Ather targets electric scooter revolution with launch of two variants. Prices, specs and features here

A scooter that could possibly change the face of India’s Electric Vehicle (EV) market was launched on Tuesday. A Bengaluru-based startup that had reportedly been funded to the tune of Rs 205 crore by Hero Moto Corp in 2016 has launched the Ather in two variants.

Listed as the Ather 340 and the Ather  450, the scooters are priced at Rs 1.09 and 1.24 lakh respectively. While launching what is considered to be the most expensive scooter in the Indian market, Ather Energy talked up a value-for-money proposition, saying that it is also the most advanced scooter on sale in the country.

What powers the Ather 340 and 450 is a 2.4 kWh battery pack that delivers 5.9 PS and 7.3 PS respectively. The 450 has a peak torque of 20.5 Nm and is capable of doing 0 to 40 in less than 4 seconds, while the 340 has a peak torque of 20 Nm.

The body is designed such that the air enters through the front to cool the battery, taking some of the load off the cooling fan. On the instrument cluster is a 7-inch SIM card enabled tablet.

The charging grid that would be offered with the scooter would have fast charging capabilities that would be provided with an output of 2.5 kW. Both AC, as well as DC charging, would be available on the grid. Apart from that, it will also have a smart cloud connectivity enabled with SIM and ethernet. To make it energy efficient, the grid is enabled with an auto-cutoff feature which will only transmit power when it is connected to the vehicle. Externally, it is UV resistant and has a weatherproof body. The equipment is designed to be tolerant of voltage fluctuations and over-current that would otherwise damage the power supply system.

The next few months could be a litmus test for Ather as it tries to open up the market for new EV manufacturers. A pricey electrical scooter might seem like a dangerous gamble in the Indian market. But given what the scooter brings to the table, the Ather has a fighting chance!