Battle Of The Electric Scooters: Ather 450X vs Everve EF1

Do you know how many new petrol-powered two-wheelers were unveiled at Auto Expo 2020? One. Yup, just one. The Aprilia SXR160. Most of the space at this year’s expo was occupied by electrics. Amongst the many, many similar-looking scooters, there were a few that stood out, like the Everve EF1. Why? You ask. Well, thanks to its design and long list of features. But most importantly, the brand claims the EF1 is India’s most premium electric scooter -- a segment in which Ather has been doing fairly well. So, it only makes sense for us to pitch the Everve EF1 against the newly launched Ather 450X. 

Also read: Everve Delivers Ather-Rivalling Scooter At Auto Expo 2020

Range and power: 

The 450X gets a 2.9kWh battery, whereas the EF1 has a 4.2kWh battery, which helps the latter to offer a range of 100km -- 15km more than the 450X. The 100km range on the EF1 is a claimed figure and even if it comes down to around 85km in the real world, we feel it’ll still be enough for your daily commute. 

Is there any major difference between the two? Yes, there’s one. The EF1 comes with a removable battery pack, which can be charged in 5 hours. If you use a fast charger, the batteries can be fully juiced up to 50 per cent in just 1.5 hours. Ather doesn’t provide a removable battery pack, and it takes 5 hours 45 mins to charge the battery via a normal socket. 

In the ‘Power’ department, it’s the Ather 450X that has an edge over the new kid. The 450X is powered by a 6kW motor, which churns out 26Nm of torque. The EF1, on the other hand, will be offered in two trims: 3kW and 5kW. Everve hasn’t revealed the torque figure yet, but we believe it could be similar to that of the 450X. The extra oomph in the motor doesn’t mean the 450X is fast. In fact, the 450X has a top speed of 80kmph -- 10kmph less than the EF1. 

Features: 

Both the Ather 450X and the Everve EF1 come with a long list of features. Both are equipped with LED lighting system, a fully digital TFT display, keyless start, reverse mode, and OTA updates. So, what’s different? Well, Everve hasn’t revealed the entire feature list as yet, but we expect the EV brand to add or remove a few features from the final production-spec model. So, it’s fair to wait until the scooter is officially launched in India. 

Design and styling: 

In terms of styling, both the scooters are poles apart. While the Ather 450X carries forward the same conventional design of the standard 450, the EF1 with its bulbous bodywork looks quite odd… in a good way. The EF1 that was showcased at the expo was still a pre-production model, so we can only hope the production version looks similar to this one. If we had to choose a scooter to get more likes on the Internet, it would have to be the EF1.

Underpinnings: 

The EF1 is equipped with fat upside-down telescopic fork and twin gas-charged shock absorbers. It gets chunky 12-inch tyres on both ends. The Ather 450X has a telescopic fork and a monoshock unit. It offers a brilliant ride quality, but we can’t say which one’s better until we ride both of them back to back. Moreover, the EF1 looks like a very heavy scooter compared to the 450X, which weighs 108kg (kerb). 

Pricing: 

Ather’s 450X retails for Rs 99,000 (ex-showroom). Wait, don’t book one just yet. Ather offers two subscription plans for the 450X: Pro (Rs 1,999) and Plus (Rs 1,699). Now, Everve hasn’t revealed the launch date or the prices as yet. But considering its premium positioning, it could be more expensive than the 450X. Will Everve sell it via subscription plans just like Ather and Revolt? We’ll have to wait and watch.