Ather e-scooters likely to get bigger battery, more range

Ather is working on an update for its popular e-scooter – available in two trim levels – the 450 Plus and the 450X. The leaked type approval document reveals some sizable changes, including – but not limited to – a larger battery pack promising more range.

· Larger 3.66kWh battery pack is 26 percent larger

· Claimed range of 146km on the 450 Plus

· Changes to the dimensions as well

2022 Ather 450: Changes to the battery pack

The battery pack is an important part of an electric scooter which controls nearly all its functions, mechanical and otherwise. After its key rival, the Ola S1 Pro, took the game forward, Bengaluru-based start-up Ather is expected to launch an updated version of its 450 scooters with a substantially larger battery pack. Currently, the size of the battery pack found in the 450X is 2.9kWh, and, according to the leaked document, the size of the updated battery pack will be 3.66kWh, which is a big jump.

The existing motor is rated at 3.3kW/5.4kW (Nominal/Peak) for the 450 Plus and 3.3kW/6kW for the 450X, while the updated scooter is rated at 3.1kW/6.4kW for what is likely to be the 450X and 3.1kW/5.8 kW for the 450 Plus. While there is more peak power available, the nominal power output figure has gone down slightly. Another caveat here is that the peak power figures are different in each of the riding modes on offer.

Currently, the 450X and the 450 Plus boast of a claimed range of 116km and 100km, respectively, while the type approval document reveals a jump in the claimed range figures to 146km for the former and 108km for the latter. 

2022 Ather 450: Changes to the dimensions 

There have also been some changes to the dimensions of the scooter. For starters, the wheelbase now stands at 1,296mm, an increase of 9mm. The height, at 1,114mm, is a 11mm jump over the current figure of 1,103mm. The biggest change, however, comes in the form of a 25mm increase to the length of the scooter, which now stands at 1,837mm.

These changes in dimensions are quite possibly brought on by the need to accommodate the larger battery pack. Whether the scooter will also get a visual update remains to be seen as the design has remained the same since launch.

2022 Ather 450: Rivals

When it was launched in 2018, the performance and price of the Ather put it in a class of its own. However, nearly four years later, the e-scooter market has seen the entrance of new products that have moved the game on quite a bit.

Arguably the direct competitor to the Ather 450X is the Ola S1 Pro. While the Ola still has a long way to go when it comes to quality and consistency, there is no denying the popularity of the S1 Pro thanks to its additional performance, range and features for a lower price. The recent MoveOS 2 OTA update has also finally enabled many of the originally promised features, although some still remain unavailable.

Another rival that has quietly been carving out its own niche is the TVS iQube. Recently updated with two new variants offering a whole host of features, a real-world range of up to 140km and an accessible price tag, it is by no means something to be discounted.

The updates to the Ola and TVS mean that the newer version of the Ather 450X does have its work cut out. The Ather 450X is also already the most expensive e-scooter on sale today, and considering that the battery is the most expensive element of an EV, it remains to be seen how much of a price hike the updated models will carry.

What would be your pick amongst the three e-scooters listed here?

Ather 450X

₹ 1,63,586 * on road price (New Delhi)

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