserves momentum and electrons.

3. Real-World Data: What Can You Actually Do?

Let’s look at the capabilities of 2025-era scooters with a standard 3.5 to 4 kWh battery.

• The Daily Office Run: Average commute: 35 km (round trip).

  • Result: You can do this for 3 days without charging. Range anxiety is zero here.

• The “Errand Day”: Office -> Market -> Friend’s House -> Home. Total: 65 km.

  • Result: Easily doable with 30-40% battery left to spare.

• The Weekend Trip (The Limit): Mumbai to Lonavala (approx. 85 km, uphill).

  • Result: This is the edge case. You can make it, but you will need to ride conservatively (Eco mode) and charge immediately upon arrival. This is where Range Anxiety is valid.

4. The Cure: The 2025 Charging Network

Range Anxiety is actually “Charging Anxiety.” You aren’t afraid of the tank emptying; you are afraid of not being able to refill it.

In 2025, the infrastructure has shifted.

• Corridor Charging: Major highways (like the Yamuna Expressway, Mumbai-Pune, Bangalore-Mysore) now have fast chargers every 25 km.

• The “Hyper” Speed: 2025 fast chargers can add 50 km of range in 15 minutes.

  • If you are running low, a quick 15-minute chai break at a fast charger is enough to get you home.

5. Managing the Psychology

Experienced EV owners in 2025 follow the “ABC” Rule: Always Be Charging.

• If you have a plug at work, plug it in.

• If you are home, plug it in.

• Don’t wait for the battery to hit 10%. Treat it like your smartphone—keep it topped up.

Anxiety or Awareness?

In 2025, “Range Anxiety” is largely a problem for people who don’t own EVs yet. For 98% of urban use cases, the 100km+ real-world range of modern scooters is absolute overkill. For the remaining 2% (inter-city trips), the dense network of fast chargers serves as a safety net.

The question isn’t “How far can it go?” The question is “How far do you go?” If you are like the average Indian doing 32 km a day, the electric bike has infinite range—because you wake up every morning with a full tank.