Due to the rising fuel prices, two wheeler buyers are now looking at e-scooters as an alternative. Sales report reveals that the demand for electric vehicles including cars and two-wheelers are at all time high. Ather Energy was leading the electric scooter segment; however, the brand now has two new rivals – OLA electric and Simple Energy.
Ola has recently launched the S1 and S1 Pro electric scooters, while Simple Energy introduced the Simple One e-scooter. These are high-range e-scooters, which could impact the sales of the Ather 450 range. Adding to it, Hero MotoCorp and Suzuki are also developing new e-scooters for our market.
A new report claims that Ather Energy, the Bengaluru-based EV startup is developing a new electric scooter for the Indian market. It is reportedly to be priced under Rs 1 lakh, making it the most affordable Ather in India. With state and central governments subsidies, the e-scooter price could drop to Rs 80,000 to 90,000.
Not just Ola S1 and Simple One, the new Ather e-scooter could impact the sales of Honda Activa, TVS Jupiter and the Suzuki Access. The new scooter will be based on the Ather 450 platform. The company is currently selling two models – 450 Plus and 450X – priced at Rs 1.13 lakh and Rs 1.32 lakh respectively. The new electric scooter is in advanced stage of development. It is scheduled to be launched in the Q1 of FY2023, which means April to June 2022.
Speaking to AutoCar Professional, Ravneet Phokela, chief business officer, Ather Energy, said, “We are already working on a product that will come at a price point lower than the 450 Plus; it will start playing in the same kind of price band like the others (read Ola and Simple). That’s a few months away, and you understand that the decision and to roll out a product it takes 18-24 months. It is not a knee-jerk reaction. The idea is to consolidate the scooter market, unlocking more segments than we do today, by way of price points and importantly in new states. It’s a journey to keep adding products as we go along, because we have our own platform; we have very strong control on costs. And when you have strong control on costs, then you have control on pricing. Honestly, we are not thinking about the reducing the pricing, but focus on how we bring new products which is an ongoing journey.”
