Swapnil Jain, Co-founder & CTO, Ather Energy, gives Digit an insight into the current trends and forces controlling the two wheeled EV market along with all the challenges and potential. We also learn how about Ather’s ambitions as a brand and its product portfolio of the near future.
Digit: What steps has Ather Energy taken to enhance consumer confidence in EVs?
Swapnil Jain: Ather has been at the forefront of India’s EV journey and we have always built our scooters to enhance customer experience from the existing ICE scooters in the country. From the beginning, we had realised that to shift consumers from ICE scooters to e-scooters, we would have to build the best scooter, not just a better EV. We also needed to address certain category barriers like battery life and range anxiety. All these meant providing excellent build quality, reliability, exciting performance and modern technology that would immensely upgrade the user experience in our scooters.
To ensure complete peace of mind for first-time e-scooter buyers we have rolled out a five-year battery warranty. Our battery packs undergo rigorous testing to ensure safety and performance under a variety of circumstances. The in-house designed electronics and software on our Battery Management System (BMS) also ensure that we have precise control over the battery performance. It helps maximize the performance, life, and safety of the battery.
The next important thing we wanted to address is range anxiety. To address that Ather designed and built India’s largest two-wheeler public fast charging network, called the Ather Grid. Ather currently has over 1900 fast chargers and over 500 neighbourhood chargers across 200+ cities. Finally, another common customer concern regarding shifting to EVs is the availability of service centres. To address this, Ather has 185 service centres across the country, ensuring our customers have ample access to servicing.
Staying committed to upgrading user experience, Ather offers regular over-the-air (OTA) updates to improve the performance and features of our scooters, the latest being AtherStack 6 which boosts a revamped mobile application, directly integrating WhatsApp on the dashboard, live location-sharing capabilities, ‘Ping my scooter’ functionality, automatic call response, and integration with Amazon’s Alexa.
Digit: How does Ather Energy integrate real-world user feedback into product development?
Swapnil Jain: Our software-enabled ecosystem provides us with real-world insights and intelligence about usage patterns, product performance, after-sales journey and charging insights. We use this intelligence to innovate new solutions for our customers across our ecosystem. For example, we offer Trip Planner (TP), a data-driven feature that helps customers plan their daily commutes and charge requirements for round trips. Based on the route they are planning to take, TP analyses if they are likely to run out of charge based on their past driving style, and will route them to the most suitable Ather Grid public fast charger so that they reach their destination comfortably. Each OTA update that is pushed out on the Atherstack, contains better user interfaces, safety features and convenience-led features that enhance the user experience. All of these features in these new updates are a result of customer feedback that has gone into improving the experience of our scooters.
Digit: What consumer trends are shaping the Indian electric two-wheeler market?
Swapnil Jain: The Indian electric two-wheeler market is experiencing a surge driven by several factors. Firstly, there is an increasing shift towards premium vehicles being witnessed, with customers looking to upgrade to the next premium segment. Secondly, consumers today look for innovative features to enhance their experience of owning and riding a 2-wheeler. They appreciate and prefer the latest advanced features, connected technology and high-tech accessories. One of the most important trends that I feel would be the introduction of smart-tech features becoming more commonplace in two-wheelers. For instance, Ather already has WhatsApp, Alexa and Google Maps on its scooters and we expect to see more such features coming in from other brands in the coming months.
Digit: On a personal note, how would Ather tackle the problem of in-house charging as, most buildings do not have that facility yet and having to charge at designated charging stations can be inconvenient?
Swapnil Jain: At Ather Energy, charging anxiety isn’t just a headache for EV owners, it’s a big barrier to mass adoption of electric mobility. Recognizing the challenge posed by the lack of in-house charging facilities in many buildings, we’ve focused on developing practical solutions that ease the charging problem.
We’ve developed the Ather Portable Charger which is a simple, plug-in charger that fits into any 5 Amp socket commonly found across India. It is highly portable and is designed for both indoor and outdoor use, providing an easy way for consumers to charge their vehicles. In addition, we’ve also launched Ather Neighborhood Chargers in locations such as apartment complexes, university campuses and office buildings, allowing users to use their portable chargers in places they frequently visit.
Digit: Would Ather be open to removable battery packs that can be taken home to charge while the vehicle is parked?
Swapnil Jain: Removable battery packs might not be the best solution for India. We’ve encountered several operational challenges while testing prototypes. The primary issue is the weight of the batteries—lifting a 10 kg battery is quite difficult, especially for senior citizens. Moreover, the infrastructure costs for battery swapping stations are substantial. These stations will need significant real estate and additional manpower for swapping and security, which will increase the overall cost. When we calculated the expenses, the cost per kilometre for swapping was higher than that of petrol. Additionally, consumers are often reluctant to swap their new batteries with older ones, adding to the complexity. If swapping does become the future, then batteries will have to be standardized, which will be possible only if we are reasonably sure that innovation is going to be very slow.
Digit: How are tech-savvy consumers influencing the EV industry? And what are the most demanded or requested tech features currently?
Swapnil Jain: The young customer base of the two-wheeler industry today is quite tech-savvy, and they expect advanced features to be part of their vehicle, which they see as an extension of their personality. They’re looking for connected features like smartphone integration for navigation, remote diagnostics, and over-the-air updates. Advanced rider assistance systems and features that enhance safety and control are also in high demand. Finally, an intuitive user interface is essential for simplifying the EV ownership experience.
Digit: Could you share any insights into Ather Energy’s future plans and ambitions for the brand?
Swapnil Jain: We are aggressively expanding our product portfolio and increasing the number of experience centres across the country including Tier 2 and 3 markets. Our new manufacturing facility in Maharashtra, set to be operational in the next 18 months, will help us get closer to more markets across India. Simultaneously, we are investing more in Tamil Nadu, to ensure that production of the 450 series and recently launched Rizta proceeds at a rapid pace. Our headquarters in Karnataka which now houses approximately 1,300 people and 3 R&D centers, are relentlessly working towards new innovation and development.
Digit: We know of the success of the 450 series with its youth-oriented sporty concept. And now the Rizta is more family-oriented in its concept. What’s next on the horizon?
Swapnil Jain: With the performance-oriented 450X and the family scooter Rizta, we have two products that are sharply focusing on two different segments. With consumer interest peaking and demand rising, there is a huge headroom to grow in the e-scooter space in the country and we believe we have the right products for this. This year, our focus will be on expanding the e-scooter market in the country and tap into the huge consumer segment that we have unlocked with the Rizta.
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