New 2023 Ather electric scooter spotted testing: is it the more affordable variant?

Ather could be considering a more accessible electric scooter post the launch of the more affordable Ola S1 electric scooter. The company has also received a fresh round of funding and has ambitions to expand its portfolio thanks to the possibility of increased production capabilities. 

Ather affordable electric scooter

Spy shots of a new Ather e-scooter have surfaced, and it is believed that the company could be working on a more accessible electric scooter. This new scooter could use a smaller battery pack to keep costs in check. However, this could translate to a lesser range and maybe even reduced performance. 

Ather is, however, likely still to include features such as an onboard touch-based MID, navigation system, connected vehicle features, etc.

Manufacturers are also shifting towards more affordable models, given that the costs of production have increased substantially in the recent past, thus pulling up the sticker price for customers. This hiked pricing could play a detrimental role in the adoption of EVs. Moreover, wise state subsidies on EVs are being withdrawn, starting with Maharastra and Goa. The FAME II subsidy, which expires on March 31st, 2024, is also unlikely to get an extension. 

The government instead is likely to push for the development of EV-supporting infrastructure such as charging stations which would mean that a lower range would not be a big matter of concern in the near future.