Ather 450X Electric Scooter Catches Fire; Here's What the Company Says

The Gen3 Ather 450X has reportedly caught fire due to an issue in the wiring harness assembly. The recent fire incident in Bengaluru came to light when a video showing the burnt-up Electric Scooter surfaced on the internet. Following this, Ather Energy identified the cause and released an official statement explaining the cause of the fire. The company said, "One of the connectors to the motor controller was torqued incorrectly which unfortunately resulted in sparking around the controller terminals". However, the battery management system (BMS), battery pack, and the dashboard remained completely unaffected. In no time, the Scooter's onboard safety systems cut off the power flow. But unfortunately, the wiring harness had already caught fire.

Also Read: TVS iQube ST vs Ather 450X: Spec Comparison

The Indian manufacturer further clarified, "the incident had nothing to do with a battery thermal runaway event and the battery continued to operate normally post the incident also. All our battery packs are designed, manufactured and tested by our teams in India and remain subject to the highest quality and testing standards in the world". 

Luckily, no one in the incident was harmed. Calling it a 'rare human error', Ather Energy is said to have updated its manufacturing operations, upgraded its equipment, and also introduced a two-step verification process in order to prevent such incidents in the future. 

Also Read: 2022 Ather 450X: First Ride Review

The Ather 450X was launched in India at a starting price of Rs 1.55 lakh (ex-showroom, Bengaluru). Powered by a 3.7kWh battery, the new-gen model offers an ARAI-certified range of 146 kilometres. In terms of UI/UX, the new ather has an upgraded dashboard, a redesigned Ather Stack, and an upgraded 2 GB RAM that provides better performance in higher temperatures. It also has a slew of new features, including 'Smart Eco Mode' to enhance its performance and ride consistency.