Ather Konark S vs Rizta: which electric scooter wins
Ather's budget-focused Konark takes on the Rizta on design, suspension, top speed and charging.
Ather Energy has taken a different route in the electric scooter market with its new Konark. Built on the company's new EL platform, the Konark is a budget-focused scooter. Its price is nearly the same as the Rizta, which makes a comparison between the two models inevitable.
On design, the Konark looks more conventional than Ather's other scooters. The wraparound LED DRL at the front and the LED headlamp mounted on the handlebar stand out at first glance. There is a light bar at the rear. Blue highlights on the floorboard and seat give the scooter a distinct look. Keeping customer demand in mind, metal body panels have been used. There is 31 litres of storage under the seat, enough to fit a full-face helmet. The Rizta, however, offers about 3 litres more space.
In ride and handling, the Konark's real strength shows in its suspension. The 14-inch front wheel and soft suspension let the scooter handle bad roads comfortably. The suspension damping is good, so the ride does not feel bouncy. The 6.3 bhp motor is slightly more powerful than the Rizta's, but the Konark's top speed is 70 kmph, while the Rizta's top speed is 80 kmph. This speed is adequate for daily city use but could feel limited for faster highway riding.
On the screen, brakes and battery, the Konark S gets a 7-inch Deepview colour display, though it does not have touch functionality. It comes with features such as FallSafe, AutoHold and Park Assist. The 3.5 kWh battery takes 5 hours 40 minutes to charge from 0 to 80 percent. A 450W onboard charger reduces the need to carry a large charging brick separately. Adding an extra 450W charger can bring the charging time down to 3 hours 10 minutes.
Overall, if a comfortable, family-friendly electric scooter is what is needed, the Konark proves to be a strong option. Compared with the Rizta, its suspension and design give it a distinct identity. But given its 70 kmph top speed and the variant currently available, the Konark's true strength will become clearer with a longer-range model expected next year.
