With the elections coming up and this year's budget being a vote on account (Interim), there is a fear that the subsidies may be dropped till the time the full budget is announced in July.

BHPian yedukrishnan199 recently shared this with other enthusiasts

My friend who lives in Thrissur, Kerala is currently in a dilemma whether or not to buy an electric scooter. Because the FAME-II subsidies are concluding in March 2024, he is confused about whether to go for an electric scooter now or wait for new launches and better offers or options.

He has an ICE scooter at home for his usual errands but will need a scooter at least by next year. With the elections coming up and this year's budget being a vote on account (Interim), there is a fear that the subsidies may be dropped till the time the full budget is announced in July. However, there may also be a chance that subsidies are retained till the full budget too. However, even in the full budget, the chances are high for subsidies to be reduced and FAME-III (If introduced) may not be as supportive as FAME-II.

So with OLA, Ather, Hero Vida, TVS IQube, and Bajaj Chetak all having discounts during this month, ranging from 12.5k to over 30k, he is wondering whether he should take the plunge and get an electric scooter now. He is also interested in a few other scooters like the River Indie where he loved the practicality.

Moreover with new models and new technology (Lithium iron phosphate battery, better range, features) coming to scooters entering the market in 2024, he is worried whether purchasing one now, whereby it would surely remain idle till June 2024, is a wise decision.

Hero, Ather, and Honda all set to launch new scooters in 2024-25 and with more and more companies entering this space and with competition getting tougher, he is in a dilemma whether to go for one now or wait till the time he needs one.

When the need does arise it will be for around 30 to 40 km a day, and he doesn't have any issues with power as he has solar in his home, so it is free charging, this is the main reason he is considering one and with electric scooters being just a few thousand more expensive or sometimes at par on cost with ICE scooters (for example OLA S1X+), he prefers an electric scooter when the need arises, but if the subsidies are removed and the scooters get costlier, it wouldn't be as profitable as it is now. So should he go for one with almost every manufacturer providing one or the other offer or should he wait until he "really" needs one?

I am on the fence on this one and thought the best place to ask would be here, to the BHPians!, so feel free to reply and all suggestions are truly welcome! If you have any personal/specific suggestions feel free to DM me too!

Here's what BHPian silverado had to say on the matter:

If he has solar, he should buy an electric scooter right away, and not wait for an ideal time. Policies discounts etc will keep changing, but if his ICE scooter is due for replacement he can buy an electric today.

Here's what BHPian shancz had to say on the matter:

What I would suggest is to use this time to take a lot of test rides of all EVs he likes and some more and get a feel of things. Since he's not in a hurry he can visit the ownership reports and then take an informed decision.

I am not competent on the battery technology but common sense dictates that the scooters on Li-Ion batteries have been doing ok and any technology will take some time to be tested out in our conditions to be determined stable enough.

Also new manufacturers like River will need some time to set-up their service network around you and also sort out the issues/niggles as they come in real world. Hence the suggestion of waiting out the first iteration/6-8 months of a new vehicle to let the manufacturer sort out the issues.

In case post his test rides he likes something a lot, and if feasible otherwise, get that and have fun

Here's what BHPian bijims had to say on the matter:

I am in a similar boat having sold my old ICE scooter but still having another for my needs, I have test-ridden almost all the major players' scooters including the Ola S1 Pro Gen2, Ola S1X+, Ather 450X, TVS iQube, and iQube S, Bajaj Chetak Urbane (Premium wasn't available for a test ride) and Hero Vida. From my experience, what I can tell you is these major players have a significant presence in major cities and towns as compared to others.

The other major players in this segment (in terms of sales) are Greaves Electric (Ampere), Okinawa Autotech, Hero Electric, Okaya EV, BGauss Auto, BattRe Electric, Kinetic Green, Revolt (electric bikes), and Joy E-bikes but none of their offerings can compete in terms of sales, features, price or presence over the likes of the top 4 (Ola, TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak and Ather). They have vastly superior products with good range, battery capacity, quality, and even network. So getting one from amongst them would be the better decision in most towns and villages.

Of the up-and-coming 2W EV startups, I find River to be quite good, they have nailed the basics and have a competent product.

Now coming to the fact of new launches in this segment, Hero Vida is planning a couple of launches in the FY 2024-25, Ather has already announced its family scooter coming in 6 months and they do have another launch as well. TVS will finally launch the iQube ST this year and there is a high probability that Honda will also mark its foray into the segment this year as well. So,well there are a lot of products to watch out for.

Here's what BHPian Rajeevraj had to say on the matter:

In my view, this is the key point. If the need for the scooter is only by next year, I don't see a point buying now. Understand the point about subsidies and pricing etc, but that should not be a decision factor to buy something that you won't use for 6 months atleast. That amount can be invested for a year to take care partly for the increased amounts. On the plus side you will get more options and newer iterations of current models.

Here's what BHPian B5Glider had to say on the matter:

3 important points when you buy an EV which I would suggest when you buy a EV 2W.

1) Do not expect that prices will increase. They will decrease considering sales going up and volume benefits accruing. Evidence of discounts even on a new Ather 450s is evidence to this.

2) I struck off Ola just because in my view they don’t understand the 2W market as yet. They are selling in huge numbers due to advertising and discounts. I would suggest to stick on to a big brand. Remember Ather has 40% now from Hero. And I am expecting Hero to barge in with another 9 anytime if Ather promoters lift off the 40% cap.

3) Do a clear balance out on what exactly you want. For eg. Ola’s music function is not something I like. Weigh out to buy an advanced tech motor instead of the basic hub motor. iQube is hub motor and hence was out of my list. All latest 3kw Olas are hub motors and hence did not care to look at them. Try scoots with PMSM tech.

I picked up a Vida though it sells less looking at Hero's brand behind. They know what and how to sell. They are just testing waters now like how Chetak did before a year and now Chetak is with all bells and whistles.

In my view the best built is Chetak. I liked the build but did not like their motor tech. Ather was 2nd in my list due to their pricing which they corrected now. I still have concerns on their belt which had seen issues. Had the Ather 450s being introduced with the 20k less discount that they are giving now, eyes closed i would have bought it!

Last to say, discounts are raining now. The best scoots are available from 120k approx including battery extended warranty. Grab them. All the very best.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The notion of replacing my Classic Chrome BS6 with a more lightweight and agile motorcycle has entered my contemplation.

BHPian Kirubakaran_G recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My motorcycling reverie commenced in the year 2016 with the acquisition of a Royal Enfield Classic 350 Lagoon edition. Alas, dreams are ephemeral, for I was afflicted with cervical spondylosis, likely stemming from the arduous weightlifting sessions endured at the gym. The vibrations emanating from the handlebars of the Lagoon exacerbated my condition, inducing sharp anguish within my right shoulder joints. Consequently, I was compelled to part ways with my beloved motorcycle and instead opt for a 2019 Royal Enfield Himalayan, renowned for its ergonomic attributes that allowed me to ride without any bodily distress.

However, the onset of the pandemic inflicted further detriment upon my physical well-being. As soon as the curfew was lifted, I experienced excruciating agony originating from my hip and coursing down to my left foot. A medical examination revealed the diagnosis of Spinal Canal Stenosis, a rare ailment arising from a congenital flaw in the structure of my spinal column.

To abridge this protracted narrative, I refrained from indulging in motorcycling since 2020 and consequently sold my cherished Himalayan. Fortunately, the tides of fortune bestowed upon me the opportunity to encounter a Varma Doctor of exceptional proficiency last year, whose remarkable treatment facilitated my return to the realm of motorcycling in June 2022. While my initial inclination was to rekindle my love affair with the Classic 350, the newly unveiled iteration seemed rather ill-suited in terms of its dimensions (for the sake of reference, I stand at 184 centimeters in height and weigh approximately 90 kilograms). A brief test ride triggered severe discomfort within my left hip. Rumor had it that the BS6 UCE version of the Classic held greater suitability, hence I procured a Classic Chrome BS6 model last year. This motorcycle possessed a truly captivating allure and served me dutifully throughout the preceding year. Its primary purpose was commuting, despite my ongoing Varma treatment.

However, over the course of the past two months, my cervical discs C3 and C4 began to exhibit malfunctions. Even the previously relied-upon Varma Therapy proved insufficient in granting respite. I endured intense suffering within my left hand and upper back, as if teetering on the precipice of concluding my two-wheeled sojourn. To assuage the insufferable torment, I turned to the practice of yoga, which became my solace and a font of pain relief. Without the embrace of yoga, I feel bereft.

Now, returning to my present predicament, I am still capable of operating the Classic, albeit maneuvering it in and out of my garage and managing its weight while riding has transmuted into a formidable endeavor. Thus, the notion of replacing my Classic Chrome BS6 with a more lightweight and agile motorcycle has entered my contemplation. Initially, I harbored a certain disregard for motorcycles of lower displacement, yet I must confess that I have been proven wrong! I have undertaken test rides on various motorcycles, including the Honda Unicorn, Yamaha FZ V3, and Hero Xpulse 200 4V. I found them to possess nimbleness and reasonably commendable torque, albeit not on par with my previous choices. The slightly aggressive ergonomics of the FZ V3 proved unsuitable for my back condition, thus necessitating its exclusion from my selection.

At present, the leading contenders are the Honda Unicorn and Xpulse 200 4V.

My requirements are as follows:

• Smooth suspension to alleviate stress on my back.
• A riding posture devoid of aggression, enabling the preservation of a straight and perpendicular alignment with the seat. Even a modicum of aggression strains my upper back, as exemplified by the FZ V3.
• Neither forward-mounted foot pegs nor rear-set foot pegs, as these exacerbate the strain upon my back.
• Comfort for my mother when she accompanies me as a pillion rider, with sufficient space and ease to accommodate her as she dons a saree and assumes a sideways position.
• A refined engine, possessing performance capabilities that adequately cater to my needs.

I would be immensely grateful if fellow riders could proffer their insights and propose any additional alternatives to my roster. Among the options under consideration, which one would best align with my stipulations?

Here's what BHPian GutsyGibbon had to say on the matter:

Each one of us have our own reasons to ride or not to ride. Reasons why we pick the fit of one bike over the other. However, the adjectives you use to talk about the pain, makes me wonder about what your doctors have advised you.

I can understand the riding position making a difference after a 200km 4 hour ride, but short 50km rides should cause no intense suffering regardless of the bike. Even the buzziest handlebar can be tackled with decent gloves with gel padding. One should be able to adjust their riding position a tiny bit to find comfort on most standard bikes. How about getting on and off taller bikes like xpulse? Is that not an issue?

I would add a seat with better support and see what it does to your back, and have an honest open discussion with the doctor to see if this is all a good ide

Here's what BHPian subin_cb had to say on the matter:

Your case may be rare as most people with such conditions may stop riding and will not try finding the right bike. I would suggest you try bikes you can grip the tank well and Lil bit weight distributed to the shoulder like the ninja 650 kind. Or may be Duke 390. Try renting.

I couldn't ride cruiser bikes for long distance due to back ache even with forward controls. Used to stop so many times, rest for while and then ride. Sometimes even get back.massage. But now I rode non stop from Bangalore to Chennai. Only stopped for petrol and never got out. Mostly will ride back same format in three days I had forgotten of back aches actually. The diffenerce is now I have habit of gripping tank and leaning a bit forward while riding..

Here's what BHPian anad.shankar82 had to say on the matter:

I myself have a slip-disc condition and I used to ride the Dominar 400 V1 for long distances without issues until I had an unfortunate fall at home which broke (hairline) one of my lumbar vertebrae and I gave it up with reluctance

You can consider this bike for long touring without discomfort but in the city it takes some effort to move it without the engine on

If touring is not your plan and just have city runs in mind then better settle for a scooter like I have now (again very reluctantly reconciled to this myself)

Here's what BHPian aviator_1101 had to say on the matter:

You may try the following motorcycles also :-

1. Honda Highness CB350.

• It has got a bench seat and neutrally placed pegs.
• Very well suited for pillion.
• Well sorted suspension.
• Kerb weight is just about 180kgs.

2. Triumph Speed 400

• The bike is newly launched. However, initial reviews say that it is nimble and comfortable for city rides.
• Well padded seat though slightly stepped up.
• Has a soft sprung suspension.
• Kerb weight just about 170 kgs.

The above bikes, though are of higher displacement, have very refined engines, are comparatively lighter in weight (not much if compared to Xpulse) and not of hooliganic nature which should suit your requirements.

Here's what BHPian Red_Liner had to say on the matter:

I found the ather surprisingly way more comfortable than any motorcycle I have ridden in my life. That suspension felt amazing.

15km commute? My money is on the ather.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Ather 450S is powered by a 3 kWh battery pack that has a claimed range of 115 km.

The Ather 450 electric scooter range now has a new base variant – Ather 450S. It is priced at Rs 1,29,999 (ex-showroom) and bookings will open in July 2023.

The Ather 450S is powered by a 3 kWh battery pack that has a claimed range of 115 km on a single charge (Indian Driving Conditions). The full technical details of the scooter are yet to be revealed but according to Ather, the 450S will have a top speed of 90 km/h.

The Ather 450S is likely to be a stripped-down version of the 450X. It may miss out on a few advanced features that are offered on the more expensive 450X variant.

Speaking of which, Ather Energy has revised the prices of the 450X and 450X Pro Pack. Following the revision in the FAME-II subsidy, the e-scooters cost Rs 1.45 lakh and Rs 1.65 lakh (ex-showroom, Bangalore).

The 450S could be a slightly stripped-down version of the 450X with fewer features.

Ather Energy is likely to introduce a low-cost version of the 450X e-scooter. According to a recent trademark filing, the new variant could be called '450S'.

Details of the Ather 450S are scarce. However, we can expect a slightly stripped-down variant with fewer features. The 450S might do away with functionalities like auto hold and riding modes.

Besides, Ather might also reduce the size of the battery to bring down the price tag in order to compete with the likes of the Ola S1 Air and TVS iQube.

At present, Ather offers 450X at a price tag of Rs 98,183 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Customers can opt for the Pro Pack for an additional Rs 30,000. The 450S is likely to have an even lower price tag.

The entry-level Ather e-scooter could be priced in the sub-Rs 1 lakh price bracket.

At present, Ather Energy doesn’t have a direct rival to the Ola S1 Air in the sub-Rs 1 lakh price bracket. That could soon change as new spy images suggest an entry-level variant is in the works.

The new Ather electric scooter is expected to be positioned below the 450 Plus, making it the most affordable variant in the brand’s line-up. The blurry spy image reveals details such as the front cowl and headlamp, telescopic front fork and the pillion grab rail.

Being the most affordable variant, the upcoming e-scooter is likely to be based on a tubular chassis and could get a smaller battery pack offering a range of up to 80 km. The output of the electric motor could also be restricted.

Ather might offer the 7-inch touchscreen instrument console on its entry-level variant as well. That being said, it could be a more simplified system with fewer features.

Source: Rushlane

The ride experience was good and the initial acceleration is better than Ather.

BHPian ritesh_44 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I took a test ride of the new TVS iQube in Bengaluru. TVS has not provided S and ST models to dealers and currently, only the base model is there which is more or less similar to the existing model apart from higher range and regen.

I had booked the test ride online and one day before got a call from the dealer for confirmation, although there is not much rush there and anyone can go and take a test ride.

The ride experience was good and the initial acceleration is better than Ather for 0 - 40 km/h. Acceleration from 40-70 is slightly lesser than Ather in sports mode, but still very good. There are only two modes available in iQube though: Eco and Power, which can be changed via a button on the right side.

The screen takes 3-4 seconds to boot up. You can start the motor only after the "iQube" logo comes up on the screen at the centre (after ~2 seconds) Not sure what if happen is screen gets stuck (In Ather, I have seen, the motor starts up without the screen turning on fully)

Regenerative brakes are strong and slow down substantially if you leave the throttle (no need to turn in the reverse direction). The throttle input is not cut-off while braking unlike reported in Ola.

The base model has only a display without touch input while S will have the same features with touch input. Boot space is okayish but can't hold full-face helmet due to cuboidal shape. This could have been extended till back (as done for the ST model) but I guess they wanted to launch quickly using the same previous iQube body.

The dealer didn't have the S model for the test ride and had no information about when it will be available. Even for the base model, the wait time according to him was more than 2 months and the on-road price was Rs ~1.25 lakh (online it's quoted 1.11 + ~9k for a charger for Bengaluru). Also, TVS has discontinued wall charger and are now giving portable charger only.

Here's what BHPian mvadg had to say on the matter:

Took a test ride (with the salesperson as a pillion).

First impressions:

1. Everything seems well sorted
2. Good enough suspension
3. Traditional size under seat storage
4. Silent, no whine like their competition
5. 105 Kms range seems a reasonable one on the lowest end model, so even with a 40% drop in capacity, 50kms range would still be usable.
6. Good acceleration even with a pillion

Here's what BHPian ohaak had to say on the matter:

People tend to forget something called fast charging and the Ather grid fast-charging network. It doesn't matter what the scooter range is. When you are in a pinch, you need the ability to quickly add some range. My daughter experienced this first-hand yesterday when she was low on charge and some 25KMs away. It just took 10-15mins of fast charging to sort out the problem.

Here's what BHPian sri_tesla had to say on the matter:

Even if we consider the Ather grid, TVS iQube (ST) is still a much better choice over Ather 450X.

1. TVS iQube ST has a 145 km range compared to an 85 km range on Ather 450X. That's 70% more range. I don't think anyone needs more than a 145 km range unless you are travelling outside cities in which case the Ather grid won't help either as there are no Ather charging points outside cities. With such a higher range, you won't have any range anxiety. I would rather have an EV with a 145 km range everyday morning than an EV with an 85 km range and need to wait an hour on the road to get it charged.
2. TVS iQube ST also has an option of a home fast charger of 1.5KW capacity. You can use this to charge at any 15A socket or even Ather grids and get an ~50 km range an hour which is only slightly lesser than the range you get with an hour of charge for 450X at an Ather grid.
3. Ather grid is very limited. The entire city of Hyderabad has less than 10 grids and expansion is very slow. Some of the chargers won't be available 24x7. Some are in general parking lots which might get blocked by other vehicles. They might remove any of the chargers at any time. The app is not reliable to show the accurate status of the charger and we don't know if the charger is really working or not until we go there.
4. Public charging stations with 15A sockets are much more common than the Ather grids. For example, my office parking lot has more EV charging sockets than the number of Ather grids in the whole of Hyderabad.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The completion of three years not only meant that the lease was over, it also meant that the vehicle and battery warranties are over too.

BHPian hemanth.anand recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

5 months since I last updated this thread.

The positive things first...The scooter ride statistics sync problem finally is solved. All my ride ride statistics appear correctly. However whenever I return back home and park the vehicle in the basement, that particular ride is not seen until I take out the vehicle the next day. This is attributed to the poor signal strength. I'm satisfied with this although I still don't understand why this problem wasn't there in the first year and why the ODO is updated but not the ride statistics.

March 2022 and my scooter completed 3 years. This meant that the scooter lease lease term was over. It was time to decide whether to retain the vehicle or return the vehicle. Quoting my own post from 2019 below...at that time I had decided to return the vehicle after 3 years:

Buying options:

...took a look at the leasing policy and it looked interesting.

We can pay 45-75K down payment initially; based on the term (min 1 year to max 3 years) a monthly rent would be fixed. At the end of the term, I can return the vehicle and I'd get my full down payment back! I also have an option for upgrade or even exit the lease anytime after 1 year. If I exit after 1 year and return the vehicle, I'd get back 60% of my down payment. After 2 years, I'd get back 80%. If I decide to retain the vehicle, the down payment would not be given back and there would be an amount that I'd need to pay in addition to get the vehicle registered in my name.

The lease includes all the Insurance policies for the period, all periodic services including labour, Their flagship subscription plan Ather One, road side assistance. So it was effectively ZERO cost for the entire term. Over and above this, two other things that I thought about:

EV technology is still developing and going by the current automotive scene, EV is likely to see huge changes pretty soon. That would mean that after 3 years, vehicles will be much better and resale value of the current vehicles is expected to be poor (or unknown). I'll ignore Mahindra here as they have literally done a pathetic effort with their early player advantage IMO.

The battery will deteriorate no matter what. Ather provides 3 year warranty on the battery and say that after that, it may not deteriorate more than 70%. But again, it's not an ICE vehicle to just fill petrol and keep on running for many years. This will again have a negative impact on both the performance and resale value.

I worked these out and found that Leasing is the best way to go in this case. The final thought in my head before I decide to take the leasing was "When I am buying a different vehicle, why not buy it also in a different way". I took the number of the Leasing company Autovert and spoke to Mr.Uday at length and got all my questions cleared. He was very helpful and cleared all my questions to my full satisfaction. Their intuitive website helped me in quickly doing the math.

I decided to pay 65K and a 3k rent for 36 months. That would mean I'd effectively pay 108K over the entire term. Upon return I'd get back the 65K down payment. If I decide to retain the vehicle, I have to pay 10K. For a comparison, the OTR price of the 450 is 130K If I buy it with full payment. Insurance for 2nd and 3rd year would be 13k. Their Ather one subscription plan costing 700 per month (since I was a pre-booking customer this would be free for 1st year), would come to 17K for 2nd and 3rd year. Assuming a resale value of 50K, it would come down to 110k.

 My calculation at the time of buying was like this:

Lease or Outright purchase? (at the time of buying):

Based on this the cost if I return the vehicle was lower and hence I had decided to return the vehicle after the lease term is complete. But then, unsurprisingly life is so uncertain...things didn't go as per plan:

• The complimentary free subscription for non-lease customers was extended for quite some time after one year. What was supposed to be a benefit for Lease customers was negated by this extension.
• After some time the subscription was made chargeable for non-lease customers but the prices itself were reduced. Again the cost benefit of lease reduced further.
• Subscription fee Refund: Due to discontinuation of 3G by Vodafone, we had to live with 2G connectivity till Ather upgraded 4G. for this Ather refunded subscription charges on pro rata basis. This was not passed on to us lease customers.
• Subscription fee Refund: In November 201 Ather announced that the Connect subscription is made complimentary to all till 15th May 2022 and they gave some refund of subscription charges on pro rata basis. Again, this was not passed on to us lease customers.
• The Pandemic - it reduced the vehicle usage drastically and the electricity consumption reimbursement was next to nothing. So the cost advantage in lease further came down.
• Insurance premium... I had estimated premium prices on the higher side (too high) and calculated the benefit. But the actual premiums were way lesser. So the advantage of going for lease was actually less.
• The resale value of my 450 is still very good. I had expected this to drop greatly as new vehicle options would arrive after 3 years. I was wrong as the EV space hasn't developed at a pace that I had expected.

The actual calculation ended up somewhat like this:

Lease or Outright purchase? (during Lease completion after 3 years):

The decision to buy on Lease didn't turn out to be profitable in the end. I took a hit of ~25k going for lease and not outright purchase. Buying it outright would've been a better idea.

Further to these calculations, currently there are hardly any compelling vehicle options in the market either:

• The new 450x is not a big jump to warrant an upgrade from 450.
• The maturity of Ola S1 as a product is still low and has a long way from being fully developed. I almost got it but fortunately I cancelled my booking.
• Chetak and iQube are decent offerings but not so good to warrant returning my 450 and going for them.

So it was clear that retaining the vehicle is the correct way to go in the circumstances.

Autovert, which is the lease partner of Ather, was really proactive and they were in touch with me over email from as early as January. They communicated clearly about all the formalities for either eturning or retaining the vehicle. After I told them  I'll retain the vehicle, they completed the activities quickly. By the first week of March, they had couriered all the documents over to me and also gave me the contact details of an agent who would complete the transfer formalities at the RTO. Of course I could do the formalities by myself but I just chose to get it done by that agent. He came home, collected all the documents and even within 2 weeks the vehicle transfer was complete. My experience with Autovert was wonderful throughout.

The completion of three years not only meant that the lease was over, it also meant that the vehicle and battery warranties are over too. My vehicle's battery condition is still good and I'm still getting the same range as I used to get earlier. Even other people who bought during the same time have had no issues with the battery. However some owners from 2018 and early 2019 have reported some issues with other components like the onboard charger, wiring harness etc. which was replaced in-warranty. Some of those are rather expensive components. Looking at those, an extended warranty program from Ather would've been nice. Many including me would definitely buy it.

With regards to the Subscriptions, My complementary Ather 360 plan (which included the electricity consumption refund) expired by End of March 2022. I've not renewed it till now. The connect subscription is complimentary till May 15 2022 and I've no intention of renewing after that. This is for two reasons...One I'm not really happy with the value I'm getting for the payment made (both Service and Connect Subcriptions) and two I'm ok to run it just as a scooter without any smart features.

Below is the usage record that I have maintained:

Usage after 3 years:

The first year running was 8600kms. Second year it was 1200kms. Third year it was 1800 kms and the last two months after that it has been 1600 kms.

In other things, the scooter has been running more these days. with offices restarting partial to full capacity, our usage has also increased. it has crossed 13200 kms as of today and it has run around 2000kms in the last 2 months.

The saree guard and the Number plate holder screw regularly becomes loose and makes noise but tightening with Allen key sorts it out. the tyre pressure also frequently goes down. Apart from these two no major worries and the scooter is doing it's duties well. It is still a looker. Below is an image I took recently near my home:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I own a 2022 Ather 450+ and one of the biggest gripes I had with it was that the seat is pretty terrible in terms of back support.

BHPian WhiskeyTangoFox recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello All!

I own a 2022 Ather 450+ and one of the biggest gripes I had with it was that the seat is pretty terrible in terms of back support. Well, at least for me it was. I can’t blame the company though as this is the same woth most manufacturers. Anyway, I decided to finally get the seat redone. I went to this store called Rao Seat Covers (in Bangalore, got to know about it from this video.

I’ll drop the address below. The inspiration for the seat was the old Honda Goldwing. A slightly scooped out seat with some amount of back support. I obviously wouldn’t be able to completely replicate that on the Ather but I figured we could try to do the same to best of our ability.

Goldwing Seat

Ather's Original Seat

The slight curvature in the front was putting a lot of pressure on my back and was resulting in really bad back pain.

The original seat foam, although of very good quality, wasn't very thick

The salespeople are very patient and keep asking for suggestions throughout the modification process. They custom shape the seat and add or remove foam based on your requirements.

Once the design is final, they ask you if you’d like to wrap it with foam (yellow) or with gel. Gel is much more expensive however. I opted for foam as it was fairly soft.

After this, you have a variety of custom made covers, fabrics and stitching to choose from. I went for this cross stitched pattern . Overall quality is excellent. The full process took around 2 hours and cost me Rs 2500. Although not perfect, the seat comfort has drastically improved over the stock seat due to the thicker foam. Definitely would recommend.

Rao seat covers in Bangalore.

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I've owned the Ather for a year now and here's how it differs from the new Ola S1 Pro.

BHPian Bhaveshmestry recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Got my Ola S1 Pro last week and I am loving it.

I have an Ather 450 Plus too and I love it very much. It's a no-hassle bike with straightforward functions and driving.

I would like to state some differences between the two as I have had Ather for a year now.

The ride of Ola is smother compared to Ather which has a stiffer suspension.

At lower modes, Ola torque is much quicker. On higher torques, Ola is an absolute beast. I live in a small town and have had to drive in hyper mode for more than 5 seconds. You will not be able to control hyper speed in cities or traffic.

Ola looks more like a traditional Vespa, whereas the Ather looks futuristic.

The screen response for both is similar. I guess it's the low powered cheap CPUs companies use to keep costs low. But they both get the job done.

Buttons are much more finished on Ather than Ola which don't feel premium at all.

Ather has a much louder noise than Ola. But the sound is very swoosh like futuristic.

Well, the biggest difference is range. I still don't understand why people made a fuss about the 180 km range. Ather charges more and gives half the range. OLA takes the cake in this. I have paid 1.53 for 450 Plus which was before the Maharashtra subsidy so according to me, Ola at 135 km is a steal and then some.

That's all I can think of. Do drop questions if u have any.

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We decided to make the transition as the service costs of our Hyundai Verna & Renault Kwid skyrocketed. Another factor was the rising fuel prices.

BHPian WhiskeyTangoFox recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

So EVs are pretty obviously the future, but understandably, there is some apprehension about shifting to them primarily due to their high initial down payment and also the ever-present 'range anxiety. So here I am to share my experience with you of my personal vehicles, and hopefully, I'll address most of your conundrums. Firstly, a little background about the previous vehicles my family (My parents and I) have had. We started off with a humble WagonR Lxi in 2006, and it served us well for a good 10 years before we bid it adieu.

Our WagonR and yes, that's me.

In the meantime, in about 2013 or so, we also bought a Hyundai Verna SX(O) Petrol AT, which was our primary car. My parents work in the same institution, so they used to commute together and only occasionally used both cars on the same day. This helped us keep fuel costs relatively low. Plus, this was when petrol prices never crossed the Rs 60/ Litre mark. Anyway, once we sold the WagonR, we were looking at a small city hatchback with high fuel efficiency, as this was when the infamous "Bangalore Traffic" started to show its face for the first time. We finally settled on the Renault Kwid RTX (O) AMT because of its high promised fuel efficiency of about 24 kmpl. However, during the five odd years that it was with us, it returned only 14 kmpl in the city and around 18 kmpl on the highway. The Verna returned only 9 kmpl in the city and around 14 kmpl on the highway. This wasn't excellent fuel economy but was manageable as petrol prices, which had, although gone up, were still around the 75-80 Rs/ Litre range. This all changed when two significant incidents took place:

The Verna

The Kwid

• The petrol prices slowly crept up to almost 112 Rs/ Litre in Bangalore (It reached 118 Rs at one point!)
• The service cost for both the Verna as well as the Kwid skyrocketed at the company-owned service centres.

The Contenders and the Decision

This was when my family decided to replace the Verna with an electric car. This was in mid-2021, and the three options available were the Tata Nexon EV, the MG ZS EV, and the Hyundai Kona. We ruled out the Hyundai Kona as it hadn't been updated for the current model year and due to its high promises in terms of range and non-deliverance of anything remotely close to that. We initially did consider the Nexon EV, but considering that this was going to replace our Verna, which we also used for occasional long-distance journeys, primarily to Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai (where some of my other family members reside), or to nearby hill stations, we needed a car that was safe, had a relatively good driving range, good service network, fairly spacious interiors and also some modern tech like android auto.

We took a test drive of the MG ZS EV and immediately loved the gorgeous interiors with that beautiful sunroof. When I drove it, I knew it was the right car. The performance was excellent, as was the ride quality. It simply wafted over potholes and did so with style. The proportions were good, and it looked composed and elegant. There were ample safety features too, with ABS, EBD, ESP, 6 Airbags, Hill Hold, Hill Start Assist, Adaptive Reverse camera, All four Disc Brakes etc. The SA was also prompt, and the dealership (Electronic City) answered all our queries and even brought the car to our house a few days later to see if we could fit the vehicle in our portico. We booked the car about a month later, and the SA said that there was a blue MG ZS EV ready and it would take about 2 weeks for all the registration formalities to get over, whereas the other colours would take 45 days to be delivered. We agreed on the blue vehicle, and the total on-road price at the time was about 26.5 lakhs. About a week and a half later, we got a call saying that the car was ready for delivery, we did our PDI right before the delivery and found no issues, and we happily took it home.

It's been about 5 months, and we've driven just about 3000 kms and here are my observations so far.

City Range

The Claimed Range is 419 Kms, but in reality, you can expect 350-360 Kms in the city with the AC used only when required and normal driving (No extremely harsh acceleration and braking).

Long Distance

We have made one long-distance trip on the highway to Yercaud, and I drove it like a regular car with speeds ranging between 80 kmph to 140 kmph and the car was absolutely planted which negligible body roll. There are a fair amount of chargers towards Tamilnadu, so we had no issues. To be on the safe side, we did charge in between at Krishnagiri and Salem since this was our first long-distance trip, but we soon discovered we could've made the entire trip from Bangalore to Yercaud with one charge.

There is one Zeon Fast Charger at Krishnagiri (50 kW), One Tata Power Charger at Salem (25 kW) and one Zeon Charger at Yercaud, inside the GRT Hotels (22Kw AC). The average efficiency while driving on the highway to Salem ranges between 7 - 8.3 kms/kWh (trip computer indicated), which equals 311.5 to 369 kms of driving range (on relatively plain highways with gradual inclines and declines). While driving from Salem to Yercaud, full of steep hairpin bends, the car returned an abysmal 3.1 km/kWh, which is understandable as a lot more power is used while climbing uphill. However, it more than compensated for this as while coming back downhill from Yercaud to Salem, it charged up the battery from 90% to 96% using level 3 regen alone! (trip computer indicated around 32 km/kWh).

The car can easily do 300-320 kms on a full charge on the highways on Eco Mode (I kept regen at level 3, occasionally shifting to level 2. While in Yercaud, we also took a tour of the Cauvery Peak Coffee Estate, wherein we took the MG into the estate, and boy did it not stutter even once. There is ample ground clearance, and even steep 30 degree inclines on surfaces with loose gravel isn't an issue. The number of chargers on the highways will only grow, so don't worry about it. If your commute is primarily in the city and occasionally on the highway, the ZS is an excellent car.

Charging and Maintenance

Coming to the charging and maintenance costs, the MG costs about 1 Rs per Kilometre to run in the city, which works out to about 500 Rs a month for our usage. It was a little higher on the highway, where it was about 1.5 Rs per Km. In comparison, the Verna and Kwid (which we used alternately) cost us about 6000-8000 Rs a month for fuel. We use only the 15 amp charger to charge up the car once a week, and we don't typically charge it beyond 80% unless needed. The battery is rated for around 1.5 lakh kilometres and comes with an 8-year warranty. The first five services are free for the MG, after which the service cost is only about 3500 Rs a year (The SA told us that in comparison, the Hector costs around 14000 a year for service.) We have finished one service at the Electronic City branch and have had no issues.

Cons

There are a few cons; however, the infotainment system, although mostly excellent, is occasionally slightly laggy, and we would've liked more interior and exterior colour options. It also would've been nice if they used more soft-touch materials on the inside, like the Astor.

Getting an Ather

More recently, we decided to sell the Kwid as it started to give us some issues, and after shelling out almost 30,000 Rs to fix it, we bid it adieu. I wanted a personal vehicle for myself as my parents use the car primarily, and I knew that a two-wheeler was better in the city due to traffic and the lack of parking in public places. I also wanted it to be electric because of the low running costs and the fantastic performance. The requirements were good build quality, at least a decent service network, good looks, good performance, some nice features, maybe?

I immediately ruled out the smaller brands as they didn't have a good service network and the build quality and their performance were inadequate. The major contenders were the Ather twins, Ola S1 Pro, Revolt RV 400 and Simple One. Revolt being priced a little too high and the poor reviews on its reliability made me remove it from my list. As there was no proper information on the launch of the Simple One, I chucked that too. I wasn't impressed by the gimmicky features on the Ola, such as the Speakers and the Cruise Control and after seeing the initial impressions of auto journalists about the sub-par build quality, buggy software, lack of features, heating and throttle calibration issues, it was a big No-No for me. Finally, my parents and I went to Ather Indiranagar to check out the Ather twins. The SA was very enthusiastic and patient and answered all our queries.

The on-road prices, including the FAME II Subsidy at the time, were 1.29 Lakhs for the Ather 450 Plus and 1.49 Lakhs for the Ather 450X. I chose the former as I didn't feel that the features that the 450X had, such as Bluetooth and the extra 15 kms of range, mattered to me. My daily commute wouldn't exceed 40 kms (normally around 20kms), so the 450 Plus was just fine. We made the full payment, but it took a whole month for the scooter to be delivered due to the chip shortage. However, props to the Ather team. They did everything they could to make it happen as soon as possible and constantly kept me updated. A friend of mine has the Ather 450, and it has been a smooth experience for him so far, so I hope it's the same for me. Anyway, I took delivery of the Ather just a few days ago (7th January 2022) after its PDI, and the performance is just excellent. The build quality is good, and I have had no issues as of now. The battery is rated for 50,000 kms and comes with a 3-year warranty. The boot space is more than adequate and fits my full-sized helmet as well.

Charging Cost

So I am yet to charge the vehicle, but since it's a 2.9 kWh battery, and at Rs 7 a kWh, it should cost just around 20 Rs for a full charge that gives 70 Kms. That's cheaper than the BMTC Buses!

The Initial Cost of Electric Vehicles

The initial cost of EVs is definitely higher than their ICE equivalents, and I totally understand this. However, this definitely will reduce as time progresses. However, one must understand that it is not too far off. For example, with regard to the MG ZS EV, a comparable vehicle would be the Hyundai Creta. Its fully-loaded car (quite similarly specced with a few additional features, Diesel AT) costs around 23.5 Lakhs. The MG is just 3 Lakhs off and offers a much lower running cost. With time, the more you drive it, you will break even with the ICE car in terms of price, and the ICE car will soon surpass the EV in terms of expenses. With regard to the Ather, an equivalent scooter, like the TVS Ntorq, can cost up to a lakh and has much higher running costs again.

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