Ather’s new electric scooter debuts on August 29: details, what to expect

Ather Energy has confirmed that it will launch its first mass-market electric scooter on August 29 during the fourth edition of Ather Community Day in Bengaluru. The upcoming model is expected to help the company expand its presence in the affordable e-scooter segment and will introduce an all-new platform that will underpin future products.The new scooter will be the first to use Ather’s modular EL platform. According to the company, the architecture was developed to increase scalability, versatility and manufacturing efficiency.Ahead of its official debut, a prototype of the upcoming scooter, believed to be the EL01, has been spotted testing on Indian roads. Test mules indicate Ather is moving towards a more practical and family-focused design. The new scooter is expected to have a longer wheelbase, wider seat and larger floor compared to the 450X.Spy photos also indicate that the production version will largely retain the design of the previously shown near-production concept car. The scooter is expected to feature a handlebar-mounted headlight along with wide LED daytime running lights across the front apron. It may also come with larger 14-inch front wheels, while smaller 12-inch wheels may be used at the rear.The EL platform is engineered to accommodate battery packs ranging from 2 kWh to 5 kWh. The new scooter is also expected to use an electric motor mounted on a swing arm. Suspension duties will be handled by telescopic front forks and a single rear shock absorber, while braking is likely to include front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.Once launched, the new Ather electric scooter is expected to be positioned lower than the Rizta in the company’s product portfolio. It will compete with established rivals such as Bajaj Chetak and TVS iQube in the growing mass-market e-scooter segment.