The new Ather 450X Gen 3 comes after the company launched the current 450X scooter in 2020. It looks exactly the same as Ather 450X that is currently on sale. This scooter looks identical to the current 450X apart from a new set of mirrors and different tyres. Everything else, from the bodywork and even the paint scheme is the same.
There are a few upgrades and one of them is exactly what Ather customers have been asking for — a bigger battery. The previous Ather 450X had a 2.9 kilo watt hour battery but the new one is now up to 3.7kwh. That means the Ather 450X can now offer a claimed real world range of 105km against the previous 85km (in Eco mode).
Ather also says this battery will have a 25% longer life and a 20% improvement in thermal management. The company says that this means the scooter can now offer even more consistency in performance, whether you are riding in a hilly area or with a pillion.
The fan-cooled motor gets a slight bump in peak power output from 6kW to 6.2kW, but the nominal power remains the same 3kW. That means that the 450X will be able to hit an indicated top speed of about 90kph in its top two modes.
Beyond that most other things remain the same. The only change to chassis is in new mounting points for the larger battery and slightly revised suspension tuning to match the new tyres. The new MRF tyres offer a significant improvement in grip and the company has also moved to a wider, 100 section rear tyre.
The bigger battery has resulted in a weight gain of about four kilograms, but that is not really something you notice on the move. The handling feels more surefooted, thanks to the new tyres that encourage you to push a little harder. This is definitely a fun handling machine.
The brakes are strong, but the rear still locks a little too easily. While the suspension has been re-tuned to match the new tyres, the overall suspension comfort feels the same — it is firm on bad roads. It also remains quite a cramped scooter for tall riders. On the more practical side, the 22-litre boot space is unchanged and the same goes for the large portable charger.
While it looks the same, the Ather’s 7-inch TFT display now has smoother and faster responses thanks to the system’s RAM being doubled from 1gb to 2.
Some of these upgrades such as the bigger battery pack cannot be installed in existing Ather scooters, but the new mirrors and tyres can be. Unfortunately, the accessory sidestep can only be installed on the Gen 3 model so far although Ather says it is trying to figure out how to make it backwards compatible.
This third gen Ather 450X will replace the existing scooters and there will be a third gen Ather 450 Plus on offer as well which will have less range and lower performance.
The bigger battery pack will drive up the price significantly. Ather 450X gen 3, as a generation change, is a bit of a disappointment when it comes to the visual aspect, but it finally crosses the psychological barrier of being able to cover more than 100km per charge. That is bound to make a lot more people consider one.
