Honda PCX Electric vs Ather 450X: Can The Indian Better The Jap?

Published May 20, 2021
Views : 14997
4 min read

Does Honda’s electric maxi-scooter have what it takes to beat the made-in-India Ather 450X? Find out

The Ather 450X is by far the most feature-packed performance-oriented electric scooter in India. And as the Indian electric scooter segment is gathering steam, several mainstream brands have been testing the waters. In fact, Honda already patented the Honda PCX Electric scooter in the country last year. How does this electric maxi-scooter fare against the 450X? Let’s find out

Engine

Specifications	Honda PCX Electric	Ather 450X
Engine	Permanent magnet AC synchronous motor	Permanent magnet synchronous motor
Power	4.2kW at 5,500rpm	6kW
Torque	18Nm at 500rpm	26Nm
Weight	144kg	107kg
Battery capacity	50.4V, 20.8Ah x 2 Lithium-ion battery packs	2.9kWh lithium-ion battery pack, non-removable

The Honda PCX Electric’s motor is integrated into the swingarm, whereas the Ather 450X’s motor is frame-mounted, linked to the rear wheel via a belt drive. The latter’s more powerful motor, coupled with its featherlight weight, makes it one of the fastest accelerating scooters in the country, even outrunning some 160cc petrol-powered scooters. On the other hand, the Honda PCX Electric is best suited for laidback commutes.

The Ather 450X offers a claimed real-world range of 85km in Eco mode, but we have managed to clock 91.4km, in the same mode, during our real-world tests. The claimed range with the Ride mode is 70km, whereas the Sport mode can deliver a claimed 60km, still pretty impressive for a sporty scooter.

On the other hand, the Honda PCX Electric has a claimed range of a measly 41km at a constant speed of 60kmph. Thankfully, you can almost instantly swap batteries, thanks to the modular swappable battery system. This reduces the downtime considerably than having to wait for a non-removable battery pack to be fully charged. Ather says that with its fast charging, the scooter can offer a 15km range on a ten-minute charge.

Underpinnings

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Specifications	Honda PCX Electric	Ather 450X
Frame	Double cradle	Aluminium and steel hybrid chassis with trellis subframe
Front suspension	Telescopic fork	Telescopic fork
Rear suspension	Twin rear shock absorbers	Monoshock
Front brake	220mm disc with single-channel ABS	200mm petal disc, with CBS
Rear brake	Drum	190mm petal disc
Front tyre	100-section, 14-inch alloy	90-section, 12-inch alloy
Rear tyre	120-section, 14-inch alloy	90-section, 12-inch alloy

Ather’s chassis is more sophisticated than that of the Honda PCX Electric. Its battery compartment is placed as low as possible (inside the floorboard) to keep the centre of gravity closest to the ground. On the other hand, the PCX Electric’s battery pack is conventionally positioned under the seat.

Hard braking in the Honda PCX Electric will be a little safer, thanks to the single-channel ABS, which prevents the front wheel from locking up. On the other hand, the Ather 450X manages with a CBS to keep costs in check. The larger wheels, coupled with the fatter rubber on the Honda PCX Electric, should ensure increased comfort (at least theoretically it does) while going over bad roads.

Dimensions And Features

Specifications	Honda PCX Electric	Ather 450X
Wheelbase	1380mm	NA
Ground clearance	132mm	160mm
Seat height	760mm	780mm

The low 760mm seat in the Honda PCX Electric should make life easier for shorter riders. But then, it is heavy and has a lower ground clearance. On the other hand, the Ather 450X’s seat may be relatively higher but is still accessible. It also enjoys a higher ground clearance, a boon for our roads.

More importantly, the Ather 450X is loaded to the brim with features, including an all-LED lighting system, a 7-inch touchscreen instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity, navigation, and even Over-The-Air updates.

The Honda PCX Electric is fairly basic in terms of features. It gets all-LED lighting, an LCD instrument cluster without smartphone connectivity, an apron-mounted storage compartment with an integrated socket to charge smartphones, and an immobiliser with a remote key. Its swappable battery packs take up most of the underseat storage space, leaving just enough to keep your vehicle documents. This is in stark contrast to the Ather 450X’s generous 22-litre illuminated underseat storage compartment.

Price & Verdict

Honda PCX Electric	Ather 450X
Lease-only in Japan	Rs 1,46,926 (ex-showroom Delhi, including subsidies)

In Japan, Honda offers the PCX Electric only on lease. We reckon the company will not launch the electric scooter in India. Instead, it is working on something different for us, the details of which can be found here.

The Ather electric scooter offers a ton of features. That, along with the moderate running costs, three-year standard warranty, and the battery, makes it an excellent proposition if you want a performance-packed scooter appropriate for regular commute. Let us know what’s your preference in the comments below.

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