November 28th, 2020, Bengaluru: Ather Energy, India’s first intelligent electric scooter manufacturer, has decided to bid adieu to its first product, Ather 450, which was launched in 2018. The Ather 450 was one of India’s first premium electric scooters which was designed from scratch to offer an exhilarating ride and a hassle-free ownership experience. It will be replaced with the Ather 450X & Ather 450 Plus, which have been built on the same beloved platform, with improved hardware and software capabilities.
The success of Ather 450 had an important influence on the Indian EV market and redefined the perception of electric two-wheelers. It raised the standards of not just the design and technology but also the performance, range, speed, and safety of two wheelers.
Over the years, technologically advanced electric two-wheelers have gained popularity amongst early tech adopters and auto enthusiasts in Bengaluru and Chennai. As a result, Ather 450 has become a household name in the country. Ather Energy has built a solid foundation with its community of owners since deliveries began in 2018. The recommendations from owners and the Ather Forum have played a crucial part in shaping Ather Energy’s latest product, Ather 450X – the quicker and smarter sibling of Ather 450.
Ather Energy will stop the sale of Ather 450 on 28th November in both Bengaluru and Chennai. This marks the end of phase one of Ather Energy as a company as it moves on to a new stage of rapid growth aided by a new round of Series D funding. With the introduction of Ather 450X and Ather 450 Plus, Ather Energy is focusing on delivering the products in new markets – Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Coimbatore and Kolkata. The deliveries of Ather’s Series 1 model have already begun in a few markets and will soon be available across the country. Ather Energy will also set up 135 public fast charging, Ather Grid Points across 11 cities by the end of the year.
Considering the demand for Ather 450X among Ather 450 owners who’re looking to upgrade, Ather Energy has introduced a peer-to-peer service, Ather Certified Pre-owned, which connects Ather 450 owners to consumers who are interested in a pre-owned Ather 450. Every pre-owned Ather 450 listed for resale as part of this program comes with an Ather Health Certificate issued based on a comprehensive data-based inspection on every aspect of the scooter, making the system transparent and easy to use.
The Ather 450 has only been improving over the years with 7 OTA updates which introduced new features like Eco-mode, Dark theme for the dashboard and guide-me-home lights. The product line will continue to receive new features and upgrades in the coming years, so its customers can rest assured that the Ather 450 will only get better with time. The next OTA update is planned to be released soon and will carry the Theft and Tow detection feature for all Ather 450 and Ather 450X. Ather Grid is already available, free of charge in Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Pune with 62 fast charging points, already up and running.
Quote by Tarun Mehta, Co-founder & CEO, Ather Energy: “Our maiden model, Ather 450 was the outcome of 4 years of continuous work on R&D, design, prototype building & testing, and improving the product to make it production worthy. The learnings from Ather 450 in terms of design, specifications and production along with feedback from the owners has helped shape the Ather 450X and Ather 450 Plus. We are now looking forward to delivering our new product line across all cities. We would also like to express our gratitude to our valued owners, suppliers and partners for being a part of Ather Energy’s journey. “
About Ather Energy:
Ather Energy, one of India’s first intelligent electric vehicle manufacturers was founded in 2013 by IIT Madras alumni, Tarun Mehta, and Swapnil Jain. It is backed by the founders of Flipkart -Sachin Bansal & Binny Bansal- Hero Motocorp and Tiger Global. Ather Energy launched India’s first truly intelligent, electric scooter – Ather 450 in 2018, followed by their new flagship offering Ather 450X in 2020. Ather has also installed a comprehensive public charging network, Ather Grid, designed and built in India. With 38 charging points in Bengaluru and 14 charging points in Chennai, Ather Grid is one of the largest fast-charging networks for electric vehicles in the country. The company’s product line has won 30 awards in design, automotive and technology categories. With over 60 Indian and international patent applications, 109 trademarks and 118 Indian and International design registrations to its name, Ather Energy aims to provide consumers with the best possible ownership experience. Ather Energy currently operates in Bengaluru and Chennai and in 2020 will expand to 9 more cities including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune & Hyderabad.
