Yamaha Aerox E First Ride Review: The Right EVolution?

Scooters are usually considered to be practical tools and often have a boring image. However, every now and then, an offering comes along that breaks free from conventional roles and does things differently. For Yamaha, that scooter was the Aerox 155. It looked different, rode differently, and did not give a hoot about practicality. And yet, it was a hit amongst the younger crowds. Yamaha is now gearing up to launch the electric version of the scooter, the Aerox E. So, does the Japanese automaker have another ace up its sleeve?

Yamaha Aerox E: Ergonomics and Practicality

The design and physical footprint of the Aerox E are very similar to those of the internal combustion engine-powered counterpart. I did find the ergonomics somewhat odd. You sit rather high up relative to the handlebars, resulting in a riding position that takes some time to get used to. The seat cushion is angled and keeps pushing the rider into the handlebars.

While it is great to see that you get keyless operation and that most of the controls are in one place, I did not like the feel of the buttons for opening the charging lid and the seat. They feel rather rubbery and can be harder to operate with gloves on. The underseat storage space is rather less, due to the presence of the removable batteries (more on that later).

You can still keep a rather small bag here or some papers. There is a storage compartment on the left side of the apron that also has a charger. While in the ICE-powered Aerox, one would open the flap to fill with petrol, in the electric version, it hides the charging port and a cavity to hold the charger.  All in all, the Aerox E is not a practical or sensible offering, like its ICE-powered counterpart, but it could have had somewhat better ergonomics.

You get a 5-inch colour TFT instrument cluster that is functional, but I do feel that it pales in comparison to the fancy touchscreens seen on competitor models.

Yamaha Aerox E: Performance and Handling

On paper, the Aerox E makes more power and torque than the EC-06, Yamaha's other EV offering, which has a higher top speed of 95.5km/h (with Boost) and even a sporty pedigree. So, I was expecting this scooter to impress mightily with its performance. Unfortunately, that wasn't exactly the case.

When you twist the accelerator, the scooter thinks for a little while before delivering power. This is rather reminiscent of EVs of days gone by and not a trait I expected to see in this package. Once you do get rolling, however, there is decent grunt to keep you on the move. But I was really surprised to find the Aerox E's acceleration less impressive than the more utilitarian EC-06's. There are three riding modes, and I was mostly testing the Aerox E in the most powerful one. Using the Boost Mode helps things along, but this is a momentary surge in power and needs time to recharge once used.

The ride quality is decent compared to the regular Aerox, but the suspension still tends to bottom out on bumps and potholes; this is especially true of the front forks. At slower speeds, the absorption levels are a little better. Even though the braking setup consists of disc brakes on both wheels and single-channel ABS, the performance feels a little lacking. The bite from the setup is not nearly as good as one would expect. Yamaha has also thrown in traction control, which is a nice safety net to have, but not really necessary. You can switch it off if you so wish.

With the Aerox E, Yamaha is taking the swappable battery route. There are two 1.5kWh units that can be charged outside the scooter or even when they are plugged in (thankfully!) However, each battery pack is rather heavy, and you will have to put your back into lifting them. Once again, it feels like something you would have encountered in the lead-acid battery era of EVs.

The 117km IDC range figure is not confidence-inspiring either. I did not have enough time to do a range test, but I can safely bet that in the real world, that figure will be closer to 70-75km. So, if you were planning on taking the Aerox E for your long office commutes, you might have to charge on almost daily.

Yamaha Aerox E: Verdict

Perhaps my expectations were a little too high for the Aerox E, given the reputation of its petrol-powered namesake, leaving me feeling a little underwhelmed by what was ultimately presented. The scooter undoubtedly looks good and has a decent amount of rider aids.

However, the performance felt lacking, and the range won't cut it in 2026. It does not help that competitors are offering better instrument clusters. Prices are not out yet, but they will be rather high, making the Aerox E feel like too little, too late.