Ather Konarc Electric Scooter Launched in India, Prices Start at INR 1 lakh

Ather Energy has launched its latest electric scooter, the Konarc, in India at its Annual Community Day, expanding its portfolio with a new model focused on range, ride comfort and everyday practicality. 

The Konarc is available in three variants — S 100, S 125 and S 161 — with the numbers reflecting their respective claimed IDC range figures of 100 km, 125 km and 161 km. Ather has also previewed Z variants with additional technology, while a 200 km-range version is planned for the future.

The Konarc is based on Ather's new EL platform, which the company says has been developed using data collected over 26 lakh kilometres of real-world riding. The platform is designed to support different scooter formats while reducing component complexity and improving serviceability.

In terms of design and hardware, the Konarc uses a steel unibody chassis and gets relatively long suspension travel, with 90 mm at the front and 100 mm at the rear. Its 1,352 mm wheelbase is the longest among Ather scooters, while the scooter rides on a 14-inch front wheel and 12-inch rear wheel.

The S 100 uses drum brakes at both ends, while the S 125 and S 161 receive a 220 mm front disc and 130 mm rear drum setup. The scooter also gets Ather's Ride Assist features, including AutoHold, FallSafe and AirWalk.

Power comes from a permanent-magnet synchronous motor. The S 100 uses a 2.1 kWh battery and produces 4 kW, while the S 125 gets a 2.7 kWh battery and the S 161 uses a 3.5 kWh battery. Peak torque is rated at 16 Nm, with the three variants having a claimed top speed of 70 kmph.

The claimed IDC range stands at 100 km for the S 100, 125 km for the S 125 and 161 km for the S 161. Ather's TrueRange figures are lower at 80 km, 100 km and 130 km respectively.

Charging is handled by a 450W onboard charger as standard. Ather also offers a 900W off-board charger, allowing a combined charging capacity of 1.35 kW.

With the standard charger, the claimed 0-80 percent charging time ranges from four hours for the S 100 to 5 hours 40 minutes for the S 161. Using the combined charging setup reduces the respective times to around two hours, 2 hours 25 minutes and 3 hours 10 minutes.

Practicality is another focus of the Konarc. It gets 31 litres of underseat storage, along with an 18W USB Type-C port and an underseat light. The boot can also be accessed through a button positioned above the tail lamp, while higher variants add Ather's MagicKey system that allows the boot to be unlocked through the Ather app.

The entry-level version gets a 4.2-inch DeepView display, while the higher variants feature a larger 7-inch unit. Google Maps, WhatsApp integration, Bluetooth call and music alerts, theft and tow alerts, Find My Scooter, remote charging-status monitoring and over-the-air updates are also available.

The technology package becomes more extensive with the upcoming Konarc Z. One of its key additions is Ather's Advanced Electronic Braking System (AEBS), designed to improve braking control and reduce rear-wheel lock-up during hard braking. The Konarc Z 161 also combines MagicKey with an AutoPop function for automatic boot opening.

Ather has also demonstrated the improved serviceability of the EL platform. The company says its simplified architecture can make assembly around 15 percent faster and periodic servicing up to twice as quick.

The platform is also designed to make major component replacement easier, with Ather demonstrating battery and motor removal and reassembly in around three minutes.

The Konarc uses an IP67-rated motor and battery, with the battery housed in an aluminium casing. Kerb weight ranges from 126.5 kg for the S 100 to 129 kg for the S 161.

Another change is the longer maintenance interval, with periodic servicing scheduled every 10,000 km or one year, whichever comes first.

In India, the Ather Konarc S 100 is priced at INR 1 lakh, while the S 125 costs INR 1.22 lakh and the S 161 is priced at INR 1.45 lakh, all ex-showroom Bengaluru. Prices for the Z variants have not yet been announced.