Car & Bike [AMA] Ather 450X and Electric 2 wheeler questions
- Thread starter desiibond
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Psycho_McCrazy
Disciple
While it may be some time before I can get an answer with good data, what is the real world driving range, and efficiency per unit of electricity (that is when you're not warping around all the time.. The novelty would soon wear off I believe).
desiibond
Skilled
I have mostly used Eco mode (sometimes Ride mode) and it goes up to 55kmph. In Ride mode, I get that necessary acceleration to overtake slow moving vehicles, especially while climbing flyover. Would not use warp mode on Bangalore roads that are full of construction dust, gravel, potholes.
Total warp mode usage was less than 2kms on Hosur road stretch and it was fun. odometer is at 60.7kms with 22% charge left (16kms range still there).
There is minor battery drain when it is not used (around 3-5% per day I think).
Total warp mode usage was less than 2kms on Hosur road stretch and it was fun. odometer is at 60.7kms with 22% charge left (16kms range still there).
There is minor battery drain when it is not used (around 3-5% per day I think).
kalph09
Adept
Am very keen on getting me an electric scooter. However, I have a lot of roadblocks (dealing with apartment assn) that prevent me from getting one.
Can we have just one mode? Like a normal scooter? Or can we change modes on the fly?
My everyday commute pre-covid was about 70kms a day, can I just ride-park-ride again or should I charge it while parked?
How well does it handle flooded roads of blr? The floorboard battery worries me as it would get submerged.
Does it need frequent charging when left idle? Can it sustain 2-3 months of idle time?
Can we have just one mode? Like a normal scooter? Or can we change modes on the fly?
My everyday commute pre-covid was about 70kms a day, can I just ride-park-ride again or should I charge it while parked?
How well does it handle flooded roads of blr? The floorboard battery worries me as it would get submerged.
Does it need frequent charging when left idle? Can it sustain 2-3 months of idle time?
desiibond
Skilled
1. Yes. Eco mode enough 90 percent of time. I iswd ride mode only while climbing flyovers and when I wanted extra acceleration.
2. With 70km daily commute, wait for Ola s1 pro etc that gives higher range on full charge. 450x with 85 km range will give you lot of range anxiety and you will end up charging it 5 hours each day. This will degrade battery faster. If your office has charging socket (5A or 15A normal electrical socket) , you can use portable charger to charge and you end up paying 0 rupees for fuel/electricity
3. Battery is ip67 rated and there are people who rode it in water logged roads. Be it EV or ICE scooter, this must be avoided.
4. Ather 450x comes with shutdown option that will cut off all usage when you are going to be away for a month or more. Don't know how badly it will affect battery of you are away for really long time. My NS battery worked when I turned the bike on when I was away for 8 months last year. Ignition was weak for sometime. But after few rides, battery was able to operate well and Ice engine was back to full power.
The novelty of Warping has not worn off even after 3000 kms for me.
A full charge takes between 3 and 4 units. So, the cost per charge I would say would be around Rs.20.
Over a couple of months where I refrained from Warping like a madman and drove in normal traffic during normal hours, I was averaging 60kms on a full charge (I ride almost entire in the Ride more, and rarely if ever slot down to Eco). This figure includes a couple of Kms in Sport and/or Warp.
A full 24hrs will drain about 4% battery in temperatures of around 20 (in shade).
@kalph09
1. We can change modes on the fly. You just need to let go of the accelerator and use a switch.
2. If you are riding 70km a day, it is strongly recommended that you carry a charger with you. Or be prepared to go pottering around Eco mode.
3. 2 months of idle time is unlikely. Even with the scooter fully shutdown, there is close to 1% drain a day. So I would give it about 22 days give or take.
4. I did not have the fortune of wading through water yet, but Ather is claiming it should be fine for short periods. I have driven in heavy rains with a lot of water going into the motor, and I did not have any power loss or problems of the kind.
Hope this helps!
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kalph09
Adept
Thanks, both!
I switch between scooter and car hence the question on idle time.
Secondly, I was told to pullover-change mode-go. Good to know this has changed (i checked during initial launch days)
Is the software too intrusive or asks for various permissions? Say, collecting telemetry data. Not that am tech-averse. I don't like manufacturers collecting data on riding habits and selling them to insurance companies for a higher premium.
I switch between scooter and car hence the question on idle time.
Secondly, I was told to pullover-change mode-go. Good to know this has changed (i checked during initial launch days)
Is the software too intrusive or asks for various permissions? Say, collecting telemetry data. Not that am tech-averse. I don't like manufacturers collecting data on riding habits and selling them to insurance companies for a higher premium.
sriharsha_m
Adept
We have two 450's from the first pre-order batch in 2019, eventually transported to our hometown.
You have rightly summed up. Our experience mostly echoes the same.
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desiibond
Skilled
Think of it like changing gears on a bike while riding. Release throttle, shift mode, twist throttle. One thing you cannot do while riding is use display. I think you can change modes using display but I always use the toggle above horn. i tried to accept ride location that I sent from my phone after I started riding and it does not allow me to. I have to stop the vehicle, accept destination location and start. Maps are slow and you do not get the turn by turn navigation. I do not have much idea about telemetry data. Ride stats are published to your dashboard once a month (usually between 15-20 I believe for past month). I doubt if they will share this data to insurance guys.
If you want to buy an electric scooter right now, Ather is better for one simple reason. 450 models are running for two years without problems and have hundreds of happy riders and Ola S1/Pro is not delivered to a single buyer, we dont even know how their service model works.
If you do not have a nearby service center or no option to get these EVs serviced in your home town or within range that is 50% of EV's total range, do not even think of buying one. There are some cities to which Ather would go as planned one day service event, do routine servicing but with massive spike in sales in their primary cities, I do not know if they will continue to do this.
On paper though, Ola S1/Pro are superior models when it comes to range and top speed. They have better comfort, software features as well but those we have to see how they work as most features were not enabled during test rides. One major concern is the throttle response which can be dangerous on road. When you brake Ola S1 in sport or Hyper mode, the throttle cuts off and when you twist throttle, you will not get instant power. It takes about a second or two to get power. This can be irritating when you are taking U-turn or when you going up an incline or when you hit speed breaker. Another big drawback is the hump in middle of footrest area.
The biggest drawback with Ola is the lack of trust with Ola's promises. Ola is kind of company that talks more, sets unrealistic goals and burns their fingers. Their recent advertisement '15 minute grocery delivery' is another hyped of unrealistic advertising. I would not even touch Ola scooters till they prove that they deliver on service.
Also, only time will tell if their no-showroom no-service-centre approach works. They went all in across India without establishing a proper service and sales network. They are relying too much on software. Ather has seen massive spike in their sales in recent months though they operate in limited cities in India and they are struggling with servicing. Service is good but it takes lot of time to give the vehicle for service (some reported 2-3 hours just to hand over the vehicle for service and there is spare part shortage that they are trying to address as fast as they can. One good thing here is the service pro subscription that allows us to schedule pick-up and drop-off but this too takes time. At least it is better than waiting in service centre for hours.
Which one was your previous two wheeler? I ride NS 200 and though warp mode gives that punch, I am somehow holding back using it on bangalore roads. I drive aggressively on NS200 as it has Micehlin 17" wheels that gives massive stability. Not so confident with pushing the 450x. One of the reasons why I am using Eco mode most of the time. Top speed of 55 does the job most of time and I cannot even go past 50kmph most of the time. Eco mode acceleration lets me overtake most vehicles and when there is one that is hard, I switch to Ride mode. Only once I switched to Warp mode to negate a squid on Dio. But then again, this scooter is barely 10 days old and I am yet to get the portable charger (relying on Ather Grid for now). It may take another 2-3 weeks to get the charger as the order has not arrived. They gave the scooter early to me as I wanted it on a special day and I was okay with taking it without the charger.
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desiibond
Skilled
One service every six months or every 5000 kilometres. They change brake pads during every service for newer vehicles and once in a while, you will need to change brake oil, suspension oil. There is a service pro subscription (yearly) and this covers most of the costs.
rdst_1
Skilled
Brake oil and suspension oil change will be after thousands of kms. For my car, the interval is at 60k kms IIRC. So those aren't under regular service and changing brake pads is no biggie for anyone and they too don't come under regular service but are changed as and when needed. So basically, no need of regular service at all, which is what EVs are known for. This regular six months service, if they are making it mandatory, is a gimmick carried over from the ICE companies, which shouldn't be happening.
desiibond
Skilled
Brake pads are changed every 5000kms for ather 450x now. Not sure why. There is discussion on ather forums on this. That the pads are not lasting long and they are doubke the usual price. Few identified the OEM and how to source then and replace on their own.
Oil change is only when required, not during every service.
This has a very basic module with extremely low RAM. Forget about that kind of mods. Device mods, anything is possible at JC road. People got translucent panel installed on the sides and setup lights under the panel.
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singenaadam
Skilled
Paying commercial rates, do you really believe that one can get away charging vehicles for "free" in offices? Or, for that matter charging even at friend's places?
All the best!
desiibond
Skilled
There are offices in Bengaluru that have setup solar based electricity generation for EV charging points.
Moreover it costs about 20to 30 rupees for full charge for 450x. I would not be that cheap to say no to frie ds charging their EV when they visit my place.