Ather working on new family scooter to rival TVS iQube

The upcoming e-scooter is likely to launch in early 2024, and should get spacious seating and storage space.

Published On Aug 19, 2023 07:00:00 AM

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Ather working on new family scooter to rival TVS iQube

Representative image of 2021 Ather design patent.

We have learned through dealer sources that Ather is working on a new family e-scooter to take on the likes of the TVS iQube. Ather currently offers its 450 line-up of sporty e-scooters, and while these are entertaining and fun to ride, they do have certain shortcomings in the practicality department. We now understand that this new product from Ather will address these.

Expected to be more spacious than the 450S, 450X
Could launch in early 2024
Large floorboard and boot space likely

This new e-scooter from Ather has already been showcased to dealers, though its likely in a prototype/pre-production form. We believe that an official unveiling/launch could take place as soon as early 2024, suggesting that work has been underway on this project for quite some time.

The Ather 450S and 450X are undeniably compact and sporty scooters, and tall riders do feel a little cramped for space aboard them, especially while taking a U-turn. Floorboard space is also in limited supply, and at 22 litres, boot space is reasonably large, but still not quite as huge as the likes of the Ola S1 line-up.

These are areas that we expect Ather to focus on with this new model. Expect a larger and wider seat, as well as a floorboard that’s up to the quintessential Indian task of carrying an LPG cooking cylinder.

A couple of years ago, Ather patented a design for a maxi-style scooter, albeit one that featured a seemingly large and flat floorboard and a long, flat seat. It is unclear whether this upcoming e-scooter could have any sort of connection to this old design patent. However, our sources tell us that this will be styled along the lines of a conventional family scooter, more in-line with the likes of the TVS iQube and Honda Activa.

With this use case in mind, it’s quite likely that Ather’s new family scooter will not feature the sort of grin-inducing performance levels that you see in Warp mode on the 450X. It will instead focus on healthy range and gentler performance levels adequate for urban duties. With recently expanded manufacturing capabilities, a presence in close to 100 cities and towns, and growing monthly sales figures, it would appear that a sensible scooter like this with more mass appeal is just what Ather needs.

With this in mind, it’s also possible that pricing will start close to or below Ather’s current entry-level product, the 450S, which starts at Rs 1.30 lakh (ex-showroom, Bengaluru, after FAME-2 subsidy).