Ather Energy Starts Chennai Operations — Prices Start At Rs 1.19 Lakh, On Road

India based electric vehicle manufacturer Ather Energy has begun operations in Chennai, it's second market after Bengaluru. The company held its first 'customer event' last weekend in the city, and has begun accepting bookings for its electric scooters at a token amount of Rs 5000.

The Ather 450 is priced at Rs 1.31 lakh, and the entry-level Ather 340 is priced at Rs 1.11 lakh (on-road, Chennai), and the scooters will be officially launched today. The prices are roughly Rs 5,500 more expensive than what they retail for at Bengaluru.

The prices mentioned are in-line with current GST rates of 12 per cent on EVs, and will most likely see a reduction once the GST council approves the five per cent rate as recommended under the Union Budget 2019.

Ather Energy has promised to begin deliveries for the first batch of bookings during September 2019, and during November and December for the second lot of bookings. The company has confirmed that the first batch or lot of electric scooters have already been booked, and bookings are open for the second and third lots.

Deliveries for the third lot will begin during February 2020 in Chennai. Outside of the standard purchase option, the Ather scooters can be leased with rentals starting as low as Rs 2517 per month. In addition, the first few customers also get one year of Ather One subscription for free.

Ather Energy has been working on setting up charging infrastructure in Chennai and currently has 10 charging points across the city. The company is expected to add a few more going forward.

The Ather 450 is the electric vehicle manufacturers flagship offering, and promises a range of 75km on a single charge. The scooter features a 2.4kWh Lithium-ion battery, and a Brushless DC motor that produces 7.2bhp and 20.5Nm of peak torque.

The Ather 350 is the other offering from Ather Energy. The scooter features a 1.92kWh Lithium-ion battery, and a Brushless DC motor that produces 5.9bhp of power and 20Nm of peak torque. The scooter can travel up to 60km on a full charge.

Both the Ather 450 and 340 electric scooters are produced at the company's facility in Bengaluru. With a current yearly capacity of 30,000 units, Ather is working on expanding its production capacity as it will make itself present in other cities including Mumbai, Delhi and Pune over the next year.

Thoughts About Ather Energy Starting Operations In Chennai

We're happy that Ather has started expanding it's network and area of operations. This is a critical step towards India's move toward electric vehicles. Being present in multiple cities add value to the company, and also helps them build a brand faster.