Ola S1 Pro vs Ather 450X: Battle Of The New-age E-scooters

The Ather 450X is the fastest e-scooter we have ridden till date. But one look at the Ola S1 Pro’s specs and we are already licking our lips. Ola claims the S1 Pro can do 0 to 60kmph in just 5 seconds, which is almost 2 seconds faster than what the Ather 450X managed in our VBox acceleration test runs. This is achieved thanks to a more powerful 8.5 kW motor putting out 58Nm. In both continuous and peak outputs, the S1 Pro reigns over the 450X.

But what use is the power if you can’t go the distance, right? Well, lucky for us, Ola has thought about this too. With a bigger 3.97kWh battery (1kWh more than the 450X), the claimed range of the S1 Pro is a massive 181km, making it the most efficient e-scooter out there by a mile (at least on paper). At what speed or mode the S1 Pro achieves this range is something we’ll have to wait to find out.

However, bigger batteries also mean more charging time. And consequently, the S1 Pro takes 6.5 hours to fully charge. Meanwhile, the Ather 450X can charge from 0 to 100% in 5 hours 45 minutes. 

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Underpinnings

Specifications	Ola S1 Pro	Ather 450X
Front suspension	Single Telescopic fork	Telescopic forks
Rear suspension	Monoshock	Monoshock
Front brake	Disc	Disc
Rear brake	Disc	Disc
Combiner Braking System	Yes	Yes
Front tyre	110/70-12	90/90-12
Rear tyre	110/70-12	90/90-12

Being modern scooters, both the Ather 450X and the Ola S1 Pro feature modern underpinnings, including disc brakes at both ends, telescopic suspension up front and a monoshock at the rear. 

That being said, the S1 Pro gets only a single fork up front while the 450X gets two, making the Ola rather unique. We do feel the twin-fork setup on the Ather 450X would absorb bigger bumps better than the S1 Pro.

Both scooters ride on 12-inchers but what makes the S1 Pro excel over the 450X is its wider 110-section tyres, on paper. These would give it better stability and clearance in the corners.

Dimensions

Specifications	Ola S1 Pro	Ather 450X
Seat Height	792mm	NA
Boot Space	36-litre	26-litre
Ground clearance	165mm	NA
Kerb weight	125kg	108kg

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Again a clean sweep by Ola, eh? Well, not so easily. While the S1 Pro does offer class-leading storage space of 36 litres, which 14 litres more than the 450X, it suffers in two crucial departments: seat height and weight. 

At 792mm, the S1 Pro’s seat is almost 20mm taller than the Suzuki Access 125. And while Ather hasn’t provided the 450X’s seat height, we have ridden it and we felt its seat height to be around 780mm. By no means this is a deal-breaker for the S1 Pro, but consider this a heads up, especially for shorter riders.

Then we have the weight. Again, 125kg isn’t a deal-breaker by any means, and in fact, it’s on par with most petrol-powered scooters, but at 108kg, the 450X is a massive 17kg lighter than the S1 Pro.

Features

	Ola S1 Pro	Ather 450X
TFT Instrument Cluster	Yes	Yes
Smartphone Connectivity	Yes	Yes
LED Illumination	Yes	Yes
Fast Charging	Yes	Yes
Keyless Start	Yes	Yes
Cruise Control	Yes	No
Hill Hold	Yes	No
Reverse Mode	Yes	Yes
Take Me Home Lights	Yes	No

While features like a TFT instrument cluster, all-LED illumination, smartphone connectivity and keyless starting are offered on both, the Ola S1 Pro takes it up a notch with never-seen-before features like hill hold control, cruise control, and “take me home'' lights. None of these are available on the Ather 450X, making the S1 Pro a clear winner here.

Price & Verdict

Ola S1 Pro	Ather 450X
Rs 1,29,999	Rs 1,42,500

(all prices ex-showroom Bengaluru)*

Price is what makes or breaks a product in India and we’re happy to report that Ola hasn’t forgotten it when it comes to the S1 Pro. Retailing at Rs 1,29,999 (including the FAME-II subsidies), the S1 Pro undercuts the Ather 450X by a crucial Rs 12,500, offering an unmatched price-to-power and price-to-feature ratio. But you’ll still have to wait for some time to get your hands on one as the deliveries will commence only in October. Want us to help you weigh down whether you should wait for the S1 Pro or get the 450X now? Let us know in the comments!