Ather Energy has an enviable market share and fan following in the country’s premium electric scooter segment. But if the company wants to maintain its leadership in a market that is getting crowded by the day, it can’t afford to rest on its laurels. The Bangalore-based EV startup is known for regular product updates, most of which are made possible by the OTA (over-the-air) update feature.
The flagship Ather 450X smart electric scooter is all set to receive tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) as an accessory starting from October 2020. Speaking to Autocar Pro, Ather Energy’s CTO Swapnil Jain also confirmed that the company is working on a smart helmet that will take advantage of the scooter’s connectivity features.
Details of the smart helmet are still under wraps but Ather is likely to collaborate with a leading global helmet brand. One can expect the smart helmet to feature a HUD to project vital information including navigation, speed, state-of-charge, etc. The futuristic device is expected to be available as an accessory with 450X sometime later in this financial year. Pricing details have not been revealed but don’t expect this tech-laden product to be cheap.
In addition to these features, Ather’s engineers are also working on various other updates which would be rolled out in a phased manner. The company is also looking at upgrading its first generation scooters from 3G to 4G connectivity which would make the future OTA updates more seamless.
To recap, the Ather 450X is powered by a 6 kW (peak power) permanent magnet synchronous motor which is supported by a 2.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The motor has a torque output of 26 Nm and is capable of accelerating from 0-40 kmph in 3.3 seconds before achieving a top-speed of 80 kmph. The true range is claimed to be 85 km.
Salient features of the premium electric scooter includes aluminium cast frame, telescopic front forks, rear monoshock, front and rear disc brakes, LED headlight and taillight, reverse mode, 7-inch touchscreen console with Android open source software platform, navigation, Bluetooth connectivity and many more.
The Ather 450X is priced at INR 1.59 lakh (Ex-showroom, Bangalore). One can also opt for a battery subscription model wherein the scooter is priced at INR 99,000 and the owner pays a monthly subscription fee for the battery starting from 1,699. The customer gets a replacement battery every time the existing one drops below 80% capacity.
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Source: Bike - rushlane.com
