Ather 450 Electric Scooter Discontinued: Also Introduces Pre-Owned Vehicle Sales Program

The Ather 450 electric scooter was the brand's maiden product in the market, introduced back in 2018. The reason for the discontinuation comes due to the increasing demand for the brand's newer 450X and 450 Plus models.

The Ather 450 was said to be India's first premium electric scooter when launched in 2018. The model was built by Ather Energy from scratch and aimed at offering hassle-free ownership. The new 450X and 450 use the same platform as the 450, however, it does come with improved hardware and software capabilities.

The Ather 450 over the past two years has received over 7 OTA updates, adding new features and improving its capabilities every time. Over the past couple of years, Ather has introduced features like Eco-Mode, Dark theme, guide-me-home lights and many other features on the 450 via OTA updates.

Having said that, Ather has confirmed that even after the discontinuation, the 450 will continue to receive OTA updates in the coming years. The company also stated that the next OTA update is expected to be introduced soon, which will add theft and tow detection.

The discontinuation of the Ather 450 also marks the end of Phase 1 for the brand. The electric two-wheeler manufacturer recently received a Series D funding, with which it now plans on rapid growth, introducing the 450X and 450 Plus in newer markets.

The company has already identified nine new cities where it will expand to in the coming months. These include Kozhikode, Hyderabad, Pune, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Coimbatore and Kolkata. Ather has also confirmed that by the end of this year, they would have setup 135 fast-charging stations (Ather Grid) in 11 cities across India.

Tarun Mehta, Co-founder & CEO, Ather Energy, stated,

"Our maiden model, Ather 450 was the outcome of 4 years of continuous work on R&D, design, prototype building & testing, and improving the product to make it production worthy. The learnings from Ather 450 in terms of design, specifications and production along with feedback from the owners has helped shape the Ather 450X and Ather 450 Plus."

"We are now looking forward to delivering our new product line across all cities. We would also like to express our gratitude to our valued owners, suppliers and partners for being a part of Ather Energy's journey."

In addition to the discontinuation of the Ather 450, the company has also announced the introduction of peer-to-peer service - Ather Certified Pre-Owned Program. This will allow current Ather 450 customers to consumers interested in purchasing a pre-owned 450 electric scooter. Ather will offer these pre-owned electric scooters with a health certificate, after a comprehensive analysis.

Thoughts On The Ather 450 Electric Scooter Discontinued

Ather Energy has now become a household name when it comes to the electric two-wheeler segment in the country. The 450 was the brand's maiden product, which will now be replaced by the 450X and 450 Plus offerings.