Ather 450S review, first ride 

With FAME subsidies now clearly set in the rearview, electric two-wheel manufacturers have to reassess their market positions to continue the exponential growth we’ve seen over the past couple of years. Leading the charge on that front is Ather’s new follow-up to their performance-driven flagship the 450X, the S. As you can tell, the S is visually identical to the X until you get close enough to see the sticker on the front fascia. For Ather though, where the X goes up against the 150cc performance scooter segment the S is downsized to take on the likes of 125cc performance space, with a lock on to the ICE-powered scooters like the TVS Ntorq 125 and the Honda Dio. And that means a whole lot of changes under the skin.

In the flesh though, you’d be hard-pressed to tell them apart, at least, until the new X flagship hits markets ahead of the festive season. For now, this works for the S. Keeping that premium presence is something that should incentivize customers to consider the range deficit for the more accessible price. For now, what is extremely interesting is the fact that the 450X too will get the smaller battery that debuts on the S until the updated 450X flagship comes around albeit with the same output as before, as result for whatever reason the X for the time being has less range than the S (111km as compared to 115km on the S). Features on the S otherwise remain the same with LED lighting all around, reverse function and a plethora of functions driven by the app.

The major visual difference between the X and the S is something you’re likely to notice only from the seat. Replacing the high-definition touch-screen from the X the S gets a TFT display that Ather calls the Deep View Display. While it may still be a TFT, the S’ screen is still cutting edge. There are details that make it more legible and easier to read in the light. There are elements in colour that add to the premium visual feel, but it's the inbuilt elements such as media interfacing, and turn-by-turn navigation that really add to the value of this “lesser” instrument display. Although it's worth noting that the pre-production hardware on our test bikes seemed to have a major glitch in the navigation function. This is something that Ather should sort out once deliveries of customer vehicles begin. The other change is to the switch gear which now gets a physical toggle switch that makes interfacing with the instruments a lot easier than before, and a dedicated switch to turn on reverse mode.

The big changes though, from the X to the S are focussed on the battery and the motor. The 450S draws from a 2.9kWh battery and uses a less powerful state of tune on the motor with a peak power output of 7.24bhp (5.4kW) and 22Nm of peak torque. That’s down by 1.25bhp (1kW) of peak power and 4Nm of torque from the 450X. This means that S is slightly slower to the 40kmph mark in 3.9 seconds compared to the X which makes 40kmph in 3.3 seconds. The 450S also tops out at 90kmph and misses out on the X’s fierce Warp mode.

On the counter side of that Ather Energy has also worked on the throttle maps of the S with a scope on their Eco and Ride modes to make the response a little more progressive to suit riders that are just making the switch to electric. This is something you really feel from the saddle, and while we’ve been riding Ather’s 450X for long enough to have overcome the learning curve that is the instantaneous throttle response, it will also make the 450 more accessible to a much wider spectrum of riders. The rest of the hardware remains largely the same with 12-inch wheels at both ends and stop force coming from disc brakes, a 200mm disc up front and a 190mm disc at the back. The brake work via a combi system and distribute force according to which lever is actuated but ensures confident stops.

Verdict

At Rs 1.30 lakh ex-showroom, the S with the core package is about Rs 8,000 cheaper than the corresponding X with the same battery. It’s an interesting position because it conveys the sense that Ather’s market research has led them to the fact that there are customers who aren’t interested in the absolute performance and tech loaded onto the X and would rather have a slightly more accessible product minus the features that they are unlikely to use. With more products coming in soon that will try to make headway into this more accessible end of the electric two-wheeler market, it will be interesting to see how the S really fairs.