Slowly pushed out of the top three electric two-wheeler brands in the country (by monthly sales volumes) over the last few months, Ather Energy is now seemingly pulling out all the stops to strengthen its market position. The brand recently slashed the price of its entry-level model, the Ather 450S, by up to Rs 25,000, and as it aims to catch up with the likes of TVS and Bajaj, has now announced its second model line, which will go by the name of Ather Rizta. This is an all-new family scooter, which will make its debut at the 2024 Ather Community Day, which is expected to be scheduled around April, and the market launch is slated for mid-2024.
Also Read: Ather 450S Price Reduced By Up To Rs 25,000; Now Priced From Rs 1.10 Lakh
Ather Energy co-founder Tarun Mehta took to social media to announce the name of the new scooter. In his post, Mehta revealed the Rizta has been in development since 2019 and will be a model that places emphasis on rider comfort and safety, packing ‘industry-first’ features while maintaining the same level of quality and reliability other Ather scooters are known for.
The Rizta has previously been caught in test camouflage. It appears notably larger than the 450 series e-scooters, which are more svelte and compact in size. The front-end has a slimmer, horizontal lighting, unlike the vertically-stacked headlight seen on the 450 models, and the scooter is equipped with a telescopic fork, 12-inch alloy wheels and a front disc brake. It will also have a wide and accommodating seat, a flat floorboard, a protective cover for the final drive, a chunky pillion grab rail, integrated foot rests and a horizontal LED tail-light. The scooter is also expected to have more underseat storage than the 450’s 22-litre space.
Also Read: Ather Energy To Offer 60-Minute Service Facility In 50 Locations By March 2024
The Rizta will be notably larger than the 450 series, and will have a more accommodating seat as well.
The Rizta is expected to employ a mid-drive motor like the 450 models, but it remains to be seen if Ather chooses to make major changes to the frame, with the 450 series utilising aluminium, which could be dropped in favour of steel to lower cost. Ather could also choose to offer the 7.0-inch ‘DeepView’ LCD – first introduced on the 450S – on entry trims, to make the scooter more accessible from a price point of view. However, a touchscreen is also likely to be offered on the higher-spec Rizta.
At present, the 450 lineup has two battery options – the 2.9 kWh pack (in the 450S and 450X) and the 3.7 kWh pack (in the 450X only). The Ather Rizta could well be offered with both battery options (standard and long-range variants), but it will be interesting to see if the company chooses to extend an even smaller battery to further lower the scooter’s price and make it more attainable.
