Ather 450S

A few weeks ago, the Government of India reduced the incentives for electric vehicles. This development resulted in a drop in EV sales due to the price increase. To counter this, Ather has launched the 450S – a lower-priced product. With this, the brand also wants to target some ICE scooters like the TVS NTorq 125. But will that be helpful to get in more sales numbers? We had the scooter for a few hours in Bengaluru, and this is what we think of it. 

One aspect of the Ather 450S that has remained unchanged is its design.  as Ather is treating this model on par with the more expensive variants.  The fascia continues to exhibit its sharp and angular stance. Then, the sizeable V-shaped headlamp unit makes the scooter look pretty premium. 

The handlebar cover also gets the same sharp lines with integrated turn indicators. From the side too, the Ather S looks quite compact. Plus, the subtle yet vibrant touch of colour on the seat frame and the branding enhance the scooter's overall cool appeal. The rear also has sharp lines, and that large grab-rail adds a bit of bulk.  

The Ola 450S gets a new instrument cluster. This dashboard isn't the full TFT colour screen seen on the 450X model. It is called the Deepview display and shares the same 7-inch screen size as the TFT one. However, it is lower spec in many aspects, like the processor is 800MhZ, the storage capacity is 8GB, and the RAM is 1GB. The brightness feature has its limitations too. That said, this cluster continues to get the IP65 rating, which means it will hold well in monsoon. 

Apart from the instrument cluster, there are changes in the switchgear, including a switch to reverse the scooter or take it forward. This is a super helpful and easy-to-use feature. Meanwhile, the rest of the switchgear is pretty good and comfortable too. 

Now, the Pro variant of the Ather 450S gets many more features, such as hill hold, vehicle fall safe, coasting regen, emergency stop signal, and guide-me-home lights. Most of these are also available on the 450X. But the 450S doesn't have the Warp mode — a feature synonymous with the brand Ather. The other modes are Smart Eco, Eco, Ride, and Sport. The Smart Eco mode gives a riding range of 90km, Eco delivers 85km, Ride gives 75km, and the Sport comes with a range of 70km.

The Ather scooters have always been known for their sharp and agile handling, be it in the cities or on some go-kart tracks. Their scooters lead the game of fun and exciting handling; the story is the same with the 450S. This e-scooter is super easy to ride and allows you to get through some of the tightest traffic quickly. While testing it on the streets of Bengaluru, the 450S was highly predictable, allowing us to ride it aggressively. This was when we realised the suspension setup was still sporty, especially the rebound. But with a pillion, the ride gets much better.

However, regarding the performance, there's a drop in acceleration, especially in the Eco and Ride modes. But this is something only a few people will be able to feel. The Sport mode is super exciting and best suited for fast commutes; maybe for those with a limited daily run of 15-20km. On the other hand, the Eco and Ride modes allow you to commute with ease.

Coming to that instrument cluster, it's a nice-looking dash. The layout has been neatly done, and the choice of font colours is quite intelligent. It gives a sense of modernity in this affordable scooter. The amount of information here is still quite detailed, which could become challenging for a regular rider for everyday use. Sadly, we couldn't test the turn-by-turn navigation because we couldn't access the updated smartphone application. 

But the rest of the riding experience was great. The brakes work exceptionally well. While the CBS does the job well, including ABS would have made this scooter far superior. I continue to love Ather's throttle calibration - it is on point. The two things I don't like about the Ather 450S - it is not meant for taller riders, and that side stand makes the scooter lean in too much. While the latter could be a problem only for urban riders in a parking lot, the former is a big issue for all riders above 6ft. A lot of U-turns will bruise the rider's knees.   

The Ather 450S is a good attempt by the company. It carries over the styling and most of the performance traits from the 450X. The feature list, too, is decent, and the new instrument cluster does get the job done. The overall riding experience is sporty and fun and the quality of the cycle parts is excellent as well. Regarding practicality, the floorboard and the under-seat storage can take up some good luggage. The quality of the cycle parts is excellent too. At Rs. 1.29 lakh (ex-showroom), the Ather 450S is a great choice. But shell out just Rs. 8,000 more, and there's the Ather 450X, which gets the famous TFT instrument cluster, better performance, and more colours to choose from. However, this route would set you back by additional two to three EMIs. 

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi