Ather Energy has finally introduced its first electric scooter in the Indian market. After four years of development, the all-new Ather 340 electric scooter has been priced at Rs 1,09,750 (on-road, Bengaluru) including insurance, registration and smart card. The company is also offering the Ather One plan with a monthly subscription of Rs 700 that includes free public and home charging, breakdown assistance, regular maintenance, unlimited data services and inclusive of consumables. Read – Top Upcoming Scooters in India
The launch of the Ather 340 electric scooter will happen in a phased manner so that the two-wheeler maker can setup its EV charging infrastructure – AtherGrid – across the cities. The company has already established 30 charging stations in Bengaluru and further aims to increase it up to 60 stations by the end of this year. The company has also introduced the Ather 450 at Rs 1,24,750 (on-road, Bengaluru).
First previewed in 2016, the Ather 340 is India’s most expensive locally developed electric scooter. At this price point, the 340 EV competes against the Twenty Two Motors Flow and Okinawa Praise that cost 74,740 and Rs 59,899 (all, ex-showroom Delhi), respectively. The scooter is being manufactured at Ather’s assembly plant in Whitefield, Bengaluru. This facility has an annual production capacity of 20,000 units in a single shift.
For people not in the know, the Ather 340 electric scooter project received its first major funding of $1 million (around Rs 6.72 crore) from Filpkart founders in 2014. In 2016, Hero MotoCorp made an investment of Rs 205 crore in Ather Energy and it currently holds 26-30 percent stakes of the company.
At the heart of the Ather 340 is a 4.4kW brushless DC electric motor coupled to a battery pack and battery management system (BMS). Its dust and water proof battery is placed underneath the floorboard for a low centre of gravity. The BMS, on the other hand, keeps a check on the battery status and its range. It churns out a maximum power of 6.4bhp against a peak torque of 20Nm, thus making it more powerful than several petrol-engined scooters. Read – Upcoming Bikes & Scooters Under Rs 1 Lakh
For the record, the company claims that the Ather 340 offers an electric range of 60km on a single charge. The electric scooter is also claimed to do 0-40kmph in 5.1 seconds and deliver a top speed of 70kmph. It comes with a fast charging system that charges its battery up to 80 percent in an hour. The battery can last up to 50,000kms, and after that it needs to be replaced. The Ather 450 makes uses of a 5.4kW motor generating 20.5Nm of toque. It can accelerate 0-40kmph in just 3.9 seconds. In Economy mode, the scooter delivers a claimed range of 75km. It has an electronic speed limit of 80kmph.
Design and styling of the Ather 340 and 450 is identical. Both the scooters feature LED headlamp and 12-inch alloy wheels with 90/90 section tyres. The Ather 340 is a connected scooter that comes with a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen displaying speed, range and trip meter along with the satellite navigation support and remote diagnostics.
Other key features include charging station location tracking, diagnostic alerts, a parking assist function, ‘push navigation’, over-the-air updates, combined brakes and custom user interface. For damping duties, the electric scooter has a telescopic fork and a monoshock suspension unit. It derives its braking power from the top-spec front and rear disc brakes from ByBre.
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