Ather Scooters Become More Affordable

The Ather 450 and 340 are now around Rs 9,000 more affordable than before thanks to reduced GST on EVs

• The reduced prices are thanks to a drop in GST rate for FAME II-certified electric vehicles.
• The Ather 340 receives a FAME II subsidy of Rs 23,959.
• The Ather 450 gets a subsidy of Rs 26,732.
• Ather scooters are currently available in Bengaluru and Chennai. 

The government's move to reduce GST rates on FAME II-certified electric vehicles has brought huge benefits for prospective Ather customers. A reduced GST rate of 5 per cent compared to the earlier 12 per cent has resulted in Ather’s scooters becoming more affordable by nearly Rs 9,000.

Also read: GST On Electric Vehicles Reduced To 5 Per Cent

The Ather 340 now costs Rs Rs 1,02,460 (on-road Bengaluru) while the Ather 450 is priced at Rs 113,715 (on-road, Bengaluru). This is after a FAME II subsidy of Rs 23,959 for the 340 and Rs 26,732 for the 450.  

Also read: Ather 450 Electric Scooter: First Ride Review

Currently, the Ather 340 and Ather 450 can be bought in Chennai and Bengaluru and will be available in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi NCR, Pune and 30 other cities by 2023.

Also read: Ather Energy Plans To Expand On An International Scale

With the government pushing to make EV’s as our primary mode of transport, it is refreshing to see new policies that offset the high cost of electric vehicles while also providing incentives for customers opting for electric vehicles. However, a lot more can be done as pointed out by Ather CEO Tarun Mehta who stated, “There is an inherent inverted duty structure as the GST input on raw material and other overheads are on average of 18 % wherein the output is now going to be pegged at 5%. This structure results in significant working capital blockage. A comprehensive GST refund structure of electric vehicle manufacturers or a reduced GST liability on the raw material should be assessed for seamless cash flows in the long run”.

Here’s a press release from the company

Ather scooters now available at lower price point post GST rate reduction

• Prices drop by INR 9000 for the Ather 450

The reduced GST rate on electric vehicles from 12% to 5% is applicable across all FAME II certified EVs including Ather scooters – Ather 340 and Ather 450.

The new on-road price for Ather scooters are as below

At present, Ather scooters are available in Bengaluru and Chennai. Ather plans to begin operations in other major cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi NCR, Pune and 30 other cities by 2023.