How Ather Energy is Changing the EV Sector with its Smart Electric Scooters?

Ritika Deshpande

Ather Energy Startup Success Story

Ather Energy is an EV startup company headquartered in Bengaluru that makes the quickest and smartest electric scooters in India. Founded in 2013 by two young and brilliant entrepreneurs, Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, its electric scooters Ather450X and Ather 450 Plus are already being loved by the people.

Ather Energy Startup Journey

It all began in Oct 2013 in the labs of IIT Madras after two young entrepreneurs, Tarun and Swapnil wanted to change the world for the better.

Ather Energy started off as a simple design on paper. The co-founders had simply penned their prototype ideas down on paper while they were still in college. They worked day and night with all the resources they had with them and already got to 4 vehicle prototypes within a 12-month period.

Once their ideas were fully developed, they took up their first office space in the IITM research park and also received 5 lakh rupees in funding from their university professor. Their headquarters are located in Bangalore, Karnataka.

They finally launched their first electric scooter in 2018 which was named Ather 450 Plus. Currently, they have two most impactful variants in store- Ather 450 Plus as well as Ather 450X, their latest release being the Ather 450X Gen 3.

Interestingly, Ather got its name from a Greek word that translates to ‘Pure’ and I believe it truly lives up to its name.

Co-founders of Ather Energy

Tarun Mehta was born on 31st October 1989 which makes him 33 years old as of 2022. Along with being a co-founder, he is also the CEO of Ather Energy. He was born in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He has a dual degree in Engineering Design from IIT Madras.

Swapnil Jain is also 33 years old and holds a Master’s degree in Engineering from IIT Madras. He is the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) and he concentrates on defining engineering culture and developing technology-roadmap for Ather.

Success Story of Ather Energy

A big part of how the company has grown is the willingness of the company to constantly be introspecting and looking for better. The dedication of the co-founders is what makes the company so successful today. They’ve also built a community as strong as their scooters of over 150 employees.

They also have a huge mega-factory of 1,23,000 sq. feet which is situated in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. Tarun and Swapnil were listed on the Forbes 30 under 30 in 2018 and Fortune 40 under 40 list in 2017 & 2019 for this innovation that impacted lots of people across India.

Electric Scooters with Attractive Specs

Ather claims to go from 0 to 40 km/hr in 3.3 seconds which is quicker than almost every scooter in its league. Free charging points are conveniently placed across different cities and are provided by the company itself called the Ather Grid.

It’s here to help you charge your scooter on the go to ensure that you never run out of battery. “It fast charges your Ather scooter at 1.5 km/min until it’s 8% full. By the time you grab a coffee or get groceries, your scooter will be ready to go places,” say the developers.

The scooters have mono-shock suspension to aid your bumpy rides and are water-resistant and dustproof as well. They say, “Never take your phone out, ever again.” This means that the scooter has an inbuilt 7-inch touchscreen dashboard which lets you access google maps on the run. You get access to your calls via Bluetooth and it even lets you play music which is incredibly cool. 

The Impact Ather Energy wanted to Create

Two young entrepreneurs who wanted to change things for the better,” said Dr. Tamaswati Gosh, CEO of the IIT incubation cell. They felt that whatever was available in the market was not enough and wanted to revolutionize technology.

Ather Energy stemmed from this urge. Hence, they set out to build this fantastic piece of technology that would help millions travel safely, with freedom in their minds and hands.

Environment and the Future of EVs

Research says that electric vehicles are significantly better at reducing air pollution when compared to vehicles running on petrol or diesel as fuel. This is because they emit fewer greenhouse gases which tend to have a harsh effect on the environment.

According to a study conducted by the Electric Power Research Institute [EPRI], electric vehicles can dramatically reduce carbon pollution from transportation, and reduce air pollution. Talk about being environmentally friendly, smart, and desirable, the Ather vehicles do it all.

Ather Energy has now crossed ₹400 crores of revenue in the Financial Year of 2022 and has experienced 5x growth over the last year. Ather also sold 23,408 units in FY 2022, whereas they were just at 5 thousand units in FY 2021. Ather is currently valued at $700-$800M and it has yet to become a unicorn startup.

Starting from just two really passionate kids in the college building a vehicle with insufficient resources in 2013, to becoming one of the best EV-selling companies in India, they’ve truly lived and achieved. 

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