Ather Energy has unveiled its new electric scooter, the Ather Konarc, at its annual Community Day in India. Ather's EL platform-based electric scooter, the Konarc, will be available for a starting price of ₹1 lakh (ex-showroom, Bengaluru).
The new scooter will be available in three versions (S 100, S 125 and S 161) with the numbers corresponding to the claimed IDC range. Ather also announced a version with up to 200 km of claimed IDC range, and a more advanced version of the Konarc Z is expected to follow.
The Konarc is a significant addition to Ather's electric scooter portfolio with a new platform and chassis architecture and several technology- and practicality-oriented features.
Ather Konarc Variants and Range
The entry-level Konarc S 100 is equipped with a 2.1kWh battery pack and achieves 4kW of power and 16Nm of torque.
The S 125 has a larger 2.7kWh battery, while the S 161 has a 3.5kWh battery. Both higher variants produce 4.7kW and 16Nm.
All three versions are claimed to have a top speed of 70 kmph.
As for the claimed TrueRange, the S 100 offers about 80 km, the S 125 is said to provide about 100 km, and the S 161 about 130 km.
The IDC numbers are higher, and the three variants are named according to their claimed certification range. Ather has also confirmed that a 200 km IDC-range version is planned for the future.
New EL Platform
The Konark is built on Ather's new EL platform, a platform that the company says has been developed using more than 26 lakh kilometres of field data.
The architecture has a redesigned chassis, powertrain, and electronic systems to support different scooter formats, and Ather is able to share components across products.
According to Ather, the reduction of the number of components could make the assembly process about 15% faster.
It also provides that periodic servicing will be completed up to twice as fast compared to the previous approach.
Ather demonstrated the platform's serviceability during the event by showing technicians removing and reinstalling the scooter's battery and motor in approximately three minutes.
Suspension and Braking Hardware
Comfort and stability have also been very much at the heart of the Konarc design.
The scooter gets 90mm of front suspension travel and 100mm at the rear. Its 1,352mm wheelbase is also the longest among Ather scooters.
The Konark rides on a 14-inch front wheel and 12-inch rear wheel.
The braking equipment varies according to the variant. At the entry-level S 100, drum brakes are installed at both ends.
The S 125 and S 161 are equipped with a 220mm front disc brake with a 130mm rear drum brake.
Charging and Battery
Ather has fitted the Konarc with a 450W onboard charger, and buyers can also pair it with a 900W off-board charger, taking the total charging capacity to 1.35kW.
Using the standard charger, charging from 0 to 80% takes around four hours on the S 100. The S 125 takes about four hours and 30 minutes, while the S 161 takes about five hours and 40 minutes.
With both charging systems together, the corresponding 0-80% charging times drop to around two hours, two hours 25 minutes, and three hours 10 minutes.
Practicality-Focused Features
Ather has also focused on everyday usability with the Konarc.
The scooter has 31 litres of under-seat storage and allows riders to carry everyday stuff with more ease. It also has a charging port for USB Type-C and an under-seat light.
The S 100 has a 4.2-inch DeepView display, while the higher variants have a larger 7-inch display.
Other features include Park Assist reverse and AutoHold, which will keep the scooter stationary when stopped.
Konarc Z to bring advanced technology
Ather's new Konarc Z will come with further technology and connected features.
Ather's advanced Electronic Braking System (AEBS) will be among its key features. The system will control braking electronically, so as to create better control, reduce stopping distances, and minimize rear-wheel lock-ups during hard braking.
The Konarc Z will also feature MagicKey to let riders open the boot through the Ather app instead of using a conventional key.
On the Konarc Z 161, the MagicKey will reportedly come with an AutoPop function which automatically opens the boot.
Other connected features like Google Maps and WhatsApp integration are expected to be included. The scooter can also display cricket scores while it’s stationary.
Ather Connect also adds theft and tow alerts, ride statistics, Find My Scooter, and remote charging-status monitoring. Over-the-air updates will also be supported.
Ather Konarc Price in India
The Ather Konarc has been priced at:
- S 100: ₹1 lakh
- S 125: ₹1.22 lakh
- S 161: ₹1.45 lakh
All prices are ex-showroom Bengaluru.
Ather has also confirmed that Konarc Z variants with 125 km and 161 km IDC range figures are also planned, although their prices have not yet been revealed.
The company has also announced a future Konarc variant with a claimed IDC range of up to 200 km.
Service Intervals and Weight
The Konarc is said to have longer service intervals with scheduled maintenance every 10,000 km or one year, whichever comes first.
The scooter uses a PMSM motor with IP67 protection, while the battery pack is also IP67-rated and housed in an aluminium casing.
Kerb weight ranges from approximately 126.5 kg for the S 100 to 129 kg for the S 161.
The new platform, a wide range of battery options, improved practicality, and future technology-rich variants will make the Konarc an important part of Ather’s next phase of electric scooter development.
