Ather Energy installs more than 1,000 fast chargers across India

Bengaluru-based, electric two-wheeler manufacturer, Ather Energy has announced that they have set up more than 1,000 fast charging stations across India. They call their charging network, Ather Grid. The brand plans to increase this count to more than 2,500 before 2023 ends. Limited charging stations are one of the major reasons why people are hesitating in transitioning to an electric vehicle.

Ather Energy has also released its IP for the charging connector to all OEMs, paving the way for an interoperable two-wheeler fast-charging platform. As of now, only Hero MotoCorp's Vida is using Ather's charging connector.

Ather Grid is already the biggest charging network in India. They have installed 60 per cent of the chargers in Tier-II and Tier-III cities. Ather has also installed these grids strategically across cities to enable intercity rides. The brand claims that consumers can now easily plan rides from Pune to Mumbai, Siliguri to Darjeeling, or Coimbatore to Ooty to name a few.

Ather currently sells the 450 Plus and 450X electric scooters. The fast-charging stations enable the owners to charge their vehicles up to 80% at 1.5 km/min. The charging network is supported by the Ather Grid App which allows all EV owners to locate and check the availability of the nearest charging stations in real-time. This facility is being offered free of charge until March 2023.

Commenting on the milestone, Ravneet Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy, said "A robust charging infrastructure is one of the major drivers in accelerating faster adoption of electric vehicles. As a brand focused on building a vibrant EV ecosystem, we have made strong investments in building what is already India's largest public fast-charging network. We are accelerating our scale up, and also adding Neighbourhood Charging - a charging solution focused on semi-private spaces such as apartment blocks, office, tech-parks etc. We stay committed to investing strategically in the space and supporting the growth of the industry."