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

Ather Energy has confirmed that it will unveil its first mass-market electric scooter on August 29 during the fourth edition of the Ather Community Day in Bengaluru. The upcoming model is expected to help the company expand its presence in the affordable electric 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 improve scalability, versatility and manufacturing efficiency.Ahead of its official debut, prototypes of the upcoming scooter, believed to be the EL01, have been spotted testing on Indian roads. The test mule suggests that the Ather is moving towards a more practical, family-oriented design. Compared to the 450X, the new scooter is expected to have a longer wheelbase, a wider seat and a larger floor.The spy images also show that the production version will largely retain the design seen on the production concept that was unveiled earlier. The scooter is expected to feature a handlebar mounted headlamp along with a wide LED DRL across the front apron. It is also likely to ride on a larger 14-inch front wheel, while the rear could use a smaller 12-inch wheel.The EL platform is designed to accommodate batteries in the range from 2 kWh to 5 kWh. The new scooter is also expected to use an electric motor 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 a front disc brake and a rear drum brake.After launch, the new Ather electric scooter is expected to be positioned below the Rizta in the company’s portfolio. It will go up against established rivals such as Bajaj Chetak and TVS iQube in the growing mass segment of electric scooters.