‘the Legend is back’. In India’s 2W industry, you have heard this statement for the Kinetic DX electric scooter. In July 2025, Kinetic Watts & Volts Limited led by Ajinkya Firodia launched the Kinetic DX scooter. This is the reincarnation of the Kinetic Honda DX ICE scooter, but this time it is electric.
Like the original Kinetic Honda DX, the new Kinetic DX electric scooter aims to deliver innovative and out-of-the-box features and practicality. It has two variants and the base DX and DX Plus are priced between Rs 1,11,499 and Rs 1,17,499. Commendably, Kinetic has offered most of the features as standard. We experienced the Kinetic DX in Pune city, and here’s what we think about it.
kinetic electric scooter review
As far as design is concerned, the Kinetic DX electric scooter is a great machine. Kinetic’s designers have done a phenomenal job of incorporating the design features of the older models into the new Kinetic DX. Even in isolation, the Kinetic DX is a beautiful machine with neo-retro appeal, capturing the soul of its predecessor.
We liked the LED headlight design that comes equipped with LED turn indicators, functional ORVMs, the iconic fender shape, simple three-spoke alloy wheel design, long flat-ish seat, chunky rear grab rail, rear LED tail lights, futuristic switchgear and colorful LCD instrument cluster that pays homage to the Kinetic Honda DX of the bygone era. The illuminated kinetic logo and kinetic lettering may not be to everyone’s taste.
The DX Plus has five colors to choose from – red, blue, black, gray and white. The base DX only gets black and gray colours. We were particularly drawn to the white color, although red, blue and black are likely to be the more popular choices among buyers. There is a speaker next to the instrument cluster and one can also play music with the help of the Kinetic Connect app.
The only real difference between the two variants is that the top-spec DX Plus gets an additional telematics suite that is advertised as ‘Telekinetic Features’. Additionally, the on-board Easy Charge feature is only offered with the DX Plus, which is a convenient feature.
Out-of-the-box features!
There are some key features with the Kinetic DX, which are completely out-of-the-box for the Indian electric scooter segment (ICE and EV). Primary among these features is its Easy Key password based ignition system, which completely eliminates the need for a physical key or even a smart key. Just remember the password and you’re good to go.
Another key feature that we wish all OEMs would adapt is an onboard charger, which the company calls Easy Charge. At the press of a button on the switchgear, a flap at the back of the apron opens to reveal the charging socket with a well-hidden 3 meter long cable, which should be long enough for most buyers.
The third such out-of-the-box feature is the one-touch deploying foot pegs. Kinetic calls it Easy Flip and we must say, it’s no gimmick. At the press of a toggle, both the pillion foot pegs come out simultaneously and can also be locked with the back foot, ensuring that you don’t get your hands dirty while doing so.
Fourth is its cleverly designed and implemented 37L large underseat storage. Kinetic demonstrated how a user can fit a full-size helmet and then a half-face helmet and then have a dedicated shallow compartment for groceries and other elements, which is quite clever and practical. It also has an LED boot light, a USB Type-A port, and a cutout to house a smartphone.
ride and comfort
Being a 182cm tall person, I found the floorboard to be situated on the high side, resulting in the knees being in an upward position. During U-turn and regular turn scenarios, the handlebar was touching my knees. The handlebar position is fine and the seat is long and wide enough for a wide range of users.
Switchgear is another area where users may have mixed opinions. The buttons are unconventional and placed close to each other. They look cool and futuristic, but not exactly practical. If you wear thick leather gloves like me, identifying the different buttons is definitely a hassle. Due to this, whenever I wanted to press something, I had to look towards the switchgear.
Without gloves, one can figure out which button is which, muscle memory sharpens over time. The ride and handling is firm and there were some rattles and vibrations from the scooter. A softer setup would have helped.
Display
Performance is good and instantaneous, with 0-60 km/h happening in around 10 seconds and 0-80 km/h happening in around 20 seconds. Kinetic is offering 100-section tires with 12-inch wheels at both ends. Braking performance was also good and nothing to write or criticize about. Disc in front and drum in the rear.
There’s also a cruise control feature, which isn’t intuitive to use because you can’t adjust the speed with the toggle. With our unit, the cruise control feature could not even turn on. The Kinetic DX comes with a 2.6 kWh LFP battery pack as standard across all variants. The promised range is up to 105 km on a single charge. This battery sends juice to the rear hub motor rated at a peak power of 6.4 bhp. There are three riding modes – Range, Power and Turbo. In range mode, the power is reduced significantly.
There is no performance difference between the Power and Turbo, while the Turbo only brings a top speed of 90 km/h and the Kinetic DX takes a lot longer to reach there. We didn’t face any issues during our time in Pune due to the 165 mm ground clearance. The DX also gets a reverse mode and the unit we sampled did not initiate reverse mode at times.
A little criticism!
We applaud Kinetic Watts and Volts for attempting to break industry norms with innovative features, but the execution could have been better. For example, possibly the most useful feature on the Kinetic DX – Easy Charge – didn’t turn on smoothly on the two units we tested, though it worked as intended on the others. Additionally, voice alerts and artificial start-up sounds could have been avoided, as they seem unnecessary and somewhat inappropriate.
Our primary concern is with the EZ’s password-based ignition system. Although this eliminates the need for physical keys, it may not be the most secure solution in real-world scenarios. Passwords can be easily viewed or shared, especially in a home environment, increasing the risk of unauthorized use. In contrast, a physical key – whether traditional or smart – can be better controlled, stored securely, and kept out of reach when not needed.
When asked about this, Kinetic representatives explained that users can track the scooter and set geo-fencing alerts. However, there is no provision to remotely disable the vehicle or prevent unauthorized starts. It is also worth noting that the EZ feature is available on the base DX variant, which does not get the telematics suite required for these tracking features. Additionally, there is no option to generate a temporary or one-time access code.
As a result, users may have to share their primary password when handing over the scooter, and then manually change it later to maintain security. A more advanced solution, such as a biometric-based ignition system, could have provided a more secure and user-friendly experience. Implementing something along those lines would have helped Kinetic stand out further while providing a more foolproof system.
conclusion
It’s not easy to reach a clear verdict on the new Kinetic DX. It gets a lot of things right, especially when it comes to everyday utility and practicality. However, there is room for improvement. A softer suspension setup would enhance ride comfort, and better quality control is needed, as our experience varied across different units. Some features work seamlessly on one scooter but not on another, while the overall fit and finish could also benefit from further refinement.
The color LCD instrument cluster could have been brighter, and we would have preferred the option of a traditional key for a more simple, foolproof ownership experience. A similar version of the DX Plus without the EZ feature – or even a more advanced biometric-based ignition system – might have been a better approach.
Overall, the Kinetic DX is a promising product with a strong focus on practicality and innovation, but it doesn’t yet feel like a completely polished or good offering. That said, Kinetic Watts and Volts are off to a positive start, and with a few improvements, the DX has the potential to appeal to a much wider audience.
