Ather Energy unveiled the S340, the first 'Made in India' smart electric scooter, at an event in Bengaluru recently. The electric two-wheeler startup company plans to start production of the scooter and launch it for the Indian market before 2017.
The Ather S340 is an electric vehicle powered by a lithium-ion battery pack that charges up to 80 per cent within an hour. This single charge can take the scooter up to 60km and reach speeds of 72kmph due to its light-weight aluminium chassis. The scooter features a digital touchscreen dashboard that enables users to choose riding modes and even set other ride preferences. It is also equipped with a Vehicle Control Unit (diagnostic system) and GPS, which will constantly monitor the rider’s behaviour and also indicate how much distance can be travelled on the remaining charge.
What makes the scooter unique is this personalised profile feature that allows users to create their profile comprising all the basic information. The company claims that the inbuilt navigation works differently from the plain vanilla mapping available in other vehicles. Apart from using data to predict the time taken to reach a destination, their map also analyses the road conditions. Additionally, the dashboard shows the charging points on the route as well.
The Bengaluru-based company will set up a production facility in the Whitefield area and start manufacturing the S340 by the end of this year. The scooter will only be sold online, with doorstep delivery and service. The price of the scooter is not decided yet, but the preordering of the product will begin shortly in Bengaluru, Chennai and Pune in the first stage.
