Ather 450S - The Ather 450S gets fewer features and less power

A ther Energy made its debut with the feature-packed and exhilarating 450X, which quickly managed to captivate and attract the attention of those looking to buy a premium electric scooter. While demand for this scooter is high, not everyone seeks the full spectrum of advanced features it offers or requires a riding range of 150km from a scooter. Well, at least that’s what Ather claims. Consequently, the brand has now introduced the new 450S to cater to such customers. The company claims that it retains the distinctive Ather DNA while incorporating the right set of features at an appealing price point. However, it gets less features, is down on performance and it isn’t priced at a level that can be called ‘affordable’ in comparison to the oh-so-popular Ather 450X. So, let’s see if all these changes actually make a difference.

Motor and Battery

Let me begin by looking at some figures. One of the key differences between the 450S and 450X is that the former gets a 5.4kW electric motor and 2.9kWh lithium-ion battery pack, as opposed to the 6.4kW motor and 3.7kWh battery found in the latter. The 450S produces 7.2bhp of peak power and a peak torque output of 22Nm, which is a reduction of 4Nm as compared to the 26Nm you get with the 450X. Consequently, the 450S can do the 0 – 40km/h sprint in 3.9 sec and has a top speed of 90km/h. Now, all this has also brought the claimed range of the scooter down to 115km from the 150km of the 450X. That said, the company says that the scooter has a realistic riding range of 80 – 100km on a single charge.

 
Now, we began our test ride of the scooter at the Taj Hotel near Bangalore airport with 80 per cent battery charge and an odometer reading of 72km of remaining range. The plan was to ride all the way to Nandi foothills and back to the hotel, which amounts to a total distance of 64km, with frequent stops in between which is required to complete the day’s shoot. While we decided against completing the entire journey to Nandi Hills, we managed to complete a total distance of 54km. Upon returning to the hotel after riding the scooter in a mixed manner to evaluate its performance, the odometer still displayed a remaining range of 10km.

Throttle Maps

To cater to customers transitioning from ICE-powered scooters, Ather has upgraded the Eco and Ride modes in the 450S, as a result of which its acceleration is much more progressive than the 450X’s in these modes. The Sport mode, however, remains the same, which means that you get strong acceleration right off the bat, with power peaking and dropping off quickly. During our test, we rode the scooter mostly in Eco and Ride modes to conserve charge, and at times, it did struggle to keep up with regular traffic on open roads. However, it feels quite at home during peak traffic hours in the city. If you want a bit more power, you can always switch to the Sport mode, which does make the scooter a lot livelier than it is in the Eco or Ride mode.

That said, if you want an electric scooter that doesn’t make compromises in terms of performance, the Ather 450X is still the one to go for. Not only do you get a better range but also the Warp mode, which significantly enhances the ride experience. 

Switchgear

Compared to the outgoing 450X, both the newly-designed 450S and the updated 450X get an updated switchgear for ease of use. On the left, there is a four-way toggle switch to access different menus, navigation, music, and trip and ride information. There is also a clicker in the middle to select the highlighted part of the instrument console and switch between different features.

On the right side, there is now a button for the one-touch park assist system. This feature allows for an effortless transition between forward and reverse modes in the Ather 450S. Notably, the updated Ather 450X also gets the same switchgear. 

Safety

In terms of safety, Ather has added new features to both the Ather 450S and 450X. The most prominent among these is the fall-safe function. It is quite useful in events involving accidents or crashes. In such cases, the rider can get disoriented and lose control of the throttle. Now, the fall-safe function detects when the scooter crashes and immediately switches off the motor to prevent further damage.

Furthermore, other safety enhancements include an emergency stop signal. In case of emergency braking or a sudden stop, the Ather 450S starts flashing its hazard lights to warn motorists behind you about the situation ahead.

Additionally, it also gets a park assist signal, which is similar to the emergency stop signal and uses both indicators to warn pedestrians and other motorists while reversing. Since most people do not expect a scooter to reverse, this function can be helpful in crowded areas.

Features

The 450S comes with a new 7-inch negative LCD display, which Ather calls DeepView display. This advanced display, despite lacking touchscreen functionality, has been meticulously designed by Ather to stand out as one of the best LCD displays available on the market today. I think it offers excellent contrast, a bright display, and easy readability of all essential information.

Another notable addition to the feature set is the industry-first trip-planning feature, which helps users plan their journeys more effectively by offering real-time arrival estimates, optimal route suggestions encompassing various stops, including an intuitive inclusion of charging stops if the system detects the need for recharging the battery in order to complete the trip.

Verdict

I would say that the Ather 450S is the best choice for those who are simply looking for an electric scooter with all the fundamental features of the 450X but don’t mind foregoing its enhanced performance and high-end features. Let’s face it, some of us just want a competent electric scooter for daily commutes.

Now, I do think that it has the right ingredients to achieve what Ather is aiming for; however, its the price which will end up deciding the fate of this new offering from Ather. With a price of ₹1.3 lakh (ex-showroom), including subsidy, the 450S is about ₹15,000 less expensive than the full-blown 450X. So, while the Ather 450S may be the best no-frills alternative to the 450X, it’s too close to the latter in terms of price to justify the compromises you have to make.

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I do think that the 450S has the right ingredients to achieve what ather is aiming for

Eco & ride modes in the 450s offer more progressive acceleration