Today, while taking a stroll around my office campus, I had a chance to ride and review the Ather 450. Although I wished to get my hands to the more exciting and sporty Ather 450X, the experience with the smaller sibling—Ather 450—was promising.
Mahesh Gaikwad, who had traveled from their Bengaluru office, assisted us with the information. Ather 450 is a battery-operated two-wheeler with a riding capacity of up to 85 kilometers (the company claims 116 kilometers), including the pillion rider. The information intrigued my colleague, Rushabh Shah, and me. So, we chose to inquire further, which lead to this post.
The low center of gravity, the 20.9Nm torque, the mono-shock suspension, and the 51:49 weight ratio give the “super scooter” a pleasant riding experience. The ride experience is on par with, perhaps even better than, the four-stroke 125CC motorcycle that I ride to the office every day.
The specifications are enough, and given that the ride performance is subjective, I am sure that either version of the scooter will please most prospects.
It has 22 liters of storage capacity, which I think is ample enough for my requirements. The motor quickly revs to the commands of the rider, should you choose the Sports mode. The other two modes, Ride and Economy, are sufficient for city riding. The back seat is comfortable, and the acceleration/deceleration is confidence-inducing. Both versions of the scooter come with Bybre disk brakes. The only sound you get from the scooter is confirmation ping, which confirms the ignition, and later, of the belt’s interaction with the under-seat motor.
The smart design of the scooter conceals the battery under your feet, and the motor between the mono-shock and the seat. The battery is IP67 rated, and the digital display is IP65 rated, which I think was a handy addition. You can ride through water-clogged streets without worrying too much about the battery. The side stand is sleek and easy to pull out. Although I missed the main-stand, but it isn’t there for apt reasons—no one uses it and it would have impacted the battery connections.
Ather 450 comes with a digital display that runs on Linux. It comes with in-built e-SIM technology that uses a bunch of sensors for navigation and ride information, which is synced to cloud. So, the ride behavior and analytics will also be available. Ather 450X, on the other hand, has a display that runs on Android OS. So, Bluetooth connectivity will also be there on it.
The buttons and controls on the scooter had a nice feedback and operating them while riding did not pose any issues.
Pune will be the third city, after Bengaluru and Chennai, where the scooter will be available. But, the good thing is, the company plans to launch the brand in 9 other cities, too. In the time when all of us are registering cognizance of the efficiency and caring for the environment, getting to see such promising “Made in India” products is a positive omen.
The scooter comes with a three year, unlimited kilometers warranty. You can book it in Pune right now, but the deliveries will only begin by September. The production is in full swing. So, the company hopes to deliver on its promise.
With electric, hybrid, and other innovations surely looking like the possibilities of the future, hands-on experience with a scooter from the future was certainly pleasing. I look forward to seeing more of these pass by me until the time I am ready to join the bandwagon. As of today, the future looks bright and electrifying. Or should I say electric?
The Wordsmith 