According to reports from Business Standard, Ather Energy is developing its first electric motorcycle targeting the 150-300cc performance segment with a launch expected in approximately three years. Cofounder and Chief Technology Officer Swapnil Jain emphasized that the company is prioritizing customer understanding over technological challenges, stating that motorcycles are "a very emotional piece" compared to scooters. The company has spent nearly a year studying motorcycle customers but has not yet completely figured out the wide variety of products and preferences in the market.
As reported by Business Standard, Ather is developing the motorcycle platform independently, focusing on battery pack range, motor power capacity, and technical specifications. The engineering team is working on parameters such as voltage, top speed, battery cells, and battery chemistry while product and marketing teams study customer preferences. Jain confirmed the company wants to launch the motorcycle "much faster" than the three-year timeline, stating they are "currently doing two things in parallel, very similar to what we did with the EL platform."
According to Business Standard, Ather believes battery packaging will not be a major hurdle for its electric motorcycle, with the space normally occupied by a petrol motorcycle's fuel tank sufficient to accommodate a 8-10 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery. Jain questioned the need for very large batteries and extremely high claimed ranges, noting that real-world usage shows around 120 km range is sufficient for many users. The company is not seeking a joint venture for motorcycle development, believing it has built sufficient expertise in electric two-wheelers.
As reported by Business Standard, India's motorcycle market is approximately 13 million units annually, but electric motorcycles remain a tiny fraction of this market. Revolt, currently the largest electric-motorcycle maker in India, has volume sales less than 1% of India's overall motorcycle market. Major two-wheeler manufacturers including Hero MotoCorp, Honda, TVS, and Bajaj Auto have yet to launch electric motorcycles, leaving the category largely to newer EV players.
According to Business Standard, on August 29, Ather launched the Konarc, its first electric scooter based on the new EL platform, at a starting price of ₹99,999 (ex-showroom Bengaluru). The company is also working with Indian companies on domestic cell manufacturing, evaluating their cells and helping them understand technical requirements. Notably, Hero MotoCorp increased its stake in Ather to approximately 32.8% last month, remaining hands-off operationally according to Jain, who confirmed the motorcycle maker has not sought to interfere in Ather's day-to-day operations.
