Bengaluru-based electric scooter manufacturer Ather Energy showcased its newly launched Rizta in Kolkata on Saturday, a vehicle designed keeping the family riders in mind.
“This is very similar from the inside but different as far as outside features are concerned when you compare Rizta with its 450 siblings,” Milind Kothekar, Head of Product at Ather Energy, told IBNS.
“450 X was built for those who have a passion for biking. We can say it was a bike in the shape of a scooter. Rizta is completely different from it. It is far more spacious and simpler to use,” he said.
He said the boot space of the scooter is much bigger than the company’s previous products and many other vehicles that are currently being offered by various brands in the segment.
“The quality that Ather offers is incomparable to any other electric bike. We are optimistic about this product,” he said.
Speaking on the battery life of the new product, he said: “These batteries can easily last more than eight years and even more. We don’t know how long will it last. I am optimistic that this battery can even perform almost as long as the vehicle lasts.”
Ravneet Singh Phokela, Chief Business Officer at Ather Energy, said, “Ather’s 450 series of scooters, known for their performance were highly appreciated by our customers in Kolkata and now with the Rizta, we aim to meet the needs of the consumers with a preference for family scooters.”
He said: “The Rizta has a comfortable and large seat, ample storage space, and several safety and practical features, which make it apt for families. It offers a quality riding experience and facilitates easy navigation through busy streets and narrow bylanes, which are common in Kolkata.”
Ather Energy introduced its first electric scooter in 2018.
The company has 4 Experience Centres (EC) across West Bengal and over 200 ECs nationwide. Additionally, Ather has established over 27 fast-charging stations, known as Ather Grids in West Bengal and more than 1900 across the country.
Variants
The Rizta comes in two models with three variants: Rizta S and Rizta Z, both featuring a 2.9 kWh battery, and a top-end model, Rizta Z, equipped with a 3.7 kWh battery.
The 2.9 kWh variants offer a predicted IDC range of 123 km, while the 3.7 kWh variant provides an impressive 159 km range.
The Rizta S is available in three monotone colours, while the Rizta Z is offered in seven colours, including three monotone and four dual-tone options.
Ather has equipped the Rizta with SkidControl, a proprietary traction control system that manages motor torque to prevent loss of traction on low-friction surfaces such as gravel, sand, water, or oil.
Additional safety features, including FallSafe, Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Theft and Tow Detect, and Ping My Scooter, are also integrated into the Rizta.
All three variants have a top speed of 80 kmph and two riding modes – Zip and SmartEco.
The Rizta also includes ride-assist features such as MagicTwist, AutoHold, and Reverse Mode, which were first introduced in the 450 series.
The MagicTwist feature allows the rider to control acceleration and deceleration through throttle-twist. The AutoHold™ feature secures the scooter on slopes, and Reverse Mode enables easy reversing without manual effort.
Ather also showcased the Halo helmet during the event in Kolkata.
All three Rizta variants come with Ather’s optional 5-year warranty program, ‘Ather Battery Protect,’ which extends the battery warranty to 5 years/60,000 km. This program covers battery failures and guarantees a minimum of 70% battery health at the end of 5 years.
For home charging, the Rizta S and Rizta Z with a 2.9 kWh battery come with a 350W Ather portable charger, while the top-end Rizta Z with a 3.7 kWh battery is paired with the new 700W Ather Duo charger.
Price
The Ather Rizta S with a 2.9 kWh battery is priced at INR 1,11,469 [USD 1335] (ex-showroom Kolkata).
The Ather Rizta Z with 2.9 kWh and 3.7 kWh batteries are available at INR 1,26,469 [USD 1515] and INR 1,46,469 [USD 1754] (ex-showroom Kolkata), respectively.
