Ather Refreshes 450X With Overtones Series, Faster Charging and New Software Features

Ather Energy Ltd has introduced the 450X Overtones Series, giving its long-running
performance electric scooter a visual and feature-led refresh even as the company prepares to unveil its first scooter based on the new EL platform next month.

The Overtones Series is exclusive to the Ather 450X and is not being extended to the 450S. The new colourways carry a premium of ₹1,000 over the standard 450X colours and are available on both the 2.9 kWh and 3.5 kWh battery variants, according to company officials. The updated colourways went on sale from July 1.

The company is offering the Overtones treatment in Space Grey, Lunar Grey and Still White, with tone-on-tone graphics and revised accent combinations. Ather says the treatment is meant to refresh the 450X without disturbing the scooter’s clean and minimalist design.

The mechanical package of the scooter remains largely the same, with it continuing to offer a 90 kmph top speed, 3.3-second 0-40 kmph acceleration, and IDC range options of 126 km and 161 km, depending on battery size. The bigger functional change is the move to a 900W charger, which reduces 0-80% charging time to about 3 hours and 12 minutes, compared with around 4.5 hours earlier, according to company officials.

Different from 450S and Apex

The Overtones Series sits above the 450S but below the 450 Apex in Ather’s 450 family. Ather’s website lists the 450S starting at ₹1,35,999, while the 450X starts at ₹1,52,498 before the Overtones premium. Both scooters have a 90 kmph top speed, but the 450X gets more premium features, including Infinite Cruise, multi-mode traction control and Magic Twist, which are not offered on the 450S. The 450X also gets a 7-inch TFT touchscreen, while the 450S uses Ather’s DeepView display.

The 450 Apex, on the other hand, remains the performance flagship. It gets Warp+ mode, a 100 kmph top speed, 2.9-second 0-40 kmph acceleration and 165 km IDC range. Ather has positioned it as the most performance-focused version of the 450 platform. 

In simple terms, the 450S is the more accessible model, the 450X Overtones is the
connected and sporty mainstream version with new colours and faster charging, while the Apex is the halo performance scooter.

450 Still Holds Relevance

The Ather 450 line has been in the market for several years. The original Ather 450 was launched in 2018, while the 450X followed in 2020. Since then, the scooter has received several software, battery, feature and charger updates, but it has not moved to a completely new ground-up platform.

Ather, however, believes the product still has relevance. A company official said the 450 continues to account for about 25-30% of Ather’s portfolio, with the rest largely coming from Rizta. The official added that design remains a key reason for buyers to consider the 450.

The company has also started pushing more software features into the 450X. Infinite Cruise, which was earlier available on the Apex, has been rolled out to the wider 450X fleet, including existing owners from 2025. 

Ather has also rolled out Voice on Ather across its newer vehicle platforms through an over-the-air update. The system allows riders to use voice commands for navigation, charging locations, display settings, music playback and vehicle controls. 

The product refresh comes at a time when Ather is seeing strong sales momentum. According to Vahan data, India’s electric two-wheeler market sold 10,05,279 units between January 1 and July 6, 2026, up 54% from the same period last year. Ather was the third-largest player in the segment during this period, with 1,74,677 units and a 17% share of the million-plus electric two-wheelers sold. 

The broader market has benefited from higher petrol prices and stronger demand for electric scooters. In Q1 2026, electric two-wheeler sales grew 39% year-on-year, while Q2 sales jumped 68% year-on-year.

Performance and Family Scooters

Ather’s current portfolio includes the 450 line and the Rizta. The 450 line remains the brand’s performance scooter range, while the Rizta gives the company a family-oriented product with a larger seat, more practicality and wider appeal.

The company is now preparing to widen its portfolio further. Ather will unveil the first
scooter based on its EL platform at its Community Day in Bengaluru on August 29. The company has said the scooter will mark its entry into the mass-market segment and allow it to compete in the ₹1 lakh-₹1.25 lakh price band. 

The EL platform is important because it is Ather’s first entirely new vehicle architecture since the 450. It has been designed for greater scale, lower cost and manufacturing efficiency. 

Hero Backing Strengthens Balance Sheet

Ather’s expansion plan also comes with fresh capital support from Hero MotoCorp.

Hero MotoCorp has approved an additional investment of up to ₹1,000 crore in Ather Energy through equity shares or equity-linked convertible securities on a preferential allotment basis. Ather remains an associate company of Hero MotoCorp, which held a 29.48% stake as of June 30. 

The capital is expected to support Ather’s vehicle production, charging network and
expansion plans as the company moves beyond its premium scooter base into a wider price band.

Halo helmet gets more accessible

Alongside the scooter refresh, Ather has also updated its Halo smart helmet strategy. The new full-face Halo is priced at ₹4,999, sharply lower than the first version, which was priced at ₹12,999. The company said it has removed wireless charging and moved to USB-C charging to make the product more affordable.

The helmet continues to offer integrated audio, call and music control, auto-wear detection and phone pairing. Ather said it has also improved the internal padding, visor and finish. The new version is offered in black and blue, using paint finishes linked to the company’s scooter colours. The company said the helmet has an 18-hour battery life, which should translate to around 8-10 days of typical use for an average rider.

Ather is initially rolling out the updated Halo in Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune and Hyderabad, before scaling it further. The product will be sold through Ather showrooms and online channels, rather than wider helmet retail stores.