Bangalore based Ather Energy has unveiled their first smart electric scooter, the S340, and claims it to be India’s first too. Brainchild of IIT graduates Tarun Mehta & Swapnil Jain, Ather Energy was founded in 2013 and has received funding from Tiger Global and Flipkart founders. Aided by a breakthrough in the in-house designed Lithium-ion battery pack design, the team is gearing up for production of the S340, by the end of the year.
The Ather S340 is powered by a structurally robust IP67-rated Lithium Ion battery pack that promises to last for 50,000 km. The battery pack can propel the scooter to a top speed of 72kmph and can do a 60 km range in one charge. In its fast charging mode the battery takes 50minutes to pump it to 80% charge. The charging can be done through any normal 5Ampere socket in normal mode. The scooter is designed to look sporty with zero lateral weight offset, a low centre of gravity and intuitive LED lights that respond to ambient light conditions. The makers claim that the S340 is not just redefining electric vehicles, it is one of the pioneers of smart scooters.
The Ather S340 features a touch-screen on its instrument panel that integrates cloud based data to help personalise the consumer ride experience. Features like user profile based sign in, on board navigation, pre-configured drive modes like sport and economy allow a personalised experience. Its integration with the S340 Mobile App keeps the rider connected with the vehicle, to configure ride and profile preferences and sync navigation routes remotely. Predictive analytics and aggregation of ride statistics enable customised recommendations. As more vehicles go in-field, aggregate rider and vehicle data will help in customised vehicle updates that will be delivered automatically over the air.
The manufacturing unit is set up in Bangalore, and the made in India S340 will roll out in the market by end of this year. The makers will set up experience centres to facilitate test rides in the next few months. In an industry first, Ather Energy will build an online-only purchase model with doorstep delivery and service. Pre-ordering will be open in the cities of Bangalore, Chennai and Pune in the next quarter. The company also aims at setting up an ambitious public charging infrastructure in every city it will operate in, partnering with government and private enterprises.
Key highlights of Ather S340:
- Touchscreen dashboard with 24*7 connectivity
- On-board navigation
- Range of 60 km in single charge
- 80% charge in one hour
- Top speed of 72 kmph
- 15 patent applications filed
- Manufacturing in Bangalore, Karnataka
- Online-only sales model
- Doorstep delivery and service
Tarun Mehta, CEO & Co-Founder said that the future will be connected and inevitably electric and the Ather S340 has been built as a manifestation of this philosophy. It has been designed and built mostly in-house with engineering precision. He further added that intelligent vehicles will revolutionize commute experience in future and they have just begun that journey.
Sharing his vision on the industry, he said, “The automobile industry is in the midst of a huge technological disruption. The technology of electric vehicle has advanced in leaps and bounds. It is the preferred choice because of its inherent efficiency that will shape urban commute and the smart cities of tomorrow. The other aspect is the connectedness of the world around us, enabling integration of devices and making our life experiences seamless. Intelligent vehicles will revolutionise our commute experience in the future and the S340 stands at the cusp of this exciting reality.”
I’m intrested in buying it