Ather 340 Electric Scooter Launch Date Announced

Set for launch on 5 June 2018, the Ather 340 will begin sales from Bengaluru.

After four years of extensive research and development, Ather Energy has finally announced that it will launch its first electric scooter, the Ather 340, in Bengaluru on 5 June 2018. We expect the e-scooter to cost around Rs 1 lakh based on the technology it offers. This will make the Ather 340 the most expensive scooter on sale in India.

Previously known as the S340, the e-scooter manufacturer seems to have rebadged it to 340 based on the invite we received for the launch event. Now, the estimated price of Rs 1 lakh may seem high. However, the scooter comes packed with a lot of goodies to justify its pricing. Some of the features include parking assist function, over-the-air updates, ‘push navigation’, charging station location tracking, custom user interface, combined brakes and diagnostic alerts.

The S340 is propelled by a brushless DC motor (BLDC) and uses an indigenously-developed battery pack and battery management system. According to the S340’s spec sheet available on the company website, the motor generates 14Nm of torque and hit 0-40kmph in just 5.1 seconds. Top speed is rated at 72kmph. The company also claims that the battery can last upto 50,000km and can be charged up to 80 per cent in just 50 minutes with the help of fast charging technology. At full charge, the scooter can mange a respectable range of 60km, which will strictly restrict its usage to within the city. The suspension setup comprises of telescopic forks at the front and a monoshock unit at the rear. The electric scooter also features a front disc brake with combined braking system (CBS) for added safety.

According to Ather Energy, the sales of the e-scooter will begin in a phased manner, starting from its hometown, Bengaluru. The company has also installed charging points called ‘AtherGrid’ across the city and is planning to expand its charging infrastructure to other cities before launching the e-scooter there. Currently, Bengaluru has a total of 30 ‘AtherGrid’ charging stations and the number is expected to grow to 60 by the end of this year.

Once launched, the Ather 340 will compete with the Okinawa Praise (Rs 59,899) and the Twenty Two Motors Flow (Rs 74,740).