Ather Energy was incorporated in the year 2013 by Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, alumni of IIT Madras. Having Empower Green as its vision, Ather rose very fast to become one of the most pioneering companies in the country’s EV market. A vision powering green mobility, Ather launched India’s very first smart electric scooter, Ather S340, way back in 2016.
This was succeeded by the hugely successful Ather 450 and 450X. Instrumental in its success has not just been innovation in product design but also in creating AtherGrid—a fast-charging station network—filling up what was a very critical gap in this infrastructure. This customer-centric approach has further been supported by robust key opinions and correlations.
It has seen Ather develop a vibrant community and breadth of content measure. This has been a journey of resilience to commitment—sustainability that is bound to transform urban mobility and give birth to new benchmarks for the EV industry in India and beyond.
Ather Energy’s Founders
It was founded by Swapnil Jain and Tarun Mehta. Right from its inception, Ather Energy has been a CEO-led company, wherein Tarun Mehta donned the role of CEO, and Swapnil jain played the role of CTO. It was founded by this duo of friends back in 2013, with the aim of disrupting the electric vehicle market in India. With the skill of both and a love for sustainability in energy, these two have made Ather Energy one of the top firms in the Indian electric car market today.
| Table of Content |
| The Birth of Ather Energy |
| First Steps: Ather S340 |
| Building the Ecosystem: Charging Infrastructure |
| Expansion and Growth |
| The Ather Community: Building a Loyal Customer Base |
| Strategic Partnerships and Investments |
| The Road Ahead: Future Plans and Vision |
| Overcoming Challenges |
| The Impact of Ather Energy |
| Awards and Recognition |
| Conclusion |
The Birth of Ather Energy
Source: Google Images
Ather Energy was born out of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain were IIT Madras alumni with a vision to create a product having a style that could shake the whole automobile sector then. It was powered by the idea of developing an eco-friendly and efficient mode of transportation that helped rise over rising concerns about pollution and fuel dependency in India.
Ather Energy was born in the year 2013 with seed fund money from Flipkart‘s founders Sachin and Binny Bansal. This seed money obviously played a huge role in proof of concept development and getting together the right team of people with interests in innovation and sustainability.
First Steps of Ather Energy Success: Ather S340
Source: Google Images
Now, Ather S340 was another big milestone that Ather Energy achieved in the year 2016. Effectively, it would be India’s very first smart electric scooter—ground-up designed for technology and performance with user experience. It sported a lithium-ion battery and featured a touchscreen dashboard with several smart connectivity features that made it stand distinctly apart from traditional scooters available in the market.
The S340 wasn’t an electric scooter; it’s a qualification of what Ather would want in the future of urban mobility. Sleek, suave, modern in design, this scooter seamlessly integrates cutting-edge technology that makes probable a range of features like navigation, over-the-air updates, and remote diagnostics, setting new benchmarks in the industry and reaffirming the commitment Ather has to create a product that is at once futuristic and practical.
Building the Ecosystem: Charging Infrastructure
Of the various challenges that Ather faced, one was that there was almost no charging infrastructure available across the country. Recognizing the fortunes of electric vehicles depended upon the availability of reliable and ubiquitous charging infrastructure, Ather decided to take matters into its own hands and build it. In 2018, Ather launched AtherGrid—a network of fast-charging stations—in Bengaluru. Now, range anxiety is basically taken care of for any EV user by AtherGrid.
These stations were spread all across the city so that the user can easily reach one. It just opened these stations up to other electric vehicles as well, thereby easily ensuring the adoption of EVs in general. It simply shows that Ather is not only taking care of its products but works toward building a holistic clean ecosystem for large electric mobility.
Ather Energy Success: Expansion and Growth
Source: Google Images
In 2019 it launched the next generation of electric scooters—Ather 450 and Ather 450X. Other new models have brought advanced performance, increased range, and features, building on the success of S340. Of these products, the Ather 450X has won applause, more particularly over the years, for quick acceleration, high top speed, and very evolved connectivity features that make it a city commuter’s delight.
The company had to open its second manufacturing facility at Hosur in Tamil Nadu during 2021 in support of its expansion program. Equipped with state-of-the-art machines, this plant increased the production capacity of Ather manifold to meet demand for scooters. It is designed to be sustainable in terms of collection systems for rainwater, generation of solar power, and energy efficiency.
The Ather Community: Building a Loyal Customer Base
Ather’s success lies not just in the innovative products it comes up with, but in building a strong community of users. It has always put a premium on customer feedback and engagement, building a consistent base of enthusiasts for Ather. Regular meetups, rides, and events fostered a sense of community among its users, and that, in turn, helped them in sharing their experiences and feedback.
Another critical factor in creating customer loyalty has been the importance that Ather gives to after-sales service. With doorstep service and subscription-based maintenance plans enabled through an app, this promises a seamless digital experience that has ensured hassle-free and enjoyable ownership experiences for Ather owners, further strengthening its reputation as a brand.
Strategic Partnerships and Investments
The Ather Energy journey has been that of strategic partnerships and investments driving its growth. In 2019, $51 million in funding was raised by top investors such as Sachin Bansal, Hero MotoCorp, and Innoven Capital. Of interest was the participation by Hero MotoCorp. Again in 2021, Ather raised another $35 million in a funding round led by Sachin Bansal investment firm, Navi Technologies, along with other investors.
These funds have played a big role in scaling up operations, the expansion of the charging infrastructure, and a fillip to the development of products at an accelerated pace. Ather has also forged multiple partnerships with various stakeholders aimed at enhancing its product line and the ecosystem around them. Indeed, it has collaborated with companies such as Qualcomm and Altair pertaining to advanced technologies related to scooters. More than this, financial tie-ups have also made easy financing options available for the customers, and thus, an Ather scooter becomes quite accessible.
The Road Ahead: Future Plans and Vision
Source: Google Images
The journey of Ather Energy has just only ignited. It has other aggressive plans drawn up for the future, as it eyes leading the charge of electric mobility in India and beyond. Other key areas of focus by Ather include:
1. Product Innovation: Ather continues to invest heavily in research and development to bring leading-edge products to the market. New models under development have better range and performance and are blessed with more features to target a wider audience.
2. Geographical Expansion: Ather is eyeing an expansion of its presence across India and in international markets. The company is looking at ramping up manufacturing capacity and setting up more experience centers and charging stations in different cities.
3. Sustainability: Ather has been heading on the sustainable path and is looking at further bringing down its carbon footprint. Companies look at ways of making manufacturing more eco-friendly and increasing the use of renewable sources of energy.
4. Solutioning in Smart Mobility: Ather is building a connected, seamless mobility experience for all riders. It also looks at opportunities in smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and shared mobility solutions.
5. Partnerships: Ather knows that collaboration truly is one of the major enablers of the EV ecosystem. The Company will enter into tie-ups with technology providers, automotive companies, and government bodies to further accelerate the growth of electric vehicles.
Overcoming Challenges
The journey has not been that smooth for Ather. It had to tide over several challenges in the form of regulatory uncertainties, supply chain disruptions, and some stiff competition from entrenched players. Notwithstanding, it is the resilience and adaptability built by Ather that have helped in scaling these walls. This is an Indian EV market that is yet at a nascent stage.
Therefore, generation of awareness and building trust among consumers has been one of the most significant tasks at hand. Ather has mitigated this to a large extent through extensive marketing campaigns, customer education programs, and transparent communication. It has also been further differentiated by strong focus on quality, performance, and user experience.
The Impact of Ather Energy
Source: Google Images
Ather Energy’s success has led to a ripple effect in the Indian automotive industry. Its ingenuity has inspired other startups and established players to invest in electric mobility. Ather brings new standards into the industry vis-à-vis technology and user experience-based approach, nudging others to up their game. Other than that, Ather has been at the frontline of initiatives oriented towards sustainability and reduction of carbon emissions.
Ather has contributed to mitigating air-pollution and consumption of natural resources through the provision of a workable and likable alternative to the conventional gasoline-powered scooter. The infrastructure set up by it for charging has increased usabilities of electric vehicles in everyday life.
Ather Energy Success: Awards and Recognition
Undoubtedly, Ather Energy continued drawing the limelight of the electric vehicle industry with its contributions. The company received various recognition and a few awards related to innovation, design, and sustainability. Among them include :
– Frost & Sullivan’s India Electric Two-Wheeler Company of the Year (2019): Recognizing the top-of-mind capability in thought and innovation that Ather offers to the electric two-wheeler segment
– India Design Mark 2020: Prestigious design award received by the firm for its leading-edge and user-centric product design approach.
– Economic Times Startup Awards 2020: Ather is one of the startups of the year, for making a telling impact and growth in the startup ecosystem.
– CES Innovation Awards 2021: The Ather 450X shows at the Consumer Electronics Show award, pushing toward innovation-driven design and technology on this electric scooter.
Competitors of Ather Energy
Ather Energy competes with companies that makeup most of India’s electric vehicle market. On the other hand, Ola, being a company in the business of ride-hailing, created its brand of the electric scooter, which it labeled the Ola S1. This has changed the consumer sentiment to Ather Energy by multiple factors.
Among its competitors is Hero Electric. However, Bajaj Auto is only now out with the all-new model in the name of Chetak. With modern technology married with classic beauty, it takes the capability of a step ahead electric scooter, making it impossible to not be loved by people. Another new entrant is TVS iQube Electric, which keeps features and performance at par with smart features. Then there’s Revolt Motors, another competitor focusing on electric bikes. The businesses and Ather Energy are the keys to making an improvement in the entire EV ecosystem of India.
Conclusion
The story of Ather Energy—from a fledgling startup in Chennai to becoming a frontrunner in India’s EV market—is one of enormous success. At its very core lies innovation, sustainability, and customer experience, which uniquely placed it in an industry in rapid movement. A clear vision for the future, combined with a relentless drive, will continue pushing boundaries, transforming the effect of Ather Energy on the automotive landscape.
No doubt, once Ather gains more traction and diversification into new products, it will be among the key constituents to shape urban mobility for India’s future and beyond. The Ather Energy example inspires many other startups to come out and shows what Indian entrepreneurship can do if used to make a difference.
