Over the past few days, social media and several micro-news portals have been abuzz with a sensational piece of news: Patanjali, the brand known for disrupting India’s FMCG and Ayurvedic space, is reportedly entering the EV segment with an electric scooter priced at just ₹14,000 and promising a range of 440 kilometers per charge.
Sounds too good to be true? That’s because it is. Let’s unpack this viral claim and separate fact from fiction.
What the article claimed
An article published on a website called HBTU provided elaborate specifications of this so-called Patanjali scooter. Here’s a breakdown of the claims:
At first glance, this looks like a dream come true for the Indian commuter — economical, efficient, and feature-rich.
Too good to be true? Yes. Here’s why.
Unrealistic range vs battery reality
To deliver a real-world range of 440 km, a scooter would need a battery pack of at least 7–8 kWh. That’s well above what today’s electric scooters offer.
For comparison:
- The Simple One scooter, among the highest range electric scooters in India, promises 248 km with a 5 kWh battery.
- The Ola Roadster X electric motorcycle offers 501 km, but only with a 9.1 kWh battery, aided by more efficient 4680 Bharat cells and better packaging suited to motorcycles — not scooters.
Price that defies economics
- Let’s talk price. ₹14,000 for a scooter with that kind of battery and range is completely unfeasible. Even without a battery, manufacturing the scooter’s powertrain, chassis, wheels, controller, and display unit would exceed this price.
- A 7 kWh battery alone would cost ₹60,000–₹80,000, even with localized manufacturing.
Missing technical details = Red flag
Interestingly, the original article never mentions the actual battery size or motor specs — two of the most important components for determining the feasibility of any EV.
It also includes polished infographics and comparison tables that mimic credible media reporting. This is a classic case of well-packaged misinformation designed to go viral.
Final Verdict: It's fake news
While it may be tempting to believe that a trusted brand like Patanjali is revolutionising the EV space overnight, the data doesn’t support the claim. The lack of any official announcement, the absence of a realistic price-to-specs ratio, and physical limitations in battery technology all point to one conclusion:
This viral news about a ₹14,000 Patanjali electric scooter with a 440 km range is fake.
Always approach viral tech news with caution — especially when it sounds too good to be true. Fact-check before you share. In this case, a bit of digging reveals that what looks like a game-changer is actually just smoke and mirrors.
