Ather will expand from 200 to 700 outlets by FY26.
New EL platform and Redux concept will broaden its EV line-up.
Company targets 20% EV scooter market share, but policy hurdles persist.
India’s electric two-wheeler market is racing ahead, and Ather Energy is preparing to shift gears. The Bengaluru-based startup, once best known for its premium 450X scooter, has now climbed to the number two spot in the country’s EV scooter segment, edging past Ola Electric as well as stalwarts such as Hero MotoCorp and Bajaj Auto.
Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Tarun Mehta, Ather’s co-founder and chief executive, said the company remains clear-eyed about its strategy of focusing on winning on quality, not discounts. “We don’t play on discounts. What we win and lose on is our products and the experiences we build for the consumers,” he said.
The company used its annual Ather Community Day event on Saturday to unveil the EL platform, its first new vehicle architecture since the original 450. The platform, as Mehta explained, will allow Ather to launch a broader range of scooters from everyday commuter models to maxi and sportier variants while keeping the experience premium. “I don’t think the market is for products below ₹1 lakh. Going below that, we’re just leaving money on the table and not building a good enough experience,” he argued.
Ather also showcased a teaser of its longer-term ambitions, showing off Redux, a crossover concept that blends a scooter with a motorcycle. Although still one to two years away from commercial launch, Mehta confirmed that the company is “investing deeply in R&D for motorcycles.”
However, the company’s bigger bet, lies in expanding its distribution channels. From 200 outlets at present, Ather is looking to double its retail footprint to 400 this year and reach 700 by FY26. “The story for FY26 for us is simply of expanding distribution. That’s the biggest piece that anybody should track,” Mehta stressed.
Despite that, challenges remain. Mehta expressed disappointment over Ather’s exclusion from the government’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, despite what he described as industry-leading R&D investments. “If we had PLI, we would be able to launch even lower-cost products. But we can’t compete in those strategies today, because the definition wasn’t startup-friendly,” he said.
For now, Ather’s roadmap is clear. With a new platform, fresh products in the pipeline and an aggressive retail expansion underway, the company is eyeing better margins and a 20% share of India’s EV scooter market by FY26.
