To EV or not to EV – Metro T9

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neyLet’s get one thing out of the way – unless you commute more than 100km a day, buying an electric scooty cannot be justified solely based on fuel economy. 

Yes, it does 105km in a charge which costs 2.5 units of electricity, which is substantially cheaper than most conventional fuel bikes can do; the savings wouldn’t constitute too much if your monthly ride is 200km only. 

Thankfully, Metro T9 gives you a few more reasons to consider it and one against it. 

But before we move forward, here is a quick rundown of the specs: 

Motor: 600w 

Battery: 60v38A 

Top Speed: 45km per hour 

Range: 105km per charge 

The Journey

So, I was in the market for a moped for daily errands. Why? The 70s, 100s, and 150s are too mundane. There are heavier, more interesting bikes, but my experience with them tells me they are not for small chores. You can’t use your 302s or GSX-R to get daily bread and yogurt. Well, you can, technically, but then you see the long stretch of Kashmir highway, and 3 hours later, you’re eating Patakha chicken in Nathia Gali while your folks at home are waiting for their breakfast. 

That brought up the idea of getting something simple, new-age, and sort of interesting. A few names came up; Jolta, Vlektra, Teleport, and a few off-the-shelf Chinese imports. Jolta didn’t have the required range, Vlektra wasn’t available in the northern part of the country, and Teleport is still unsure about its launch date. That’s when the news about a Pakistani company, Metro Motorcycles, signing a partnership deal with Yadea started circulating. 

 I had heard about Yadea as an electric bike manufacturer out of China, but I did some further online research and was convinced as soon as I saw Vin Diesel in their TV commercial. Their lineup in Pakistan, currently limited to just T9, is available in a few other countries as well and has decent reviews. Their local ad campaigns by Metro motors boasted high quality, 105km range and Graphene battery (which essentially is probably just a variation of lead acid – don’t quote me on that). So, I went to check it out. 

Their big, albeit minimalistic, showroom in Johar Town, Lahore, is impressive. They have a dedicated test ride vehicle (a provision I was denied while buying my first Benelli). Their showroom staff is helpful – not very tech savvy, but not everyone is a nerd like yours truly. 

 They recently bumped their price to 245,000, which is a tad higher than I had hoped for, but other than that, my decision was easy. I looked at the product, which reeks of quality from the plastic to the paint finish, took a test drive, and was sold. 

I’ve had it for a little less than a month, driven it a couple of hundred kilometers, and here is my honest review. 

It’s a Top-Quality Product

I have no grievances regarding the quality of the product. It is solid-made, with no rattles or oversized or undersized makeshift parts borrowed from the local market (except the rear-view mirrors – which are pretty standard). The paint finish is extraordinary, so much so that despite my middle age and greying beard, there was a brief moment I considered getting the red variant. 

The head and tail lamps are another premium component that deserves a separate mention. The headlight is not just a pretty face; it has a very nice road illumination both at the low and high beam, without blinding the oncoming traffic. The tail light seems to come out of a poster and provides a very chic feel to it. 

Last but not least, it comes with tubeless tires, which would save you from exchanging roles with the moped, i.e., you hauling it rather than hauling you. 

Metro T9 Metro T9

It’s Fun, in the Slow-Lane

It’s as simple as it gets. With no clutch and gears to worry about, I’ve found myself taking it to a lot of places I’d rather drive my car to otherwise. It’s just so much easier; snap on a helmet, hop on it, turn the ignition, and go. No sound, no kick, no dropping gears at signals, no anxiety about unintentionally releasing the clutch and stalling the bike. Just go and stop. It’s almost like playing NFS on a keyboard where your press W to accelerate and S to brake. It is very maneuverable too, which came as a surprise to me, as the Vespas, I remember, behaved like a lazy cow in bumper-to-bumper traffic. 

2 people carrier 

With its puny 600w motor, I was sceptic about its capability of hauling two people, but it does. With a total weight of 150ish kg, I didn’t feel much of a difference giving a ride to one of my colleagues. I’m sure it will have an impact on the range, but in terms of power, the effect was negligible, if any. 

The seat is big enough to accommodate two people comfortably, with concealed rear footrests that flush back into the body, keeping the look sleek when riding alone. It also has quite ample storage space under the seat for a midsized backpack when you’re travelling or storing your half-faced helmet when you’re parking somewhere.  

Ride and Handling

With its 12-inch wheels, the handle gets bumpy on rough roads. However, for most of the roads in Lahore (shukria Shahbaz Sharif) it is very good. The rear suspension is forgiving yet firm. The handling is pretty decent as well – I had to sudden-brake at top speed once, and it halted to a complete stop in an exceptionally small distance. You do have to get used to levers on both hands being the brakes, but that doesn’t take long. 

Charging and discharging

The company claims that this Graphene battery’s range is 105kms per charge. I haven’t tested this, but I rode it for 70km before charging, and it did so without impacting the power. The battery indicator showed half the juice still left when I plugged it in. It took 4 hours for the battery indicator to show full; however, the charger was still charging. I used the normal domestic socket as the power outlet. 

Metro T9

Parts and repair

There is not a lot that can go wrong with Metro T9 because of its simplicity. However, the company provides 6 to 18 months warranties for different parts. In case of an unfortunate bump or crash, the company has assured that the parts are available and are in-line price-point-wise with the locally available bike parts. 

That one Negative

Metro T9 tops at 45kmph as opposed to the company’s claim of 40kmph (I think they were just being modest). Now, that’s a decent speed for the smaller streets and backroads. I find myself riding at around 25-40km on most of those roads. However, as you get onto the canal road, you feel like a misfit – like Wolverine’s brother who mutated into a turtle instead of a wolf. 

With most traffic moving at 60-80kmph and the occasional idiot swaying at 120 in his Wagon-R, I am forced to stick to the leftmost part of the road, going at my own 45kmph, next to the trees. Can it be a hazard? Yes, the best way to travel almost always is blending with the traffic. Does it get annoying? Yes, you have to thoroughly plan if you can overtake someone. Do people give you the leverage of going too slow? Yes and no; most people know it’s not your average bike, but there would definitely be the ones who think I have nowhere to reach anytime soon. 

So, coming to address the questions you may have if you are considering this. 

Does 105km Range Make Sense? 

 Yes. Most domestic users use their bikes less than 40km per day. But even if you are awaara, it will last you through the day, and you’ll have to plug it in just like your mobile phone at night. 

Does it Feel Cheap and Plasticky? 

No, it does not. It is plastic, but the quality is very decent and the parts are snuggly fit. 

Is the Top Speed a Little Too Low? 

Yes, having 25km/h extra would have increased its practicality and fun. 

Who is it not for? 

Stuntmen, racers, people who travel long distances on main roads which have 80km/h average speed traffic, people who travel more than 105km a day, people who have gender complexes and need a specific shape of a bike to define their masculinity. 

Who is it For?

People past their “Dhoom 2” days. People who have to travel multiple times to nearby places to run errands. People who just like calm and quiet rides to cafés, eateries, shopping malls, and their colleges or universities. People who would rather ride than take an Uber. People who want to give it to their kids and not worry about them one-wheeling the next day. People who are conscious about the environment believe all the marketing gimmicks around EVs saving the planet. I ended up using it the most for odd-time cravings when you want to have that Sundae but food panda-ing it isn’t an option, and taking the car out doesn’t seem worth it. 

How Much Money Will it Save Me? 

As said in the beginning, the savings may not be substantial unless you travel 100km a day. The company gives an exaggerated calculation sheet to convince people about the savings price-point; you can have a look at it below. 

Does it Justify the Price? 

To be honest, to each his own. If I had to buy my primary mode of transport, I’d probably just play it safe and buy a CG125 at this price – better sounding, more practical, and resalable. But if you have a primary mode of transport and need a quality product for smaller distances, it is a good contender. 

Can I Upgrade my Motor and Make it Go Faster? 

From my research, I’ve understood that 

  1. It’s not electronically locked at 45km/h. That’s its peak capability. 
  2. Swapping out just the motor wouldn’t do – you’ll have to change the controller, batteries, and whatnot. 

Metro is planning to release an upgraded version with a slightly higher top speed, with a lesser range; maybe it is worth waiting for that particular model. 

I Never Rode a bike. Can I learn it Quickly? 

Absolutely. It shouldn’t take anyone more than a couple of rides to get the hang of it. Many who never even rode a bicycle have tried mine, and a couple of hiccups later, they were heading for the bigger roads. It’s easier than using Instagram. 

That’s about it for now. Have any more questions, shoot them away in the comments. 

Note: This is an opinion piece

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1 Comment
  1. Khurram says

    A bike’s shape and masculinity. That is a bizarre comment, in particular if every bike is looked at, it has same appearance, unless someone thinks that installing a wider handlebar or fitting in an abnormally shaped silencer can make it look more manly. Well, since this people in this country think that spitting in public despite presence of a bin is something to be proud off, I guess an adopting idiotic way of displaying gender maybe getting commoner by the day.

    P.S. A very witty write-up author, keep up the good work. I would like to ask one thing though, who is the master.

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