Ather Energy is an Indian electric vehicle manufacturer based in Bengaluru, Karnataka, that designs and produces electric two-wheelers and associated charging infrastructure. The company is known for its electric scooters marketed under the Ather brand and for the Ather Grid, a network of public fast-charging points for electric two-wheelers in India.
| Type | Electric vehicle manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive, electric mobility |
| Founders | Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, Karnataka, India |
| Country | India |
| Products | Electric scooters, charging infrastructure (Ather Grid) |
Ather Energy was founded by Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, both alumni of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. The company was incubated at IIT Madras and set out to design an electric scooter built from the ground up for Indian conditions, with an emphasis on connected features, software, and battery management.
Among its early backers were Hero MotoCorp, the Indian motorcycle manufacturer, which took a significant equity stake in the company, alongside private investors. The Tiger Global investment group and other venture investors also participated in the company's funding rounds at various stages.
Ather's first commercial electric scooter, the Ather 450, was launched in Bengaluru, followed by an upgraded variant, the Ather 450X. The company subsequently introduced the Ather 450 Plus and additional variants in the 450 family, positioning the scooters as performance-oriented connected vehicles. The scooters feature a touchscreen dashboard, smartphone connectivity, over-the-air software updates, and integration with the Ather Grid charging network.
The Ather Grid is a network of fast-charging points installed across multiple Indian cities, intended for use by Ather scooters as well as other compatible electric two-wheelers.
Ather initially manufactured its vehicles at a facility in Bengaluru. To scale production, the company set up a larger manufacturing plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, where its scooters and battery packs are assembled.
Ather Energy is regarded as one of the early movers in India's modern electric two-wheeler industry, alongside companies such as Ola Electric and TVS Motor Company's electric portfolio. Its emphasis on in-house design, software-driven features, and a proprietary charging network has been cited as influential in shaping consumer expectations of electric scooters in India. The company has also been a participant in Government of India schemes promoting electric mobility, including the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) programme.