India’s Ather Energy 450 Apex Is A Fun EV You’d Want In America

Summary

• The Ather 450 Apex electric scooter is unlike most e-scooters that focus on commuting.
• It has a unique design, with a distinct triangular LED light and see-through plastic panels to showcase the internals.
• Also offers impressive features such as a two-way throttle, touchscreen instrument cluster, four ride modes, and smartphone connectivity.

If someone asks you ‘What’s fast, sporty, and has sharp riding dynamics?’, your first thought would never be of an electric scooter. After all, most e-scooters focus solely on getting you from point A to B. However, Indian EV maker Ather Energy has a creation that meets the above criteria. It goes by the name Apex 450, serving as the company’s flagship electric scooter. In case you’re unaware, the brand has been in the EV business for a decade now, with a strong backing from one of the world’s largest two-wheeler companies – Hero MotoCorp. Yes, the same Hero that produces the Harley-Davidson X440 in India.

The Ather 450 Apex Electric Scooter Has A Distinct Design

One look at the electric scooter, and you’ll know it’s not your usual cup of tea. The fascia comprises a sporty triangular LED light, bejeweled into sleek body panels. This is partnered by an edgy top section, which houses the auto-cut turn signals. The party trick, though, is the middle section. It flexes see-through plastic panels that give you a good look at the internals–something we’ve never seen on a scooter before.

Topping all this is a bespoke livery. An Iridium Blue shade, with a satin texture, wraps the bodywork, while the wheels, chassis, and decals flaunt a tangy Stark Orange finish for some funky contrast. In case you don’t like the livery, there’s sadly no other option for you to pick. Overall, the design helps the 450 chart its own path in a sea of curvy maxi-scooters.

Features Are Aplenty On The Ather 450 Apex

Like the design, the Apex 450 impresses in the feature department. The highlight here is something Ather dubs ‘Magic Twist’. Essentially, it’s a two-way throttle. Twist it the right way, and you move ahead, but twist it the opposite way and the scooter progressively slows down just by the regenerative force. Ather claims this can result in a brake-free riding experience in 75 percent of scenarios. The brakes will still be required in emergencies and aggressive riding, though.

Other than this, you also get:

• Seven-inch TFT, touchscreen instrument cluster
• All-LED lights
• Four ride modes (Eco, Ride, Sport, Warp+)
• Smartphone connectivity
• Turn-by-turn navigation
• USB port
• Guide-me-home lights
• Park Assist
• Hill-hold

There’s no traction control or cornering ABS, primarily down to the performance on offer.

The Ather 450 Apex Promises To Reach 25MPH In Just 2.9 Seconds

Speaking of performance, the 450 Apex employs a 7kW electric motor. It produces 19 pound-feet via a single-speed transmission, both of which enable a zero to 25mph sprint in just 2.9 seconds. Ather also states its throttle input to wheel movement response is just 90 milliseconds–considerably faster than gas-powered counterparts and even a human blink! Once pinned, you can reach a top speed of 62 miles per hour (electronically restricted for Indian road conditions).

The motor draws juice from a 3.7 kWh battery pack. It’s not removable and offers a maximum range of 97.5 miles on a single charge. When you hit zero, you’ll need to wait 4.5 hours to charge back to 80 percent (or five hours 45 minutes to hit full charge). These are the tested figures, though, so the real-world range might be in the 70-mile ballpark. Still quite decent, don’t you think?

While the numbers might seem normal, the 450’s underpinnings are rather impressive. The scooter employs a unique aluminum chassis, which focuses on ensuring sharp and sure-footed riding dynamics. It’s partnered with telescopic forks and a monoshock, each attached to 12-inch alloy wheels. These wheels house a 200 mm front and 190 mm rear disc to slow you down. Before you judge the small size, you should know the scooter weighs just 244 pounds. The low weight, plus the saddle height (mentioned below), should make this an easy-to-live-with two-wheeler.

You Cannot Buy The Ather 450 Apex In America

If you dig the 450 Apex, prepare to be disappointed. That’s because the Indian EV maker has yet to set foot in America. It only operates in its hometown as of now, where the scooter sells for Rs 190,000 (~$2,280). Although a premium price in India, the price tag makes it excellent value by International market standards. For reference, the tiny 50cc Honda Metropolitan sells for $2,649 here, while the 160cc PCX is priced at $4,149. So we think Ather should certainly consider entering America. Even if the logistical challenges bump the MSRP to $2,700-2,800, that’d still be a sweet deal.

Source – Ather Energy