Variants Explained: Ather 450X With & Without Pro Pack

Ather's low-spec 450 Plus has been discontinued, and from here on, Ather will sell only the 450X, but in two trims - with and without the Pro Pack. What is the Pro Pack and how much of a difference does it make if you choose to get the 450X without it? Let's find out the main differences. 

What's still the same?

In essence, everything that makes the Ather 450X an enjoyable e-scooter is still intact. You still get the sporty styling, LED lighting, 22-litre under-seat storage, colours and most importantly, the battery and motor are still the same. Hence, even if you buy the 450X without the Pro Pack, you're still getting access to the 450X's range and exciting performance. 

Interestingly, while the Ather 450X with Pro Pack does 0-40kmph in 3.3 seconds, and achieves a top speed of 90kmph in Warp mode, the same numbers are claimed for the lower variant despite it having just one “Default” riding mode (more about riding modes in the forthcoming paragraphs). The ARAI-certified range under Indian Driving Cycle remains the same at 146km. The e-scooter’s, as well as the charger’s warranty stands at three years/30,000km (whichever is earlier).

What's different then?

Software! Yup, instead of trimming on hardware to lower the price, Ather has chosen to convert all the features it offered as standard on the 450X until now, as an optional extra. 

That said, what you're missing out on by not opting for the Pro Pack are some critical things which enhance the Ather 450X experience. For example, there's no fast charging (no access to Ather Grid either) or ride modes without the Pro Pack. The base variant gets a ‘Default’ ride mode whereas the one with the Pro Pack gets SmartEco, Eco, Ride, Sport, and Warp modes.. 

You still get the same 7-inch TFT touchscreen, but in grey-scale. You won't have access to tools like on-board Google maps/navigation, e-documents, call or music control, OTA updates, location tracking, among others. Rider assist features like hill assist and park assist won't be available either. Even something as small but useful as the tyre pressure monitor will be given a skip. 

Another important aspect is the home-charging speed. On the one with the Pro Pack, it takes five hours 40 minutes to fully juice up from zero, whereas it takes a massive 15 hours and 20 minutes for the same in the one without the Pro Pack. Lastly, your five-year/60,000km battery warranty plan will be reduced to three years/30,000km. 

Price:

The 450X with and without the Pro Pack costs Rs 1,45,000 and Rs 1,14,636 (ex-showroom Bengaluru including FAME II and charger), respectively. The difference between the two trims is a significant amount of money. 

Verdict:

However, consider this. The Hero XPulse 200 4V is a fun and capable motorcycle by itself. It does what's expected of it well. If you pay around Rs 30k more, it gets better with the rally kit. But the rally kit is not necessary to enjoy the XPulse. Hence, if all you want is a fuss-free electric scooter for commuting and don't mind living without any thrills and frills, the 450X without the Pro-pack is still one of the best electric scooters to buy today. That said, its lengthy home charging speeds might be a concern for some. We wish Ather had offered faster charging, and perhaps, one more riding mode to make it a more rounded package.