Ather Energy will be introducing two new variants of the 450X electric scooter this year, the company has confirmed. Tarun Mehta, CEO and co-founder - Ather Energy, confirmed the development in a recent media interaction, while also providing more insights on the future of the company, its ways of working and what makes it a successful brand amidst its peers. The news of the new variants will help add some more excitement to the Ather 450X, which is well over two years old now since it was first introduced in January 2020.
Also Read: Ather Energy Announces Second Plant In Hosur, To Expand Production To 400,000 Units
Ather has remained unscathed so far from the multiple fire incidents even as its peers have had to issue recalls
It needs to be seen if Ather undercuts the 450 Plus, its most affordable offering at the moment with the new variants, opts to bring a new range-topper. While Mehta did not reveal much about what changes will the new variants bring, he did clarify that the electric scooters will carry over the 450X architecture and mechanicals. The models could come with cosmetic changes and feature additions. The Ather 450X started life as the 450 e-scooter, which the company has refined over the years bringing changes to the hardware as well as on the feature front.
Mehta also revealed that the brand has been considering bringing a longer-range variant of the 450X, which will be addressing a major shortcoming of the e-scooter. More recently, the company did introduce the SmartEco mode via an OTA update, aimed to help riders achieve the "true range" on the Ather scooters by optimising performance. However, the upcoming variant could pack a bigger battery. That said, this remains conjecture at this point and we will have to wait and see what the new variant actually turns out to be.
Also Read: Ather Energy Rolls Out New SmartEco Mode On 450 Plus & 450X To Improve Range
Ather Energy's second plant that will be operational by August 2022 will help the brand expand production to 4 lakh units per annum
The new variants are likely to be introduced towards the second half of the year, once the company's second plant begins operations. Ather is currently operating out of a sprawling facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, while the new plant will also be located in the same vicinity. The facility will begin operations in August this year and is expected to fulfil the brand's demand of retailing about 5,000 scooters a month.
Furthermore, Mehta revealed that demand for Ather scooters is three times higher than last year and the company is anticipating it to reach 15,000 units per month by the end of the current fiscal, fuelled by the demand for electric scooters at large, as well as its rapid expansion across cities. The company currently has 35 outlets pan India with the number set to grow even higher in the near future.
Also Read: Ola S1 Pro Electric Scooter Catches Fire In Pune, Company Launches Investigation
Ather aims to retail about 15,000 two-wheelers by the end of the current financial year, as demand grows exponentially
Mehta also spoke about battery fires that have been a constant occurrence in the industry and the need for regulations for battery manufacturing. Explaining further, he stated that the quality of battery manufacturing can make a world of a difference, which ultimately tests the stability of the unit in real-world conditions. Furthermore, cooling systems, and the quality of battery cells, when designing battery systems.
Mehta articulated that the current design of the scooter needs to be re-thought to make the most of the new technology. He explained that the current scooter design was largely designed and perfected over the years for internal combustion engines. But electric mobility presents different challenges and the same needs to be re-evaluated. He also pointed out that the cost structure for electric two-wheeler platforms will also need to be restructured at some point in the future.
