It’s not easy to make an electric scooter stand out in an obvious way. With combustion bikes, there’s the advantage of engine sound which can be used to help create an identity, but with plug-in stuff, the only way is visual.
Indian manufacturer Ather, of which former F1 driver and current Sky F1 presenter and analyst Karun Chandhok is an ambassador, has taken a relatively unique way to tackling this with its newest electric scooter, the 450 Apex.
Instead of using odd colours, or modern-classic styling, Ather has used body panels on the rear of the scooter which are transparent on the outside, and semi-transparent on the inside, which allows you to see the chassis. Whether it creates the best aesthetic with the blue and orange colours in which the scooter is being marketed is debatable, although fans of the now-defunct RNF MotoGP team’s Yamaha days might find something agreeable in the 450 Apex’s paint scheme.
In terms of specification, the 450 Apex is equipped with an understandable bias towards city riding. The motor produces 9bhp of nominal power, and 19lb ft of torque, which help it to reach 25mph in 2.9 seconds and onto a top speed of 62mph.
Energy is stored in a 3.7kWh battery which Ather says makes the bike good for 98 miles of running. In reality, you’re going to get a bit less, and the 450 Apex has a few different riding modes to choose from which effect the range.
In the SmartEco and Eco modes, the range is said to be 68 miles, while Ride will give 59 miles of range, Sport offers 56 miles, and Warp+ is capable of 47 miles. It probably goes without saying, but more range means less performance, and vice versa.
Another kind of technical novelty on the 450 Apex is the absence of brakes. Sort of. When the rider rolls the throttle, the brakes are activated, meaning the rider doesn’t have to reach for the brake lever. It’s possible to see how this could be difficult to get used to, but also how it can be beneficial in hectic city riding. Braking itself makes use of a combination of mechanical and regenerative braking, with the mechanical side taken care of by a 200mm front disc, and 190mm rear disc. Ather says these will get the 450 Apex slowed to a stop from 37mph in 28.6m.
Elsewhere on the bike, a telescopic fork is used at the front, while the rear suspension utilises a single shock, and there is LED lighting all around and 22 litres of under-seat storage.
Weighing in at 111kg, the Ather Apex 450 is priced at the equivalent of around £1,800, although there is no indication yet that the bike will be made available outside of India.
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