KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Ather Rizta and 450 Series now come with BaaS
- Bringing the upfront cost down significantly
- Other programs on offer include Assured Buyback and an Extended Warranty
Ather Energy has launched the Battery as a Service (BaaS) facility for its popular Rizta and 450 Series electric scooters. With this new offering, customers will only need to pay for the scooter itself, not the battery, as an upfront cost, significantly reducing the overall price. Thanks to this facility, the Ather Rizta now starts at Rs 75,999, and the Ather 450 Series at Rs 84,341 (ex-showroom). Read on to learn about the battery cost and other benefits. Also, make sure to join the 91Wheels Whatsapp Channel to stay updated on the latest automotive news.
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Ather Energy
This step has been taken by Ather because several potential customers resist to buy an EV due to their high upfront cost. By providing Battery As A Service (BaaS), the customers can choose a plan to pay for the battery as per monthly usage starting as low as Re 1 per kilometer. As a part of this offering, customers are charged based on the kilometre usage and the cost of the battery is recovered over a span of 3 to 4 years as per consumers preference. The BaaS model features a usage-based payment system for the battery component, with pricing at Rs 1 per kilometer based on a 48 - month package with a minimum of 1000 kilometers of monthly usage.
Apart from this scheme, Ather also has Assured Buyback Program which was introduced in Feburary and under this scheme Ather offers up to 60% of the scooter's value at the end of three years and up to 50% after four years, subject to the kilometers travelled, providing customers with clear visibility on their investment's future worth.
Lastly, Ather Extended Warranty program is also there which covers the battery and 11 components for up to 5 years or 60,000 km, offering peace of mind to AtherStack Pro customers. It includes protection against expensive component replacements like the motor, controller, and charger.
Also Read: Piaggio To Return To The Mass-Market Scooter Segment With A New Brand!
Verdict
There are now three plans designed to build trust in this emerging brand and dispel the myth that EVs are impractical or too expensive upfront. With Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) gaining popularity across several electric two-wheelers, it has proven to be a major cost-saver, as customers pay only based on their usage. This brings the upfront price even lower than that of some ICE scooters.
