Ather 450 Apex first ride review: Predatory Behaviour
- Rolling acceleration sees dramatic improvement, better mid-range performance
- Funky new colour scheme adds more bling to the e-scooter
- Magic Twist throttle gets easy to use and offers better speed modulation
- Pricey proposition over existing premium electric scooters on sale
- Transparent panel may be prone to easy damage
- Firm rear suspension makes for stiff ride quality
- The 450X represents 10 years of Ather Energy and the new 450 Apex showcases what the peak performance on the 450 platform feels like.
When you think about fun electric scooters, we hold the Ather 450X in good stead. It delivers on performance and looks, and has been at the front of several innovations over the years, be it for tech on the scooter or in the EV ecosystem. The 450X represents Ather Energy’s journey of 10 years in the business and it’s only fair that it celebrates its game-changing model in the best way possible.
Lo and behold! This is the new Ather 450 Apex. You can think of it as the pinnacle of performance on the 450X platform celebrating all that’s good about the electric scooter but taking it a level higher. So what does the peak of performance on the 450 platform feel like? Let’s find out.
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3.7 kWh
157 km
155.0 cc
56.87 kmpl
Ather 450 Apex: New Styling
The Ather 450 platform has been massively successful for the brand. With over 2 lakh electric scooters produced, Ather says the new 450 Apex brings out the best of this architecture as practically as possible. Visually, it remains the same design we’ve seen for nearly a decade now. Good thing that the 450 Series has aged well and the new Apex brings some spunk to the overall styling. The new Indium blue shade looks funky with a lovely satin finish for a premium appeal. Couple that with the KTM-like bright orange accents that extend to the 12-inch alloy wheels and chassis. But the real party piece is the exposed side panel.
Ather originally proposed the idea of a transparent panel on the 450X Series 1, a couple of years ago. Since then, the company says it has nearly perfected the idea of a transparent panel and that’s why it shows up on the 450 Apex. We think it takes a nice and bold scooter to an even bolder profile. The blue pigmentation merges it better with the rest of the styling visually, and it brings out the bright orange chassis very well. There are no messy wires or bad welds that show up. You also get the orange Ather logo and ‘10 years’ branding to tell you why this limited model is special.
The digital dashboard remains the same and carries over all the current features barring the Warp mode. It is now replaced with the new Warp+ mode that comes with its blue graphics. The tonal shift on the screen tells that it’s all about ludicrous performance on the 450 Apex. Ather has extracted more power from the motor while it also gets better range thanks to a bunch of other changes.
Ather 450 Apex: Performance
Now the Ather 450 Apex amps up everything compared to the 450X. This one makes 7 kW (9.3 bhp) as compared to 6.4 kW (8.5 bhp) on the standard 450X. The top speed has been finally pushed into the three-digit range and the e-scooter can push up to 100 kmph, as against 90 kmph on the 450X. That’s one concern Ather has addressed that a lot of users had with a lower top speed. Peak torque output stays the same at 26 Nm but the torque delivery is much earlier now. It comes in much earlier and stays there for longer. Ather says initial acceleration has improved by 13 per cent and rolling acceleration between 40-80 kmph has gone up by a good 30 per cent.
On the move, you feel a slight incremental update when it comes to initial acceleration when you’re directly off the throttle and that feels quite nice. But the big difference comes with rolling acceleration. It’s a far more entertaining scooter than before. The update has improved the mid-range further and you get better acceleration at higher speeds, which will keep you quicker when navigating through city traffic.
Ather 450 Apex: Handling
We also like how the Apex urges you to push forward. Add to that the fantastic chassis and it’s constantly telling you to go forward and it can take it. And we think that’s the best way to celebrate what the 450X platform always was. On the road, it can do better overtakes than before and you are just quicker than everybody else, giving you a significant advantage.
The throttle input has always been just right on the 450 Series and one of the best across locally-made electric scooters. With the 450 Apex, the company says that the throttle response time is even quicker at just 90 milliseconds when compared to 400 milliseconds on a conventional petrol scooter. This further adds to the scooter being more responsive and quick to input.
The chassis and suspension only enable better handling on the 450 Apex. On the track, this quality shines even further while in-city manoeuvrability has always been a strong suit of the 450 Series. The e-scooter can confidently lean into corners. With no change in the suspension setup, the ride quality continues to remain slightly firm, especially at the rear. The only pet peeve, if we had to pick one.
Ather 450 Apex: Features and Regen Braking
Ather has introduced something called Magic Twist on the 450 Apex. As magical as it sounds, the innovation brings negative throttle to the scooter for better braking. It offers regen braking operated from the throttle itself, so you have about 15 degrees of negative throttle or twisting the throttle in the opposite direction, helping you shed speeds. There are no A, B or C levels of regen braking, and instead, this has more granular input, so you can give as much twist as needed and it will brake accordingly.
Do note that this does not eliminate braking itself. You still get conventional brakes and you will have to use them at high speeds to shed speeds faster. But when it comes to modulating speeds within city limits, this works well. You are not putting as much pressure on the braking hardware, so there is less wear and tear, and you can charge the battery on the move, more efficiently.
Ather says the new regen braking feature helps improve the real-world range from 110 km on the 450X to 120 km on the 450 Apex. In terms of certified figures, that’s a 7 per cent increment from 150 km to 157 km on a single charge. It’s a small yet incremental update that a lot of users will appreciate.
Ather 450 Apex: Mechanicals
While the upgrades are great, the Apex is still the same 450X underneath. It gets the same chassis, suspension and braking hardware. It also carries over the same seat and storage options, while issues like the high floorboard remain as well. But it’s easy to overlook the lack of significant upgrades mechanically because the 450 Apex is all about intensifying performance on the 450X.
Ather 450 Apex: Verdict
The guys at Ather tell us that the 450 Apex is a passion project and that’s why it’s unhinged. We like how bold it gets with the transparent panel and overall it’s such a fantastic way to celebrate what the 450X has done for the company.
All the upgrades come at a hefty price though and the 450 Apex is significantly more expensive than the 450X High Range (HR) at ₹1.89 lakh (ex-showroom). It does not get the FAME subsidy. Ather is aware of this and maintains that isn’t for everybody. The company will make the limited edition e-scooter on a made-to-order basis, so it depends on how much of a fan are you of Ather Energy and the 450X platform to get this one home.
Think of the Ather 450 Apex as a swansong to the 450 platform. It’s a homage to Ather’s journey so far and also promises to make way for newer models soon. That’s a future we are happy to look forward to.
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