The Real Truth of Electric Scooter - ! *1 Year Owner Review*

Summary

TechWiser shares a comprehensive review after using the Ather 450X, Ola S1 Pro Gen 1 & 2 electric scooters for a year, covering 10,000 km collectively. They delve into key aspects like range, performance, charging network, software, and service experience. While Ola leads in sales and offers greater range, Ather is praised for accurate range display and a reliable charging network. Ather suits shorter commutes with a sportier feel, while Ola offers comfort and extended range. Software-wise, Ola offers more features but faces reliability issues, whereas Ather is steady. Though both are quite futuristic, Ather feels closer to traditional scooters. Geographical considerations and required range greatly influence the purchasing decision.

Highlights

• Ola tops the sales chart but Ather is the pioneer of electric two-wheelers in India. 🚀
• Ather’s dashboard range display is accurate; Ola's isn't, requiring adjustments. 📊
• Ather's charging network expansion is impressive, offering more convenience. 🔌
• Ola offers more software features but with frequent bugs disrupting usability. 🐛
• Ather offers reliable performance with fewer disruptions in service operations. 🔧
• Long-range commuters may still prefer Ola due to its extended range. 🌍

Key Takeaways

• Ather provides a true range display, while Ola’s display range might be off by 10-20 km. 🛵
• Ola offers larger battery life warranty (8 years) starting from February 2024. 🔋
• Ather dominates in charging network reliability and availability. 🏆
• Ola provides futuristic features like app access but is plagued with software bugs. 🐞
• Ather's customer service, while not flawless, fares better than Ola's in terms of reliability. 🚀

Overview

TechWiser's journey with electric scooters provides deep insights into Ather and Ola's offerings, especially after clocking 10,000 km over the year. Ather places trust with its accurate dashboard displays and reliable charging networks, whereas Ola stuns with its futuristic features, albeit plagued with bugs. 📱

The performance dynamics between Ather and Ola cater to different needs; Ather supports a sporty, quick-response ride, while Ola is superior in range, appealing to longer commuters. This duality gives buyers a distinct choice based on their commuting style. ⏫

Service experiences vary greatly; Ather tends to align more with traditional scooter servicing, ensuring less hassle, whereas Ola's futuristic yet buggy approach can frustrate. Nevertheless, Ather’s increasing charging stations and lesser software hiccups reinforce its reliability. 👨‍🔧

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction and Overview Over the past year, the two electric scooter models Ather 450x and Ola S1 Pro (Gen 1 and Gen 2) have been extensively used, covering nearly 10,000 kilometers. The chapter discusses the considerations for purchasing an electric scooter, with a focus on the leading brands in the Indian market. According to the two-wheeler EV sales data for 2023-2024, Ola has emerged as the top-selling electric scooter every month, while Ather holds the title of the oldest established brand in the segment. The chapter also weighs the benefits of choosing between a feature-rich and widely popular scooter like Ola and a time-tested brand like Ather.
• 00:30 - 03:00: Evaluating Range and Battery Life In the chapter titled 'Evaluating Range and Battery Life', the focus is on reviewing and simplifying the understanding of electric vehicle (EV) range and battery life. The speaker, representing Tech Weisa Tech, discusses the importance of these factors as pivotal for potential electric two-wheeler buyers. They cite Ola's claim of offering a range of 143 km in normal mode, though it's noted that this figure is based on an IDC (Indian Driving Conditions) standard. The chapter serves as a part of a broader, long-term user review, aimed at helping consumers make informed decisions regarding EV purchases.
• 03:00 - 05:00: Performance Comparison The chapter discusses the discrepancies between the advertised and actual performance ranges of electric scooters. It highlights how the range claimed by Ola scooters often falls short in real-world conditions by about 10 to 20 km. In contrast, Ather scooters provide an accurate dashboard range that matches real-life performance, as evidenced by a personal experience shared by the speaker.
• 05:00 - 06:30: Charging Network and Costs The chapter titled 'Charging Network and Costs' discusses the battery life of a particular electric scooter. The user mentions their experience of riding the scooter down to 1% battery and confirms the accuracy of the range provided by the manufacturer. It is noted that the scooter offers a true range of about 110 km in smart eco mode and 85 to 90 km in ride mode, aligning with the claimed specifications. The chapter highlights the importance of understanding battery warranty and health when discussing battery life.
• 06:30 - 08:00: Software and Features The chapter 'Software and Features' discusses battery warranties offered by different brands for electric scooters. Ola provides an 8-year warranty or 880,000 km, which started from February 2024, while Ather offers a 5-year warranty or 50,000 km. The transcript also shares tips for maximizing battery life: avoiding using the EV when the battery is low, fully charging the scooter before leaving it unused for a week, and ensuring it's adequately charged if left unused for a longer period, like a month.
• 08:00 - 10:30: Service Center Experience The chapter 'Service Center Experience' discusses the importance of managing your scooter's battery effectively. It suggests using vacation mode or completely shutting down the scooter when not in use to prevent the battery from going dead. It advises against using fast charging frequently as it can overheat the battery, recommending using it only in emergencies at the service center. The narrative further highlights the issue of range anxiety with electric vehicles (EVs) and praises Ather for accurately displaying the remaining range, which is beneficial for users with daily commutes exceeding 100 kilometers.
• 10:30 - 15:00: Final Thoughts and Recommendations The chapter explores two popular two-wheeler electric vehicles (EVs): Ola and Ather. It highlights that Ola is considered to have the maximum range among current EV options. When it comes to performance, it's noted that Ather offers a more sporty and aggressive experience, suitable for those who enjoy a dynamic ride. In contrast, Ola provides a more calm and laidback riding experience, making it preferable for daily commutes or shorter rides. The chapter concludes that the choice between the two largely depends on the rider's preference for either a sporty or a relaxed ride.

The Real Truth of Electric Scooter - ! *1 Year Owner Review* Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 so for the past one year we have been using this ather 450x Ola S1 Pro gen 1 and Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 so all in all this ather and this Ola We have ridden for almost 10,000 kilom so if you want to buy an electric scooter which electric company should you consider and if you look at the two- wheeler electric sale data for 2023 2024 every month Ola is the most selling two-wheeler EV in India whereas ather is the oldest selling two-wheeler Eevee in India so feature Rich and most selling or oldest tried
• 00:30 - 01:00 and tested well this is tech weisa tech and Eevee is what excites us and this is the beginning of much more e content and this is a long-term user review to makes things simpler for you guys there are five important things you should consider while buying a two wheeler Eevee starting with everyone's favorite question or in terms of electric vehicle what's the range or battery life in the eeve in Ola the company claims that you get 143 km of range in normal mode but this is an IDC number number and it is
• 01:00 - 01:30 tested in Labs it is like those mileage of cars and bike like the company claims one number but you never get that in real life also the range shown on the ola's dashboard is horribly wrong you can easily subtract 10 to 20 km from this so in normal City Driving we are getting to 110 km of range on the other hand on the ather the range that is shown on the dashboard is exactly what you get you can trust this dashboard range like I'll tell you a personal experience the other day I was riding the scooter and it had only 1 to 2%
• 01:30 - 02:00 battery left and I thought finally this is the day where I'll have to walk my scooter like hey bought an Eevee but I rode the scooty up until 1 kilm or 1% of battery life so the range is as accurate as it shows ather C this true range and you get about 110 km in smart eco mode and about 85 to 90 km in ride mode and usually I was getting 85 to 90 km as claimed now when we talk about battery life an important thing to consider is battery warranty and Battery help both
• 02:00 - 02:30 Brands give battery warranty Ola gives you 8 years of warranty or 880,000 km ather gives you 5 years of warranty or 50,000 km and a point to note is Ola started giving 8 years of warranty after February 2024 so anyone who buys a scooter after February 2024 will get 8 years of warranty on battery also three small tips so that you can get maximum battery life and avoid battery damage like avoid using your EV when the battery is low if you're not using your scooter for a week or so make sure you fully charge it before the ride if you're going away for a month or so put
• 02:30 - 03:00 your scooter in vacation mode or just shut it down completely this way the battery of your scooter won't go in dead State and will just start automatically as soon as you come back and most importantly fast charging is known to heat up the battery and heat for any kind of battery is not good so only use fast charging at the service center when it is an emergency so for me personally point to ather because in an Eevee range anxiety is very common and you want to know how much exactly your EV will run which ather shows and that is very good the only thing is if your daily commute or travel is more more than 100 plus
• 03:00 - 03:30 kilm I think Ola is the only option as far as I know out of all the two wheeler EVS that are on road Ola has the maximum range and the second question is performance how do these Run in real life and well this is a very subjective question see ather has a more sporty vibe to it much more aggressive Ola is more calm laidback seating if you are doing daily commute or shorter rides ather has a very good response like you hit the accelerator the scooty just flies if you're someone who likes that sporty Vibe ather is fun to ride
• 03:30 - 04:00 however do remember the top speed of ather is capped to 90 km and personally in Delhi City roads like from Delhi to NOA or just within NOA I never felt like I wish this scooty would have gone 100 90 was fine and on the other hand Ola can go up to 120 km top speed and Ola has a very relaxed more WPA like feel Ola feels comfortable due to the wider seats in longer ride so it's more of if you like sporty or more Comfort but one thing that I feel I should point out is here have a listen to this it has this
• 04:00 - 04:30 sound some people like it some people hate it personally I bought it I like it Ola on the other hand is very silent when you ride it both Ola and ather get four different speed modes depending on these modes the range and top speed varies I usually prefer normal mode on the Ola and ride mode on the ather which can go up to 80 km and 60 km/ hour respectively and one thing to point out with the ola is it
• 04:30 - 05:00 has very sensitive brakes so during the rainy season please apply brakes slowly and accelerate very slowly otherwise the tire might skid like we had a very bad fall and you can see the condition of the scooters so be careful and for performance one point to both of them okay so let's talk about charging Network because if you buy a normal scooter you have petrol pumps everywhere but if you buy an e charging network is very important and especially when every two wheeler scooter has their own proprietary charger you want to know how is ather and ola's charging Network and
• 05:00 - 05:30 again personal experience we had one charging station in Noida for Ola and a few months ago Ola announced that they will increase the charging Network in fact even in the Ola app it shows you there is one charging station in Noida but when you go to charge over there the charging point is closed so let alone increasing the charging Network they have also shut down everything in NOA so you have to go to Delhi to charge the Ola scooter publicly on the other hand ather is very good in this scenario like previously we had only five charging stations around my location but now if you see they have 13 charging stations around me and has tied up with hero and
• 05:30 - 06:00 petrol pump networks so the charging network is getting better but again in Delhi you have to pay 1 rupes per minute to charge your scooter and that would be somewhere around 60 rupees for 80 km of charging now I've only tried public charging about 6 to seven times but whenever it was ather in terms of charging network is way ahead of Ola now a major portion of an Eevee is software and features it is like 50% of what makes an Eevee and both the scooters get a lot of features like inapp support GPS ride Journal and much more now Ola does
• 06:00 - 06:30 offer some additional features like proximity unlock inbuilt speakers unlocking the scooter from the Ola app Etc but if you ask me in reality who's better straight up straight up the point goes to ather Ola does offer more features but it has a lot of bugs like personal example the other day I was with my friends and we were going out on shopping they had a petrol scooter I was on Ola so while returning to home I was riding the Ola on the highway and the screen got blank I could not even touch it unlock it and the scooter was running at 60 km per hour and this touch problem
• 06:30 - 07:00 happens frequently like the other day I was trying to unlock the scooter but again the display would not turn on and since Ola doesn't have a key I had to pull up the app and then unlock the scooter also the day we were going to shoot I unlocked the Ola scooter but the handle wouldn't unlock and I couldn't even turn the scooter on the whole experience of Ola is just embarrassing at times see I spent 1.62 lakhs on the scooter and these software bucks are funny and at the same time dangerous imagine your scooter turning off when everyone is riding at 60 kmph whereas on
• 07:00 - 07:30 the other hand in ather I found few bugs here and there like sometimes the auto indicator wouldn't turn off but nothing is crazy bad like you put the key the scooter Works which is the basic need so day-to-day usage and buck I believe ather is very good now finally the most important thing let's talk about service center experience because unlike your traditional scooter manufacturers like Hero Honda TVs this is ather anola which is a startup and new to the scooter manufacturing and both these company operate company owned service center and
• 07:30 - 08:00 the service center experience is just okay and as you all know we had a little incident with our Ola again in which this part was totally broken and to get it fixed we have to wait for 1 month and the whole experience was just hectic I have to raise multiple complaints so for me it's just not worth it and for ather I have visited the service center about two to three times in general I haven't had any day-to-day problem with them I just visited a few time to get seat cover installed or charge the scooter and what I've noticed is the staff is good but the spare parts that are shown
• 08:00 - 08:30 in the ather app are mostly not available at the service center and this could be the case with me or especially Noida show room but overall I have not had any reasons to go or even service the scooter see all in all out of riding these scooters for almost an year now I felt ather is much more closer to a traditional petrol scooter like Let It Be the button style of indicators horn or even changing speed modes in fact opening with the key and everything whereas Ola on the other hand feels like futuristic you can open the scooter by an app you can give other people
• 08:30 - 09:00 different PIN codes and access to the scooter in fact even the buttons on the Ola like play pause music reverse mode like totally different from a normal petrol scooter so the bottom line here is like listen carefully if you have a daily commute of 100 plus kilomet or a weekly travel of 200 300 km you have to get an Ola because that's the maximum range you can get as of now on an electric scooter plus Ola is priced at 1.5 lakh on road that is cheaper than ather but but if you have a weekly commute of 100 k km only and you can
• 09:00 - 09:30 spend 1.75 lakhs I found the overall experience of ather better if the range was just 10 20 km more I would have straight up recommended it to everyone and in case you're riding an Eevee let us know your experience about it I would like to read it on that note this is the signing off this video took a lot of efforts if you have reached still here like like for the efforts and [Music]