It has long been rumoured that Ather was working on a low-cost electric scooter based on its 450 platform, and with the reduction in the FAME-II subsidy coming into effect from today, its 450X electric scooter line-up has just become more expensive. The timing is better than ever, and so Ather has now finally announced a new low-cost variant called the 450S. The company says prices will start at Rs 1.3 lakh (ex-showroom).

• 115km IDC range, compared to the 450X’s 146km
• Top speed, at 90kph, is the same as the 450X
• Likely to have a subtly different design
• Bookings start from July onwards

Ather 450S: range, top speed

Not a lot is known about the 450S at the moment, but some important details have been revealed. In addition to a teaser image of the handlebar, Ather has said that it will get the same 90kph top speed as the 450X. It has not, however, revealed anything about acceleration timings, so it may or may not be as quick as the 450X. The range is certainly not equal, with the 450S getting an IDC range of 115km, which is a little over 20 percent lower than the 146km certified range on the 450X. This is because battery capacity has dropped from 3.7kWh on the X to 3kWh on the S. If Ather can manage similar levels of efficiency, then the ‘TrueRange’ of the 450S should be a little over 80km.

Ather 450S: price, bookings

As a result of the smaller battery pack, prices for the 450S will start at Rs 1.3 lakh (ex-showroom, after FAME-II subsidy). This makes it a little over Rs 15,000 more affordable than the 450X, which costs between Rs 1.45 and 1.49 lakh (ex-showroom, after FAME-II subsidy). However, in cases where a state subsidy is applicable, the 450X costs as little as Rs 1.27 lakh, and the 450S will also enjoy this same benefit, meaning that it could cost as much as Rs 1.1 lakh in cities like Ahmedabad.

Though not much is visible in the teaser image, the mirror stalks do seem to have a simpler design than the rather premium units on the 450X, so perhaps the battery pack isn’t the only area where Ather has cut costs. Design patents also show Ather to be working on passenger footpegs (the 450X doesn’t have conventional footpegs, just extruded platforms for the pillion to place his/her feet). These folding footpegs haven’t yet made their way onto the 450X, so perhaps they could appear on the 450S. Bookings for the 450S will open in July, and there is no word yet on the delivery timelines.