Ather 450X Long Term Review: Real-world Range and Charging Report
It’s been three months since I’ve been using the Ather 450X as my daily rider for work and personal commutes. And in this duration, we’ve crossed 1000km on the Odo. Now, we know this isn’t a huge number considering the other long-termers in the BikeWale garage. But, considering this is the only EV we have, and the limitations with the everyday use cases, this is a significant milestone nonetheless.
Previously, we have told you about the Ather 450X and also told you how it performs in the city. You can read about it HERE and HERE. In this report though, we’ll talk about the real-world range and actual charge timelines with the various chargers available.
Real-world Range
True Range – Ather claims a real-world range of anywhere between 50km to 85km on a full charge, depending on the mode selected. For instance, the claimed range in ‘Eco’ mode is 85km, while that in the ‘Ride’ mode is 70km. The Sport and Warp modes deliver a claimed range of 60km and 50km respectively.
Much like how efficiency is directly proportional to throttle inputs in an ICE vehicle, the same is applicable to EVs as well. Now, the Ather 450X runs an advanced battery management system that’s designed to deliver optimum performance without hampering the range. And we are happy to report that the Ather delivers the claimed numbers, give or take 5-10km.
In the real world, the scooter runs anywhere between 75-80km in Eco mode and around 60-70km in the Ride mode. And, that too with a mix of moderate to heavy throttle inputs. That said, what’s commendable though, is that despite whacking open the throttle in Sport or Warp mode, the drop in the remaining range isn’t more than 10 per cent of the claimed range. So, in an ideal situation, you get anywhere between 50-55km in Sport mode and around 40-45km in Warp mode. And yes, we have been able to extract more than the claimed range occasionally, but that’s only possible when you are extremely cautious with the throttle and you are in no hurry to reach the destination.
Negatives – The Ather 450X is one of those premium EVs that is well put together, and manages to deliver what it claims. But, of course, it isn’t flawless. For starters, the claimed range, although decent, isn’t very high and you start feeling the ‘range anxiety’ every time you plan to do something over and above the usual commute. And two, being an EV, there are a lot of internal components that remain ‘switched-on’ even if the ignition is switched off. So, we are looking at an average discharge of around 7-8 per cent over 24 hours even when the scooter isn’t in use.
This is something that we faced as well when the scooter ran out of juice when parked for two weeks, and had to be towed to the nearest charging station. The only option available is to ‘shut down’ the scooter, when not in use for a week or more. But, Ather cautions you to avoid this, so as to keep the battery health in check.
Charging The Scooter
Charger Types. Ather offers three charging options with the 450X. two home/office charging solutions and one public charging station. The former two are slow charging options while the latter one is of the fast charging grade. These include the bundled portable charger, an optional Ather Dot charger for home/office and the Ather Grid fast chargers.
Portable Charger. The portable charger and the Ather Dot are essentially slow chargers that take around three and half hours to charge from 0-80% and another two hours of trickle charge for the remaining 81-100%. The former can be plugged into a 15A socket or any 5A three-pin socket, after attaching the supplied 3-pin socket.
Ather Dot. The Ather Dot is an optional home/office charger that can be purchased at an additional cost of Rs 5,475 plus installation (Rs 1800). It is designed for those consumers who have a designated parking space in their housing complex or at the office premises. It is a fixed plug-and-play wall-mounted unit, which eliminates the need of carrying a portable charger when you wish to charge at home or office.
Ather Grid. And finally, you have the Ather Grid fast chargers with a capacity of 7kWh. This is a network of fast chargers that are strategically placed around the city so that your Ather doesn’t run out of juice. Ather claims a 0-100% charge time of under one and half hours. But, there’s a slight catch here, which we’ll talk about a little later in this report.
Now, having used the EV for over 1000km, we can safely say that for 95 per cent of the use cases, you’d be fine with slow charging the 450X with the bundled portable charger. It’s only when you encounter an emergency situation where you’ve run out of juice or if you plan to take the scooter to a place where you know you won’t find a charging option for the return journey, that is when you’ll ever need the Ather Grid fast charger. And like modern smartphones, Ather advises using the fast charging option only during emergencies, as frequent usage could hamper the battery health in the long run.
We of course tested the charge timings of the Ather Grid fast chargers. The catch here is that if you charge the scooter at any of the Ather Space or Ather Go dealerships, you’d get the full 7kWh output of the fast charger, and the scooter will be charged in the claimed one hour 25 minutes time. However, when using the third-party Ather Grid fast chargers at a hotel or a mall, we noticed that the chargers don’t offer the full 7kWh output. You still get your EV fast-charged but the time taken from 0-100% is roughly around two and half hours. When we probed Ather about this issue, the company claimed it to be an issue with the grid capacity of the third-party vendor.
Limitations – All said and done, there’s one more limitation of owning the Ather 450X. Ather uses a proprietary connecter for their EVs, which is different from the CCS Type 2 standard specified by ARAI for DC fast charging. What this means is that you can’t charge your Ather at any other public charging station other than Ather Grid. That said, Ather has opened the patent for their charging connecter. So, if any OEM or third-party vendor uses the same connector in future, only then can you charge your EV at a charging station other than Ather Grid.
Another shortcoming of the Ather 450X is the plastic flap/lid over the charging socket. One, the quality and finish are low rent, and two, it isn’t lockable or has any auto-retention of sorts. So, every time you are done charging the scooter, you forget to close the lid.
Key specifications of Ather 450
The Ather 450 has a powerful 5.4 kW electric motor with a top speed of 80km/h and an acceleration from 0-40km/h in 3.9 seconds.
The scooter has a Lithium Ion battery pack that gives a range of 75km in single charge. Different charging options and charging durations are extensively explained below. The battery is rated for a life of 3-4 years or 50,000 km. Ather provides a 3-year unlimited mileage warranty on the battery. (so possibly, you may have to change the battery after 3-4 years)
Ather not only provides the e-scooter, but also an innovative charging infrastructure. Like Tesla, the company offers DC fast charging stations where users can charge the battery at a speed of 1km per minute. Ather also offers its users in India an unlimited free power, for certain period.
All the parameters of the vehicle can be found from the official brochure from Ather.
How to Charge Ather 450 | Charging port location Connector type
Ather 450 e-scooter features a custom charging connector. It just looks like a standard Type-2 connector, but it is not! So, do not try to use your 4 wheeler’s type-2 charging cable on Ather electric scooters.
Ather’s charging port can be easily spotted. located just close to the key. Just plug-in the cable and the charging should start immediately (make sure that the vehicle key is in ‘off’ position).
Good to know: Once the charging session starts, you can just take the vehicle key and leave the place; there is no need worry about the theft of charging cable. Because the charging cable gets locked to the vehicle as soon as charging starts.
How long does it take to charge a Ather 450
The Ather scooter can be charged at any possible charging point, be it from a regular wall sockets at home / office, dedicated charging stations, AC public charging stations on the streets or at DC fast chargers. Charging at different locations/ chargers take different time to charge.
Option#1: Using the portable charger
Ather scooters can be charged using the travel portable chargers This charger does not come free with the vehicle, you need to buy separately at around Rs. 5,600.
Portable charger is connected to home / office wall socket (5A)
Option#2: Use Ather home charger
Ather provides a free home charging station to all their customers. Though the charging station is free, you need to pay for the installation of the station, which comes around Rs. 1,800 (includes all taxes and labour costs).
Charg ing configuration
Charging from Ather’s home charger
0-80% of battery : 4 hours 30 min
0-100% of battery : 5 hours 1 5 min
Option#3: Use Ather public fast charger (DC)
The public DC charger looks same as the home AC charger but is much faster. It takes about an hour and 15 minutes to fully charge, at an average rate of 1 km/minute. (Note: charging happens a bit faster when the battery capacity is lower and slows down while reaching about 70% of battery).
Charg ing configuration
Charging from Ather’s public DC charger
1 hours 15 min
Option#4: Use portable charger on 3rd party public charging stations (BHARAT AC-001)
Ather has committed to create a wide charging network across the country, however it is not practical to install charging stations in every city street by a single company. Don’t we see Tesla vehicles using other network charge points even though Tesla provides free charging at their own chargers – same as Ather ? So, it is obvious that the Ather vehicle drivers would also be facing situations / need to charge at third party charging stations- at least when there is no Ather charger nearby or it’s queued.up.
To charge Ather e-scooter at other public Bharat AC charging stations, the driver would need the portable charger (mentioned in the option#1). One end of the Ather portable charging cable connects to the Bharat AC charger and the other end plugs-in to the e-scooter. Once the cable is plugged in, you can start charging using the particular charge point operator’s RFID card or mobile app.
Ather Grid Franchise Cost
Becoming an Ather Grid host doesn’t cost you anything. All you need to do is provide the space and all the necessary permissions. That’s all. Ather Energy will take care of every other thing – installation, operation, and maintenance of each public charging point.
Not just it, the company will bear the electricity consumption cost for the first batch of hosts. The company will install a sub-meter to track the electricity consumption of each charging point.
How to Get Ather Grid Franchise?
To get an Ather Grid franchise, you can visit the official Ather Energy website and fill out the franchisee application form or simply email at athergrid@atherenergy.com
Once the application is received, the Ather Energy team will evaluate the application based on various parameters such as location, business plan, and financial viability.
If the application is approved, the franchisee will be provided with the necessary training and support to set up the charging station and operate the business.
Ather Grid Franchise For Home?
As an owner of an independent home, you may be wondering if you can host an Ather Grid public charging station and allow people to charge their electric vehicles in your parking area.
Unfortunately, at this time, regulations around selling or reselling electricity do not allow individual homeowners to host Ather Grid stations.
However, if laws and regulations change in the future to allow for such a model, Ather Grid would be open to considering it as a means to expand its network.
Tata Power EZ Charge
As the name suggests, Tata Power EZ Charge gives access to the EV charging points managed and maintained by Tata Power. This app shows all the details regarding a charging point, including the type of connector, status of the charging point, and it even has the option to reserve a charging slot for a specific period. The app supports multiple payment methods and if a user has multiple EVs, all can be listed within the app. Unlike the other apps, the Tata Power EZ Charge app is primarily meant for electric cars.
ElectricPe offers monthly EV charging subscription plans (Express Photo)
ElectricPe
ElectricPe is also an EV charger aggregator, which can be used by both two and four-wheel electric vehicle users. Besides helping users to locate the nearby charging station, the ElectricPe app also offers custom subscription plans. The app also offers rate cards, information about connector type, and users can also buy their own chargers within the app.
Statiq offers EV charging points for both personal and commercial vehicles (Express Photo)
Top EV Stocks in India 2023 – Best Electric Vehicle Companies in India
Top EV Stocks in India: When it comes to transport, new technologies just keep popping up around the world. These alternative technologies in transport are mainly based around electric vehicles with many companies jumping on the bandwagon to get some traction before the industry gets a radical shift away from traditional fossil fuels.
This change can also be seen as a catchup that existing companies are trying to play in the electric vehicle (EV) segment with companies like Tesla and the bars set by them before it’s too late. Today, we take a look at the electric vehicle segment in India and the best EV stocks in India for investors to watch out for in this segment.
Why Electric and What is the plan ahead?
One of the major reasons why countries are forced into adopting an electric alternative is climate change. India according to Environmental Pollution Index (EPI) 2020 is ranked 168 out of 180 in terms of air quality.
One of the strategies adopted to combat this has been the push for electric vehicles (EVs). This will not only improve the environment but also India’s overall economic health. India currently imports crude oil and which sets us back in a deficit of approx 60 billion.
The aim set by the government has been 100% electrification by 2030. This is a humungous target considering the early stages of adoption that we currently are in.
The electric vehicle adoption rate in India is less than 1% according to a McKinseyCompany report. According to Bloomberg, in the six years leading up to October 2019, India has barely sold more than 8,000 electric cars. If compared to countries like China these sales figures are achieved in less than 2 days.
Some state government realizing their role have tried to eradicate one of the major barriers to owning an EV i.e. the high initial cost. This can be seen in the example of Maharashtra where subsidies were announced amounting to 1 lakh for electric vehicles. Consequently, Maharashtra had the highest sales volume since 2017 in the Indian electric car market.
The government has also realized that it is best to target its efforts toward the public transport system in the initial stages. This is because the purchase of EVs in the private sector will depend on major other factors like attractiveness etc. The public transport system being one of the most heavily used in a country like India will definitely offer a huge boost to the sector.
best EV Stocks in India – Leading Vehicle Manufacturers
The Indian EV industry being in its nascent stages does not have an established market leader in all vehicle types. There are 10 major players existing in the 2-wheeler segment, 3-4 in Electric buses, and a few in car manufacturing. The following are the top Electric Vehicle (EV) Manufacturers in India:
Top EV Stocks #1 – Mahindra Electric
Mahindra is the pioneer of EV in the Indian space. Being the first major EV manufacturer it launched Mahindra Reva, its first EV as early as 2001. The Mahindra Reva was India’s first electric car. Over the years Mahindra has gone ahead to set up a dedicated RD center in Bengaluru.
Some of its other EV variants include the Mahindra E20 and eVerito. Mahindra, however, has focussed on the manufacture of EVs and battery packs and has partnered with various institutions to boost EV charging.
Tata is India’s biggest automobile manufacturer. Its automobile segment ranges from the manufacture of cars, utility vehicles, buses, trucks, and defense vehicles. Its associate companies include Jaguar Land Rover and Tata DAEWOO. But when it comes to the EV segment Tata is a new entrant when compared to Mahindra.
In India, Tata Motors has an industrial joint venture with Fiat. One of Tata’s major benefits has been its ability to use resources from around the world. Tata’s innovation efforts are focused on developing auto technologies that are sustainable as well as suited.
With design and RD centers located in India, the UK, Italy, and Korea. Tata Motors in collaboration with its subsidiary, the UK-based Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC), is looking to have a major play in the EVs market in India. When it comes to EVs. Tata has focussed on the Passenger Vehicles and Electric Buses market in India.
When it comes to four-wheelers Tata offers 4 vehicles to pick from. The Nexon EV, Tigor EV, Nano EV, and the Tiago electric variant. In the Electric bus segment, Tata expects its demand from State transport Unions. The expected demand is estimated to be around 400,000 buses in the long run.
Apart from EVs, Tata has also focussed on setting up charging stations in its efforts to improve the industry infrastructure.
Top EV Stocks #3 – Ashok Leyland
Ashok Leyland, the Hinduja Group’s flagship company, is the 4th largest bus manufacturer in the world and a market leader for trucks in India. The company has tied up with Sun Mobility in order to enhance its expertise in the vehicle domain.
Ashok Leyland designs electric variants specifically for Indian conditions and has also introduced battery swapping in electric buses to address e-mobility needs in the country. It has launched multiple electric bus variants like the Circuit, HYBUS, and Electric Euro 6 Truck, and announced the iBUS. The immediate FOCUS of the company, however, is currently on giving more thrust to exports.
Top EV Stocks #4 – Olectra Greentech
Founded in 1992, Olectra Greentech is a company hard to ignore, as it has been a pioneer when it comes to EV public buses. The company is currently India’s largest EV bus manufacturer. The company forms part of the MEIL group.
The company has multiple variants which include the K6, K7, and K9 E buses. Their K9 series is considered to be revolutionary when it comes to E buses. It comes with regenerative braking which covers 30% of the energy while braking. Its fast charging technology allows the buses to recharge within 2-3 hours. And finally, their Iron Phosphate batteries allow long ranges on a single charge. In addition to this, the company is India’s only manufacturer of tarmac electric buses for airports.
The company’s recent developments include opening a factory in Hyderabad which has the capacity to produce 10,000 units. For the December quarter of 2021, the company sat on orders worth Rs. 3000-3500 crores for 2000 buses.
List of Top EV Stocks in India for Investors
In this article, we discussed the list of the top EV stocks in India along with leading Electric Vehicle Manufacturers, their current work in the EV segment, and future prospects. The Indian government had set up the aim of replacing all internal combustion engines with EVs by 2030.
A report from Mckinsey and Company in 2017 indicated that 40% of electrification was a more realistic picture of mobility in 2030. This report, however, was from prior to the Pandemic. This, in turn, will further set back electrification in the industry for years to come.
In addition, the steps taken in order to enable the acceptance of EVs will not suit their main purpose if alternative means of electricity production are not implemented. Currently, up to 60% of the electricity is produced from coal. Although the government has set major aims to bolster the growth of EVs a lot more has to be done in order to ensure they are implemented.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which Indian Company is investing in electric vehicles?
The Top Companies that are investing in Electric Vehicles are Tata Motors, Eicher Motors, TVS Motors, Bajaj Auto, Hero MotoCorp, Greaves Cotton, Amara Raja Batteries, Exide Industries, Tata Power, Ashok Leyland, Mahindra Mahindra.
Other leading EV stocks in India that are working on Electric Vehicles or related EV ancillary products are JBM Auto, Olectra Greentech, Kabra Extrusion Technik, IOC, BPCL, Reliance Industries, NTPC, Power Grid, Tata Chemicals, Gujarat Fluorochemicals, Neogen Chemicals, Tatva Chintan Pharma, Motherson Sumi, Suprajit Engineering, Minda Industries, Film Industries, Tata Elxsi, LT Technology, Hindustan Copper, NALCO and Hindalco. In addition, six big Tata Group companies joined hands under the name Tata universe to create an EV ecosystem.
What are the best EV Charging stocks?
The Top EV Charging stocks are Tata Power, Indian Oil Corporation, BPCL, Reliance Industries, NTPC, and Powergrid Corporation. Among these, IOC and BPCL have already pledged to use their outlets to set up 17000 EV charging centers in near future.
What is the future of EVs in India?
The future of EVs in India seems very bright. The Indian government wants to join the Electric Vehicle Revolution and according to the sources, they plan to have 30% of private cars, 70% of commercial vehicles, 40% of buses and 80% of two-wheelers and three-wheelers go electric by 2030. India plans to make 10 million two-wheelers every year, which is about 15% of the world’s production.
Who is the largest manufacturer of lithium batteries in India?
Some of the largest Lithium-Ion battery manufacturers in India are Exide Industries, a joint venture between Suzuki, TOSHIBA, and DENSO, in Gujarat; Amara Raja Batteries, Li Energy, and ATL and Manikaran Power Ltd.
Is Ashok Leyland working on EVs?
Yes, Ashok Leyland is working on EVs and has already operated a fleet of electric buses as a pilot program in Chennai and Ahmedabad. The company is looking for the right investors as their EV initiative is quite crucial. Switch Mobility, a subsidiary of Ashok Leyland and Optare from the UK, is going to launch an e-LCV in India by the end of December 2021. The group has plans to invest 150-200 million in the EV space in the next few years.
Why are electric cars expensive in India?
Electric Cars are expensive in India because the batteries used in EVs alone form around 30% to 50% of the cost of EVs. These batteries are very expensive, hence increasing the cost of EVs. Another major factor for Electric Cars being expensive in India is that this industry is not able to utilize economies of large-scale production. When the demand increases and EVs will be manufactured in high volumes, we can expect that the might reduce.
What is the best EV stock to buy in India?
Looking into the best EV Stocks to buy in India, there are various components that go into making an EV and, hence there are various stocks involved. Overall in EV manufacturing, Tata Motors is the best stock, with respect to the commercial vehicle sector. As far as batteries are concerned, Amara Raja Batteries is a good bet for EV batteries. Tata Power is a good buy for the charging sector. Anyways, please note that you are not recommended to buy stocks on the basis of this answer. Detailed stock analysis has to be done before investing.
Who is leading in the Electric Vehicles in India?
Currently, Tata Motors is leading the Electric Vehicle sector in India. Tata Motors was one of the first companies that decided to develop a fully autonomous electric vehicle on its own. Being a leader in the commercial vehicle segment, it has huge plans to go electric in commercial buses, Trucks and is preparing to launch its first electric truck soon.
Which company produces electric vehicles in India?
The top Electric vehicle producers in India are Tata Motors, JBM Auto, Olectra Greentech, Mahindra Electric mobility, Ola Electric Mobility, Ashok Leyland Electric, Hyundai, Hero Electric, Menza Motors, Lohia Auto, Kia Motors, etc. In addition, a few other top start-ups in the EV manufacturing space are Ather Energy, Tork Motors, Menza Motors, Verge Motors, Emflux, Okinawa Autotech, Twenty-Two Motors, Lush Motors, etc.
Aron, Bachelors in Commerce from Mangalore University, entered the world of Equity research to explore his interests in financial markets. Outside of work, you can catch him binging on a show, supporting RCB, and dreaming of visiting Kasol soon. He also believes that eating kid’s ice-cream is the best way to teach them taxes.