Electric vehicle startup Ather Energy has opened up its proprietary fast-charging connector patents to other OEMs, allowing other electric two-wheelers to use its fast charging network as well as build products on a common standard.
The Ather 450 Plus and Ather 450X electric scooters use a proprietary charging connector which was designed by the brand to provide an optimal and safe charging experience, keeping internal and external factors in mind. Along with a convenient home charging with each vehicle, the company has also set up a fast charging network called the Ather Grid. It is capable of charging the scooter entirely in about an hour, or at the rate of 1.5 km per minute. Right now, there are some 200 charging stations across India, with more coming up every week.
Today we are opening up the charging connector patents at @atherenergy. Any OEM can use them in their vehicles and chargers for freeAther will also help with engg integration and support for the industry, at no costKilling proprietary standards - may a million chargers bloom!August 10, 2021
Charging infrastructure is an important factor affecting the adoption of EVs, as many users are concerned about the range and charging. To maximize the usage and efficiency of these chargers, Ather Energy is looking to make its charging connector an interoperable open standard. Going forward, any electric two-wheeler will be able to use the Ather Grid network. Moreover, this move will also bring encourage more OEMs to create products and services around the same tech, thus lowering infrastructure investments.
With this, Ather Energy becomes the first two-wheeler company to open up its charging tech for other manufacturers. Any OEM can now use the tech in their charger or vehicle for free. Furthermore, Ather will also provide engineering integration guidance and support to these brands at no extra cost.
Just like smartphones, proprietary charging standards allow brands to achieve the best charging experience for their products — which a standard charger would not be able to provide. It’s not just Ather that started out with this route, as even the upcoming electric scooters from Simple Energy and Ola Electric will also operate over a proprietary charger.
“Electric two-wheelers are now going mainstream with the big push through FAME 2 by the government. Consumers need a fast-charging network in public locations to make this shift and that’s exactly what we are doing to build this category. Sharing our proprietary charging connector is a big step for having a common connector and hence interoperable chargers for all two-wheelers. At this stage of the category, the industry needs these collaborations and we are already in talks with some OEMs to take this industry collaboration forward”, said Tarun Mehta, Co-founder and CEO, Ather Energy.
While this is a big step in helping EV adoption, scooters with support for Ather’s connectors are likely many months away as electric vehicle development is a long process.
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