Ather 450 receives FAME-II subsidy, gets a price cut
Bengaluru-based start-up Ather Energy has announced that its flagship scooter Ather 450 has received a subsidy of Rs. 27,000 under FAME II scheme. With this, the scooter now comes at a reduced on-road price of Rs. 1,23,230 in Bengaluru. Notably, it was earlier priced at Rs. 1,28,230 before receiving the subsidy. Here are the complete details.
First off, what is FAME-II scheme and why it matters?
FAME-II (Faster Adoption and Manufacture of Hybrid and Electric vehicles) is a government scheme that is aimed to promote the manufacturing of electric and hybrid vehicles. To get FAME-II certification, the vehicle should have a minimum top speed of over 40kmph and a minimum range of 80km on a single charge. Also, it should have at least 50% of its components sourced in India.
Ather 450: At a glance
To recall, the Ather 450 e-scooter features sharp looks and comes equipped with LED light, alloy wheels, a telescopic fork, a rear monoshock, disc brakes at both the ends and a combined braking system. The company claims a 51:49 weight distribution (front to rear), and symmetrical lateral weight distribution (left to right), low center of gravity and a low-speed reverse gear.
Under the hood
Ather 450 is backed by a 2.4kWh Lithium-ion battery, paired with a 5.4kW Brushless DC motor which churns out a peak torque of 20.5Nm. The e-scooter offers a top speed of 80kmph, reaches 0-40kmph in 3.9 seconds, and offers a real-world range of 75km and 60km in Economy and Power modes, respectively. Moreover, the scooter can be fully charged in around 4 hours.
Ather 450 offers all new-age features
The Ather 450 offers smart features such as an IP65-rated 7.0-inch touchscreen, GPS, over-the-air updates, on-screen navigation, charging station location tracking, diagnostic alerts, and parking assist function, among others. Ather has also designed a mobile phone app that gives users further control over functionalities as well as access to vehicle information and functions related to trips and battery capacity.
Ather Energy to expand in 30 Indian cities
Currently, Ather Energy sells its Ather 450 scooters in Bengaluru, but it has also set up its charging stations in Chennai. The company plans to install 6,500 charging stations across India, with an aim to become operational in 30 cities by 2023.