Our Ather Rizta Z 2.9 joined the Autocar long-term fleet in October 2024 and has covered over 5,500km since. In that time – and across 1.5 years in the fleet – it has largely been a dependable, drama-free electric scooter.
Reliability has mostly been solid. An early software glitch forced the scooter into limp mode and took over a month to resolve. While issues are rare, turnaround time at the service centre remains an area of concern. In fact, even a minor repair required escalation to secure an appointment. This repair included replacing a broken mirror and a chipped brake lever, both totalling roughly Rs 1,700.
Our primary concern with the Rizta has less to do with the scooter itself and is more service-oriented. For example, during an earlier visit, the scooter was returned to us with some scratches and a slightly bent handlebar – something that hasn’t been rectified since, although it hasn’t affected rideability. A better service experience and more touchpoints would go a long way.
But back to the good points – the Rizta has aged well over the past 18 months. The seat cushioning hasn’t sagged, and there are no squeaks or rattles from the panels; although they are slightly faded. A feature that deserves special mention is MagicTwist – regenerative braking in Ather speak – that activates once you twist the accelerator in the opposite direction – quite intuitive and great to use in the city.
The Rizta’s range consistency has been another impressive facet. It continues to return 103km (approx.) in Zip mode; however, one observation is a consistent 3-4 percent overnight battery drain (which translates to roughly 3-4km) when parked. Over multiple days, this compounds and is something to watch out for, especially if you’re operating within tight range margins. The range indicator itself is accurate – if it says you will make it, you will.
Five months ago, our Rizta received the touchscreen upgrade. It works well and, paired with integrated Google Maps navigation, remains an intuitive and genuinely helpful feature. However, the 5-way joystick is now redundant and cannot be used to control anything on the display anymore. Talking about the screen, it has quite a few scratches and swirl marks, which have only increased since the touchscreen update, as I’m now forced to interact using touch inputs. It would be nice if I could choose my own input method.
So, should you buy one? Yes, but keeping some things in mind. The Rizta, as a scooter, feels sorted and is genuinely easy to live with. But the ownership experience needs stronger service support and wider reach throughout the country. 18 months and 5,500km later, the Rizta has proven itself as a product, but it deserves better back-end support.
Autocar India News Desk
Rishaad Mody
Azaman Chothia
