Maharashtra EV policy impact: Ather 450X, 450 Plus now most affordable in Mumbai, Pune- Technology News, Firstpost

Amaan AhmedJul 30, 2021 16:23:09 IST

Following two game-changing announcements – an increase in FAME-II subsidy and introduction of the revised Maharashtra EV policy 2021 – the Ather 450 Plus and Ather 450X electric scooters are now the most affordable in Maharashtra. Under the state’s reworked policy for electric vehicles, both Ather Energy e-scooters are currently eligible for the full Rs 25,000 incentive on offer for electric two-wheelers, which means the 450 Plus and 450X sport the lowest price tags across the country in the four cities in Maharashtra where Ather Energy currently has outlets – Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Nashik.

New Ather 450X price in Maharashtra

As per the reworked EV policy, Maharashtra offers an incentive of Rs 5,000 per kWh of battery capacity, with the subsidy limit for e-two-wheelers capped at Rs 10,000. However, for those who buy an e-two-wheeler till 31 December, 2021, there’s an additional ‘early bird’ subsidy of Rs 5,000 per kWh, with the total subsidy limit pegged at Rs 25,000.

The Ather 450X’s price in Mumbai has been slashed by Rs 20,000. Image: Ather Energy

Including the Rs 25,000 subsidy from the state, the ex-showroom price of the Ather 450X in Mumbai is now Rs 1,22,241, which is about Rs 5,000 lower than its price in Gujarat (which offers a flat incentive of Rs 20,000), and about Rs 10,000 lower than its price in Delhi. The new on-road price for the Ather 450X in Mumbai is Rs 1.30 lakh, which includes insurance charges, but no registration fees or road tax, as Maharashtra waives both those charges as part of its EV policy.

The 450X is Ather’s flagship scooter, which packs a 2.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and has a certified range of up to 116 kilometres (85 kilometres in real-world use). Its electric motor has a total output of 8.15 hp and 26 Nm of torque, which allows it to accelerate from 0-40 kph in 3.3 seconds and 0-60 kph in 6.5 seconds. Top speed for the 450X – which weighs 108 kg – is rated at 80 kph.

It also has a 7.0-inch LCD integrated into the dashboard with navigation and Bluetooth connectivity. A 10-minute fast charge blesses the 450X with a range of up to 15 kilometres.

New Ather 450 Plus price in Maharashtra

With the full Rs 25,000 subsidy accounted for, the Ather 450 Plus now costs Rs 1,03,231 in Mumbai; once again, about Rs 5,000 less than it costs in Gujarat, and over Rs 10,000 cheaper than it is in Delhi. The new on-road price for the Ather 450 Plus in Mumbai is Rs 1.10 lakh, which includes insurance charges, but no registration fees or road tax, as Maharashtra waives both those charges as part of its EV policy.

The Ather 450 Plus has a 70 km real-world range. Image: Ather Energy

The Ather 450 Plus is like the 450X in most respects, but as it misses out on the 450X’s Performance Pack, it has a lower power output (7.3 hp and 20.5 Nm of torque), so it’s slower in the 0-40 kph (3.9 seconds) and 0-60 kph (8.29 seconds) sprints, and has a lower real-world range of 75 kilometres.

In other cities such as Pune, Nagpur and Nashik, the prices are a few hundred rupees lower than they are in Mumbai. Bear in mind that unless the duration for the ‘early bird’ incentive is further extended by the Maharashtra government, prices of both Ather e-scooters will rise by as much as Rs 15,000 at the start of 2022, so this massive reduction in prices is only temporary as things stand.

Ather Energy to discontinue buyback scheme

Ather Energy has also revealed it will end its buyback scheme on 31 July, 2021. Introduced as an initiative to win buyers’ trust at a time when Ather was fresh on the scene, the scheme promised a fixed buyback value of Rs 85,000 for the Ather 450X and Rs 70,000 for the Ather 450 Plus – as long as the scooter wasn’t more than 39 months old, and had racked up less than 30,000 kilometres. However, this scheme is now being phased out, and only those who make a purchase on or before 31 July will be eligible for this buyback scheme.

Ather will no longer offer the buyback scheme to new customers from August 2021. Image: Ather Energy

Interestingly, this move comes at a time when the Maharashtra state government is offering an additional incentive to manufacturers who provide a buyback scheme on their electric two-wheelers. As per the Maharashtra EV policy 2021, vehicle makers who offer a buyback scheme and battery warranty on their products are eligible for an incentive of Rs 12,000.

Ather Energy plans revealed

Ather Energy co-founder and CEO Tarun Mehta has previously confirmed to Tech2 that the manufacturer is now working on ramping up production capacity at its plant to 500,000 units a year by FY2023 (up from the 1.1 lakh unit capacity at present. By April 2022, Ather plans to have 500 charging points across India, and will set up shop in 50 cities, which will include several Tier-II locations. That number is set to rise to 100 cities by April 2023.

Also read: Ather Energy channels its inner Tesla, banks on Impact report to strengthen portfolio and brand