Ather EL01 is expected to go on sale before the end of this year and it will likely be built on a unibody steel chassis
The first prototype of what appears to be the Ather EL01 has been spotted testing on public roads confirming the existence of the company’s brand new family-based electric scooter. Ather first pulled the wraps off the EL01 concept back in August last year and the fact that a running prototype is already out on test routes suggests a launch may not be too far away.
Underpinning the EL01 is Ather’s new EL platform which has been designed from the ground up to be modular and scalable. Built around a unibody steel chassis, it can accommodate battery packs ranging from 2 kWh to 5 kWh and is intended to eventually spawn three distinct scooter types. The flexibility gives Ather the ability to develop multiple products across different price points and range requirements.
The production prototype closely follows the design of the concept that was shown last year – retaining the LED headlamp and LED daytime running light. Mechanically, the EL01 uses a telescopic front fork up front and a single rear shock absorber with a swingarm-mounted electric motor driving the rear wheel. Braking duties are expected to be handled by a disc at the front and a drum unit at the rear – a setup that keeps costs reasonable for a product looking to appeal at a wider audience.
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Two battery options are likely on the production model with real-world range expected to come in around 95 km based on details gleaned from a design patent filed by the company. The longer wheelbase and wider seat over Ather’s existing models point that the scooter is built around family use and daily commuting in mind rather than performance credentials.
The closest reference point within Ather’s own lineup is the Rizta which has been the brand’s top-selling model and recently crossed 2 lakh cumulative sales in just 20 months. The EL01 is expected to follow a similar philosophy with the availability of connected features, over-the-air software updates and real-world performance.
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What the EL01 will not be, however, is a bare-bones budget product. Recently, Ather’s Prithvi Phokela stated that sub-Rs 1 lakh pricing does not fit the brand’s long term direction. The EL01 is expected to be more accessible than the Rizta but will more likely sit above the entry-level tier of the electric scooter market against rivals from TVS, Bajaj and Ola.
