Ather Energy announced it will unveil its first mass-market electric scooter on August 29, 2026 at the fourth edition of its flagship community event, Ather Community Day, held in Bengaluru. According to the company's press release, this marks Ather's entry into the ₹1 lakh to ₹1.25 lakh price segment through its new EL platform. The scooter is built on the next-generation vehicle architecture, representing the company's first all-new vehicle platform since the launch of the 450 platform in 2016. The EL platform is engineered from the ground up for greater versatility, scalability, and manufacturing efficiency, underpinning Ather's future product portfolio across segments and enabling the company to address the mass market while expanding its total addressable market. Despite holding an 18.6% market share in the EV two-wheeler segment, Ather faces intense competition from players like Ola Electric, Bajaj, and other established manufacturers in this competitive landscape.
The EL platform represents a significant shift from Ather's existing premium 450 platform, aimed at making electric scooters more affordable and accessible to a wider range of buyers. As reported by Ather Energy, the first scooter built on this platform will enable the company to address the mass market while opening the next chapter of growth. The platform is engineered from the ground up for greater versatility, scalability, and manufacturing efficiency, positioning it as the foundation for Ather's future product portfolio across all segments. This marks a milestone for Ather as it transitions from its established 450 platform to a completely new architecture designed for mass-market appeal. Through the EL platform, Ather is aiming to introduce new-age innovations across the board, engineering the platform from the ground up for greater scalability, versatility, and manufacturing efficiency.
The Ather Community Day 2026 will bring together thousands of Ather owners, automotive and technology enthusiasts, and partners for a first look at the products, technologies, and experiences that Ather has been building. According to reports from Ather Energy, alongside the new scooter, the company will introduce a range of innovations across technology, charging, and the ecosystem that will make the ownership experience more seamless and connected. The event theme is 'A New Dawn of Magic', where Ather will unveil the first scooter from its new EL platform, marking its entry into the mass-market scooter segment. The company will also showcase its Redux concept vehicle, next-generation fast-charging technology, and its AtherStack 7.0 platform for the company's next phase of innovation. The annual Ather Community Day is aimed at showcasing the brand's achievements, milestones and commitments, with the 2025 edition attracting more than 4,000 people and featuring the unveiling of the EL platform, Redux concept vehicle, next-generation fast-charging technology and AtherStack 7.0. Additional details about Community Day 2026 will be announced in the coming weeks.
The new variant features a total battery capacity of 4.4 kWh, delivered through two 2.2 kWh removable units, and provides an IDC-certified range of 187 km. The e-scooter comes with a 1 kW portable charger that can charge the battery from zero to 80 percent in 3 hours and 30 minutes, while DC fast charging provides the same level of charge in 65 minutes. The vehicle reaches a top speed of 90 kmph, supported by 6 kW of peak power and 26 Nm of torque. Features include three riding modes – Eco, Ride and Sports – as well as a 4.3-inch TFT display, smartphone integration, turn-by-turn navigation, OTA updates and 27.2 litres of under-seat storage. The launch follows an endurance test where the scooter completed a 12,111 km journey over 52 days, from Bengaluru to Delhi, earning the brand a place in the Asia Book of Records for the 'Longest Journey by an Electric Scooter'. VIDA is offering Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) plans to support the model, which will be available at dealerships nationwide by the end of July 2026.
In a significant development, Hero MotoCorp, which was amongst the earliest backers in the EV maker, has approved an investment of ₹10 billion in Ather Energy. At present, Hero MotoCorp holds 29.48% stake in the company. The new investment will further see subscription to equity shares or other eligible securities, including compulsorily convertible preference shares and warrants to be issued by Ather Energy on a preferential basis. Kausalya Nandakumar, Chief Business Officer, Emerging Mobility Business Unit, Hero MotoCorp, stated that the VIDA EVOOTER VX2 Plus 4.4 kWh variant offers a longer range that completely fulfills riders' long-distance aspirations elevated by the first-in-industry 1kW portable charger. The VIDA EVOOTER VX2 Plus 4.4 kWh is priced at ₹143,990 (ex-showroom New Delhi). The commercial success of Ather's new EL platform remains untested, with the company's expansion into the mass-market segment dependent on several key factors including product acceptance, execution of the EL platform rollout, pricing competitiveness, and overall demand in India's electric two-wheeler market.
Ather Energy Ltd is an Indian electric two-wheeler manufacturer founded in 2013 by Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain. The company launched its first electric scooter in 2018 and currently sells the Ather 450 series and the Ather Rizta family scooter range, with a total of nine variants. As of March 31, 2026, the company held 52 registered patents, 326 registered trademarks, and 271 registered designs, along with several pending intellectual property applications globally. The company also operates Ather Grid, its fast-charging network for electric two-wheelers, which it claims is the widest two-wheeler fast charging network in the country. The company's current product portfolio includes the Ather 450 series and the Ather Rizta, a family scooter line launched in 2024.
Ather Energy reported a 57% decline in net loss to $100.23 crore in Q4 FY26, compared with the corresponding period last year. According to regulatory filings, the company had posted a loss of ₹234.36 crore in Q4 FY25. Revenue from operations for the reporting quarter stood at $1,174.66 crore, up 74% from ₹676.8 crore in March 2025. For FY26, the net loss stood at ₹517.17 crore against a net loss of ₹812.28 crore, while revenue from operations was ₹3,671.76 crore compared to ₹2,255.01 crore in FY25. Growth during FY26 was driven by geographic expansion, a rapidly scaling retail footprint, and the continued strong performance of Ather's family scooter Rizta.
