This Hyderabadi couldn’t wait for the Ather 450 in his city. Here’s what he did:

Ather Energy is working on expanding its footprint to have a nationwide presence gradually. However, there are electric vehicle enthusiasts who can’t wait for an Ather 450 and are willing to buy one from wherever they can. One such excited customer is ElectricVehicleWeb.in reader Saad Ansari.

Ather Energy currently sells its electric scooters in only Bangalore and Chennai. Saad, 24, lives in Hyderabad, where the company plans to open a showroom this month. He decided to procure it from one of the cities where it is already on sale because the wait for the Ather Energy Hyderabad launch was getting just too long for him. We had a brief conversation with Saad to unfold the most interesting Ather 450 purchase story on the web:

Tell us why you chose the Ather 450

What fascinated me was how quick and how agile the Ather 450 electric scooter is. It is absolutely nimble to ride. It was designed for many years, and the efforts they’ve put in, we can see it in the product. India needs to be proud of Ather Energy.

I was always fascinated about going electric ever since I was a child. I always didn’t want to spend a penny on fuel and was always curious about going electric, but a suitable electric alternative to ICE scooters like the Honda Active and the TVS Ntorq wasn’t available before. So, when the Ather 450 came, I absolutely loved the way it performed, the way it maneuvered and its top speed of 80 km/h. It is fun to ride.

How did you transport the electric scooter to Hyderabad?

I couldn’t have gone to Bangalore to buy it because of the Coronavirus lockdown but I had a relative in that city who could do that for me. So, my relative helped me with the delivery. He immediately went to a moving company and sent it to me to Hyderabad. Took about 4-5 days for transport.

Where was the registration done?

It was done in Bangalore only. My relative didn’t have to bother about insurance or anything else because everything was to be done in Hyderabad. As for the NOC, I was able to apply for it after 15 days online on the Parivahan website.

As you are a special customer, did you manage a discount on your Ather 450?

No, I didn’t receive a discount of even a single Rupee on my Ather 450!

Do you own other vehicles or is this the first one?

No, I had a Royal Enfield Bullet 350 and a Honda Aviator. I have a TVS Jupiter, which is of my aunt who lives with me.

Differences you observed switching to the Ather 450

The Ather 450 is three times ahead of petrol scooters like the Honda Aviator and Honda Activa. Besides the fuel cost, there is always an additional cost on maintenance. With electric scooters, you don’t have to worry about engine oil, oil filter or anything else related to the moving parts. The third thing that is noticed is vibrations. There’s no vibration whatsoever in my Ather 450 and it’s super quick.

Sometimes I don’t use the Sport mode because how quick it already is. It easily builds pace no matter how much the passenger load on it is. It is always nimble to ride. No problem whatsoever; it’s quick, there are no vibrations and it’s silent.

How is your experience, and importantly what is the range?

On the typical Hyderabad roads which often have potholes and are bumpy, you are cruising at around 45 km/h. I manage 80-82 km in this style of riding on a full charge when set in the Ride mode. I am always cautious about my mileage, so I plan every trip. I’ve always made plans, and been calculative when riding the scooter about the distance that has to be covered. I’ve done about 1,900 km so far on my Ather 450.

What do you mainly use the Ather 450 for?

I go to the gym, I go to functions, shopping..I sometimes explore Hyderabad with my friend and still get a range of around 70 km/charge. Once Hyderabad gets the Ather Grid, I can take the scooter out for longer trips.

How do you charge the electric scooter?

I have an Ather Dot charger installed in my premises.

Are you concerned about servicing aspect as the brand is yet to launch service support in Hyderabad?

This was a risk I had to take. Before I purchased, I was keeping an eye on the web to know how it actually performed. I kept reading the discussions on the Ather forum to understand the ownership experience of people who have ridden for 10,000-15,000 km. The reviews were pretty good in Bangalore as well as in Chennai. So, I really didn’t have any doubts about the reliability. In late July, I took the call to purchase it when I got to know that Ather Energy will open a Hyderabad dealership in 2-3 months. Once they are here, my unit will be serviceable locally.

So, are you the first Ather owner in Hyderabad?

Yes.

The Ather 450 was the company’s flagship electric scooter initially. Soon, the Ather 450X will arrive in showrooms as its successor. The Ather 450 has a 5.4 kW (7.3 PS)/20.5 Nm motor and a 2.4 kWh Lithium-ion battery pack. It has a top speed of 80 km/h and a range of 55-75 km. It can accelerate from 0-40 km/h in 3.9 seconds.

The Ather 450X, among many other upgrades, brings a 6 kW (8.2 PS)/26 Nm electric motor and a 2.9 kWh Lithium-ion battery pack. Its top speed and range are 80 km/h and 116 km respectively. The new model can go from 0-40 km/h slightly quicker, in 3.3 seconds, and is able to charge 50% quicker.