Ather 450X

The Ather 450X is a premium sporty electric scooter from the Bengaluru-based manufacturer. The e-scooter is fun to ride thanks to its sharp handling capabilities. The Gen 3 update has added more features to the e-scooter and has improved its range. Let's find out how the scooter performs in the real world.

The Ather 450X comes with a sporty design with sharp bodylines. The LED headlight is on the front apron and the indicators are placed on the handlebar cowl. The scooter’s exposed frame, on which the seat is placed, and the sleek body adds to its sporty look. The rear section of the e-scooter features a clean design with a slim taillight with integrated indicators.

Ather offers the electric scooter in vibrant colour schemes to make it more appealing. It comes in six colours including Cosmos Black, Salt Green, Space Grey, Still White, True Red, and Lunar Grey.

The Ather 450X is powered by a 3.3kW motor that produces a peak output of 6.2kW and 26Nm. In our tests, the electric scooter was able to accelerate from 0-40kmph in 3.3 seconds. The e-scooter provides impressive acceleration and provides an overall fun riding experience. The Warp mode, with its exciting performance, takes the thrill factor to another level.

The Ather 450X comes in two battery capacity options: 2.9kWh and 3.7kWh. We tested the 3.7kWh version, the expected TrueRange (claimed real-world range) from Ather is 110km in Eco mode but we were able to achieve a whooping 142km range in the real world on a single charge.

One of the main reasons for the impressive real-world range is the subtle regenerative braking, which helps maintain reasonable speeds. Letting go of the throttle also slows down the electric scooter, like on ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles.

The 3.7kWh variant that we tested has a charging time of 5 hours and 45 minutes, which is quite convenient. There’s also an option to charge the scooter at a rate of 1.5km/min with a fast charger, in case you require a quick top-up.

The sporty design character of the scooter is complemented by its sharp handling characteristics. The scooter changes direction quickly and is lightweight which makes it very easy to ride through traffic. The scooter also leans into corners quickly and the 12-inch alloy wheels, fitted with 90-section and 100-section tubeless MRF tyres offer a good grip. Overall, it provides a smooth, easy and enjoyable riding experience.

The disc brakes offer good bite on both ends, the front wheel doesn’t lock up easily even when you brake hard. Moreover, the brakes inspire confidence while riding.

Ather 450X has a decently padded seat, but being a sporty e-scooter, the suspension setup is a bit on the firmer side. This helps when leaning into corners and riding the scooter in a spirited manner. When riding in poor road conditions the scooter can decently handle bumps and potholes without much trouble but the suspension being slightly on the sporty side will make you notice whenever you ride over a bad patch. 

However, this isn’t a deal-breaker and a more comfortable suspension setup would have improved the overall riding experience for both pillion and the rider. The suspension stiffness is most noticeable when you’re riding solo, adding a pillion on board will significantly improve the ride quality. With regards to pillion comfort, the scooter gets a sleek grab rail and fixed pillion footrests, which adds to the comfort and convenience. 

Moreover, with a seat height of 780mm the scooter is accessible for shorter riders. Even taller riders will sit comfortably, thanks to the spacious floorboard and tall handlebar that provides enough legroom.

The Ather 450X comes equipped with an all-LED lighting setup. It features a 7-inch touchscreen console with an IP65 rating. The optional Pro-Pack brings more features and enhances the scooter’s capabilities. It includes a coloured screen with adaptive brightness, 4G LTE connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity for call and SMS alerts along with Google Maps powered navigation and music controls. 

Ather has also offered customisation options for the display including multiple themes and a night mode. The scooter also has some practical features such as auto-off indicators, a guide-me-home light that stays on for 20 sec after switching off the scooter, document storage, location tracking, a trip planner, fast charging support, and auto-hold (hill hold) which makes things very convenient for the rider.

There are also four riding modes: Eco/SmartEco, Ride, Sport, and Warp, which you can select to suit your riding preferences. Lastly, over-the-air (OTA) updates help keep the scooter up to date and bring more functionalities. Overall, there are a lot of features and functionalities that the Ather 450X comes with and this keeps it competitive when compared to its rivals.

The Ather 450X is a good electric scooter to ride in the city as well as on the highway. It is able to provide a thrilling riding experience, excellent real-world range and sporty handling characteristics along with a range of features. It is a fun and reliable scooter to own. Even though the suspension setup could have been a bit more comfortable, we think the Ather 450X is the best electric alternative to sporty petrol-powered scooters in the Indian market.