End of term: Ather 450X

Seven months and just over 5000km later, the Ather 450X has quietly become more than just another long-term test vehicle. It has seamlessly blended into my daily life, proving itself to be one of those rare machines that simply gets on with the job without demanding much in return. My work often involves chasing the perfect light, travelling between multiple shoot locations and carrying camera gear through city traffic. Naturally, the Ather became my default mode of transport. Whether it was commuting to shoots, running household errands or making it to the football ground for evening matches, I instinctively reached for the scooter every single time. Somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like a test scooter and simply became part of my daily routine. Most of those kilometres were spent in the city, but curiosity also led me onto a few dusty trails and broken village roads. While the 450X isn't designed for off-roading, the instant torque made those detours surprisingly entertaining. Performance continues to be its biggest highlight. Warp mode still delivers that addictive punch every time I twist the throttle. Quick overtakes were effortless, traffic gaps were easy to exploit and despite thousands of kilometres on the odometer, that instant electric acceleration hasn't lost its novelty. The scooter is equally impressive when it comes to comfort.

The riding position is relaxed, the suspension handles most urban imperfections well and even after long days travelling between locations, I never found myself complaining. Reliability has perhaps been its strongest quality. Over these seven months, the scooter hasn't suffered a single puncture, the battery has never left me stranded and it has never demanded any unexpected attention. For a machine that's used almost every day, that's exactly the kind of dependability you hope for. Living with an electric scooter has also transformed my running costs. Since my office has charging facilities, the Ather happily spent its workday sipping electrons while I worked. You could say my electricity bill remained untouched while my boss unknowingly became the silent sponsor of my daily commute. Thankfully, he never asked for a charging subscription. The savings are substantial too. Assuming a petrol scooter averages around 40kmpl, covering 5,000km would consume roughly 125 litres of fuel. At an average petrol price of ₹105 per litre, that's about ₹13,125. Charging the Ather over the same distance would cost roughly ₹1200, assuming around 150 units of electricity at ₹8 per unit. That's a saving of nearly ₹12,000 in just seven months – and in my case, those savings were even sweeter. The best part, however, is that the scooter didn't remain just mine. It gradually became the family's favourite. My father quickly adopted it into his morning routine. Every day would begin with a silent ride to collect fresh milk and groceries for his grandchildren. Being old-school, adapting to an electric scooter wasn't immediate. Years of riding on petrol engines meant the silence felt unusual and Warp mode's instant acceleration caught him by surprise initially. But once he understood its character, he genuinely enjoyed riding it and appreciated just how effortless and practical it was. My mother also loved everything about it – especially the fact that nobody was spending money at the petrol pump anymore. Our experience has actually been so positive that we've already decided on the next family EV. This Diwali, we're planning to bring home an Ather Rizta.

Of course, no long-term ownership story is complete without a few complaints. The under-seat storage could definitely be larger. The portable charger occupies a noticeable chunk of the boot, leaving less room for everyday luggage. The belt drive also has its quirks. Ride through dusty roads or muddy patches and it occasionally develops a squeaking sound, almost as if a tiny pebble has found its way into the system. Early morning rides also make the belt noise more noticeable that I end up riding slower simply so I don't become everyone's alarm clock. One memorable incident involving my colleague Avdhoot who once borrowed the Ather to save himself from his wife’s scolding. Mission accomplished – but the scooter came back with just 1km of range left. Seven months later, the Ather 450X has done everything I've asked of it. It has carried me to shoots, helped with daily chores, become my father's trusted grocery companion, reduced our fuel bills and even played an unlikely role in a colleague's peace-making mission. More importantly, it has made electric mobility feel completely normal. And when a vehicle quietly becomes an indispensable part of everyday life without asking for attention, that's probably the biggest compliment any long-term test can give.

Date acquired: April 2025

Total mileage: 8116km

Mileage this month: 430km

Costs: Nil

Overall km/kWh: 26