Ather Adds 580th Charging Grid In India, Hero MotoCorp To Utilize Ather's Charging Network

Ather Energy, the maker of the Ather 450x electric scooter, has added its 580th fast-charging grid in India. Ather's fast charging network is now scattered across 56 cities in India and is a public charging network. Reportedly, Hero MotoCorp will be the first OEM to make use of Ather's charging network for its recently launched Vida V1 electric scooters.

Tarun Mehta, CEO and Co-founder of Ather Energy, commented on making its charging network public, "Any OEM can use these chargers for free. Ather will also help with integration and support for the industry, at no cost."

There is a dire need for charging infrastructure development in India and Ather is actively trying to contribute by expanding its public charging network. The company has also laid out a roadmap to add 820 more charging grids by April 2024, taking the total tally to 1400.

Ather Charging Grid: Details

Ather states that it has strategically placed its chargers across India. About 60 percent of its new grids are installed in tier 2 and tier 3 cities of India. Ravneet Phokela, Chief Business Officer of Ather Energy, said that the company is allowing its proprietary charging connector to be adopted by other OEMs to facilitate interoperability.

Ather's DC fast chargers offer charging speeds of up to 1.5km/min. It can be used by electric two-wheelers and electric cars of any make, provided they support 5A charging. You can locate the nearest charging point via the Ather Grid app. The charging facility will be offered for free till December 2022.

Ather Energy has also joined hands with other players in the market like Magenta Power and Park+ to expand its charging network. Alternatively, it is working towards setting up chargers in housing societies in select cities.

Ather Energy's Sales Expansion Plans

Not just charging infrastructure, Ather Energy is also focussing on improving its sales and after-sales support for its users. It currently sells the Ather 450 Plus and Ather 450X electric scooters through its 50 authorized showrooms in 38 cities of India. Going forward, it will add 150 more showrooms in 100 cities by mid-2023. The brand is now selling around 6,000 units per month and realizes that improving the EV charging network and sales support would be crucial to gain the trust of its customers.