In addition to the newly launched 450S, the flagship 450X will be offered with two different battery capacities.
Published On Aug 12, 2023 07:00:00 AM
The recent cut in the FAME-II subsidy has prompted Ather to launch a new low-cost model called the 450S. We’ve had a chance to ride this new scooter and you can check out our review of it here. In addition to this, Ather has also revised the variant line-up for its existing 450X e-scooter, and is now offering it with a smaller battery pack. In total, there are now three distinct models being offered by Ather, and here is a breakdown of the line-up.
Ather 450S (2.9kWh battery)
The most affordable model in Ather’s line-up is the newly launched 450S, which starts at Rs 1.3 lakh. Part of the cost-cutting has been done by replacing the 7-inch TFT touchscreen on the 450X with a more basic LCD colour display here. Despite this, it still retains many of the features of the 450X, including Bluetooth connectivity, which allows you to control music playback and phone calls as well as on-board navigation (though here it’s a turn-by-turn system).
A larger chunk of savings has come from the drop in battery capacity – down from 3.7kWh to 2.9kWh. As a result, range figures are also down, with an IDC-claimed range that’s roughly 20 percent lower than that of the 450X with its 3.7kWh battery pack. In the real world, Ather says you can expect 90km in SmartEco mode, which drops down to 70km in Sport mode.
The motor has also been turned down to reduce the draw on the smaller battery pack, and Warp mode is out of the picture here. So output figures stand at 5.4kW and 22Nm, which means gentler acceleration on the 450S. That said, the top speed still remains the same as the 450X, at 90kph.
On the one hand, the 450S supports the same rate of fast charging from the Ather Grid as the 450X that’s been on sale for the last year or so – 15km of range from a 10min top-up. However, it ships with a less powerful home charger, so charging times will be slower – 6.5hrs from 0 to 80 percent, and an additional 2hrs to get to 100 percent.
The final small changes are a slight reduction in weight, thanks to the smaller battery pack (down from 111kg to 108kg), and a slightly slimmer rear tyre than the 450X (90/90-12 as opposed to 100/80-12).
Prices for the 450S start at Rs 1.3 lakh, but most of the LCD display’s features are unlocked only when you opt for the Pro pack. This pushes the price up to Rs 1.43 lakh, gives you OTA updates and a 5 year/60,000km warranty on the battery.
Ather 450X (2.9kWh battery)
Ever since it entered its third generation a little over a year ago, the Ather 450X has been sold with a larger 3.7kWh battery pack that offered a bump up in range over the Gen 2 scooter. When the FAME-II subsidy was in full force, the government helped cover a large chunk of the costs, and so this large battery was feasible. With the cut in subsidy, prices have gone up, and this has prompted Ather to roll out a new variant of the 450X with a smaller battery pack.
It is a 2.9kWh battery pack – the same capacity as the 450S, and the same as what used to be offered on the Gen 2 450X. The difference over the 450S is that here, you still get the 7-inch TFT touchscreen, the chunkier rear tyre and Warp mode (provided you opt for the Pro Pack).
In terms of range, Ather claims that it’s pretty much identical to the 450S, but Warp mode is an extra here, and in that mode, the real-world range claim drops to 60km. The maximum range claim (in SmartEco mode) remains the same as the 450S – 90km. In terms of charging, too, it’s identical to the 450S.
Prices for the 450X with the 2.9kWh battery pack start at Rs 1.38 lakh and go up to Rs 1.53 lakh if you opt for the Pro pack. It brings in all the same extra goodies as on the 450S as well as an extra feature in the form of document storage (the 450S can’t offer this since it has an LCD display and not a TFT screen).
Ather 450X (3.7kWh battery)
Finally, Ather will also offer the 450X with a 3.7kWh battery pack, which is essentially the scooter that has been on sale here since July 2022. The company says that it wants to keep offering this version for buyers who want and need the extra range, and are willing to pay for it. At the same time, it will also offer the smaller 2.9kWh version so that buyers aren’t forced to pay for extra battery capacity if they don’t need it.
As a result, range figures here are the highest in the Ather line-up. The company claims 110km in SmartEco mode, which drops to 75km in Warp mode. This version of the 450S also gets the fastest home charger, and despite having the largest battery pack here, it still sports the quickest home charging times – 4.5hrs to go from 0 to 80 percent, and a further 1.25hrs to get to 100 percent.
Prices for this range-topping version of the 450X start at Rs 1.45 lakh, and go up to Rs 1.68 lakh if you opt for the Pro pack. Ather says deliveries are slated to begin in October.
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