Ather Energy, India's leading electric scooter manufacturer, announced the installation of its 100th Ather Grid in Bengaluru. Ather now has the highest number of Ather Grid’s - EV fast charging stations- in the city. The fast charging station was installed at Third Wave Coffee at Banashankari. With this, Ather Energy has entered into an alliance with Third Wave Coffee Roasters to establish fast charging stations at their outlets pan India.
Since inception, along with the production of EV two-wheelers, Ather Energy has also focused on building a robust charging network. The company has installed over 1300 charging stations across 85+ cities, making it India’s largest fast charging network for two-wheelers. Ather Energy’s very first grid was installed in their home city of Bengaluru and the launch of the 100th charging infrastructure marks a significant milestone in Ather Energy's journey. The charging infrastructure in the city has been installed such that all zones and areas are covered. Ather Grid has also expanded to Nandi Hills, a popular weekend getaway destination from Bengaluru. Four charging points have been installed through the length of the route leading to Nandi Hills
Commenting on the milestone, Ravneet Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy, said, “We are delighted to install our 100th Ather Grid fast-charger in Bengaluru, our home city, and lead the way in strengthening the EV ecosystem. Our fast growing charging network is a testament of our commitment towards providing a seamless charging experience not just for the Ather community but for the EV ecosystem at large. Bengaluru has been at the forefront of EV adoption and has led the way in strengthening the charging infrastructure ecosystem. We are immensely grateful to utility providers, hosts and businesses that have trusted us and supported us in establishing Ather Grid's presence in Bengaluru.”
Over time, the charging grids across the city have facilitated a total charging time of 250,000 hours, with the average time spent on each charging station being 40 minutes. Over 13,000 unique scooters have been charged, and the top five grid locations most frequented by Ather owners are Go Native, Smarttron Automations, Fab Cafe, Infinitea, and The Chocolate Room.
In addition, Ather Energy has tied up with several brands to promote sustainable mobility, including BESCOM, Sangeetha Mobiles, Decathlon, Metro Cash and Carry, Third Wave Coffee Roasters, HPCL, Chai Point, and Prestige Group - UB City being a landmark. Today, the Ather Grid, designed and built in India, is the most-widespread fast-charging network for two-wheeler EVs in the country, with 60% of current installations in Tier-II and Tier-III cities. The company's charging network is equipped with fast chargers that can charge an Ather 450X scooter up to 80% in just 50 minutes.
Ather Energy has been on an expansion spree to ensure easy access to its flagship scooters and plans to install 2500+ fast charging grids by the end of 2023 to foster range confidence and facilitate a hassle-free transition to EVs. Ather Energy also recently launched a new initiative- Ather Neighbourhood Charging. The charging solution enables access to charging stations in semi-public spaces such as corporate buildings, technology parks, and residential complexes. This will make charging easier and accessible at all possible locations for consumers, giving them the confidence to switch to electric mobility.