Ather Energy is about to commence its deliveries in nine new regions in the coming weeks, making it one of the most widely available electric scooters in India. Before that happens, the company will set up its charging network in these cities.
The Ather 450X, unveiled in January, was the first offering from the Bangalore-based startup to be available across the country. As with all electric vehicles, charging and range are key factors affecting the decision. Taking care of that, the Ather Grid charging network is now being set up, and will be one of the biggest public charging infrastructures in India.
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Ather Energy currently has 37 charging stations in Bangalore and 13 in Chennai. For the 9 new markets, the company has already finalized 135 new public fast-charging stations. The installation should be completed by December 2020, just before the shipments start. These chargers can not only fast-charge the Ather 450X (15km in 10 minutes) but also charge other electric two-wheelers and four-wheelers.
In phase 1, Ather will set up 5-10 charging points in each city before the deliveries and will continue expanding in the months to come. Via the Ather Grid app, all EV owners will be able to check charger locations, four-wheeler friendliness, current availability, free and paid parking and timings. By 2022, the company targets setting up 6,500 charging points across India.
| City | Upcoming locations |
|---|---|
| Bangalore | Forum Malls, Orion Mall, Cafe Azzure, Phoenix Market City, Go Native, Sangeetha Mobiles |
| Chennai | VR Chennai, Varsha Jewellers, Sangeetha Mobiles, Chai Kings, SPR Food Street, Mash Resto Café |
| Hyderabad | Almond House, Sarath City Capital Mall, The Moonshine Project, Swiss Castle, Chai Kahani |
| Pune | Kalyan Bhel, Little Italy, Kalinga Restaurant ,Copacabana, Bliss Bakery Cafe, Hotel KBs Woodland, Eat & Repeat Café |
| Kochi | French Toast, Centre Square Mall, Mash Resto Cafe |
| Coimbatore | Sangeetha Mobiles, Chai Kings |
| Kozhikode | Sixth Avenue Cafe, DR. Cafe, Bun Club |
| Kolkata | Millee Droog Cafe Bistro, Cafe by the lane |
| Ahmedabad | Sangeetha Mobiles, Little Italy, Royal Archid |
| Mumbai | Blue Tokai |
| Delhi NCR | Blue Tokai, Vegas Mall, Pacific Mall, Pacific D21 Mall |
Information around where these chargers will be set up was also shared. Most of these locations seem to be at places where users can spend some time while their scooter recharges.
“What the market needs right now is more visibility of the charging infrastructure. With increased visibility comes mental comfort, curbing range anxiety. We do not need the density like petrol or CNG gas stations but increased accessibility and faster charging speeds. We will ensure that the Ather Grid is present in prominent locations in every city to build confidence amongst our consumers. I feel proud to be part of the team that is building not just a high-performance scooter but also building the supporting ecosystem with it. It’s a huge investment and we believe it’s a necessary one to improve the adoption of EVs in India”, says Ravneet Phokela, Chief Business Officer.
