TVS iQube 2.2 and 3.5: Kenya buying guide
1. Measure the route
List the longest regular day, including detours. Note passenger use, hills, parking and the time available to recharge. Record the complete round trip rather than the direct distance to work. Select a variant with adequate reserve after a demonstration relevant to that routine; 75 km and 115 km are manufacturer claims, not guaranteed arrival distances. TVS Kenya 2.2; TVS Kenya 3.5.
A rider whose regular distance changes unpredictably needs more flexibility than a rider repeating a short fixed commute. Write down your plan if you return late with low charge: a permitted overnight socket, a reliable backup and enough margin to reach it.
2. Match the invoice to the scooter
Confirm model designation, battery capacity, supplied charger, chassis identifier, build/registration year and colour in writing. The larger Car & General listing is headed 3.4 kWh but describes 3.5 kWh in its table; TVS Kenya calls the version 3.5. Resolve that naming mismatch against the actual scooter before signing. Do not select warranty or replacement parts from a generic iQube name. Larger local listing.
The larger reference maximum speed is disputed between 82 km/h at TVS and 78 km/h at the distributor. That difference should stay visible in the comparison until the supplied version is confirmed. A buyer does not need to settle it by attempting a top-speed run on a public road.
3. Compare the complete price
On 7 October 2026, Car & General's online asking prices were KSh 338,000 for 2.2 and KSh 396,000 for the larger version, both marked VAT-inclusive. Availability and what the invoice includes still need confirmation. 2.2 price; larger price.
The KSh 58,000 difference should be justified by your route reserve and ownership needs. Add registration or transfer if excluded, insurance, gear, secure parking and any required electrical work. For finance, obtain total repayments, mandatory fees and insurance conditions. Compare the whole contract with the cash price.
Do not treat an older launch price as today's offer. Save the dated written quote and ask how long it remains valid.
4. Resolve charging before paying
Inspect the charging space and socket with the dealer's installation guidance. Confirm weather protection, cable routing, permission and secure parking. Keep the supplied charger and its approved instructions together. The quoted two or three hours are 0–80% references; ask for the full-charge procedure rather than assuming the last 20% takes the same time. TVS Kenya charging guidance 2.2; 3.5.
Do not assume removable batteries, universal battery swapping or compatibility with another brand's charger. If upstairs charging is essential, have the seller demonstrate the permitted arrangement before purchase.
If an office is the only charging location, establish access during weekends, leave and holidays. If home power is unreliable, plan reserve and backup access rather than inventing a guaranteed charging window.
5. Verify the bill
Kenya Power's 4 June 2026 notice gives e-mobility rates of KSh 16/unit peak and KSh 8 off-peak, tied to tariff metering. Check whether your connection qualifies; those figures do not automatically describe an ordinary domestic socket or the complete final bill. Kenya Power notice.
Use a suitable wall-energy meter and your actual billed cost per unit. Energy cost per kilometre equals wall kWh consumed multiplied by all-in KSh/kWh, divided by kilometres travelled. This captures charging loss instead of using nominal battery capacity as billed energy. Keep separate allowances for tyres, brakes, servicing, insurance and battery contingency.
As a calculator example only, 0.035 kWh/km at KSh 25/kWh costs KSh 0.875/km. For 660 km, that is KSh 577.50. Neither assumed input is a verified iQube measurement or official tariff.
6. Test ordinary tasks
Sit on the scooter in your riding footwear, move it backwards, make a controlled turn and test the parking/reverse assistance where available. Bring your helmet to check storage. Inspect passenger footrests and fit. Check both brake controls and how the scooter behaves over a representative speed hump with a safe agreed load.
Verify dashboard, app pairing, charging indication, both keys, lights and horn. Ask the dealer to demonstrate the low-charge warnings and charging errors. A gadget is only a benefit if you understand what it is telling you.
7. Buy the warranty and workshop arrangement
Car & General states two years or 30,000 km of vehicle-and-battery cover. Obtain the actual policy and ask about capacity degradation, permitted use, water/collision exclusions, charger cover, service records and transferability. Local warranty statement.
Identify the workshop that can diagnose your exact version and obtain prices/lead times for tyres, brake consumables, charger and major EV components. The company's branch list is a starting point, not proof that every workshop has iQube tools. Car & General branches.
For a used scooter, request battery state-of-health evidence, error-code checks and records. Examine underbody, wiring and connectors for impact or repair. Have the seller prove it charges correctly with the supplied equipment. A displayed 100% is not proof of original battery capacity.
8. Complete the road setup
Ensure proper registration/transfer and insurance, and ride with a valid licence, helmet and reflective jacket. Provide the required gear for a passenger. The same basic road obligations apply to an electric motorcycle; the absence of an exhaust does not remove them. Traffic Act 103B.
Buy 2.2 when a measured demonstration and ample reserve support your modest regular day. Buy the larger model when extra reserve materially helps, once its exact designation is confirmed. Walk away from a purchase that depends on a socket you cannot use or a warranty nobody will explain.