Ather Energy partners BLive to push EV adoption across tourist destinations
Bengaluru-based EV startup Ather Energy has collaborated with EV retail platform BLive to encourage EV adoption at popular tourist destinations across the country, starting with Goa. The aim of the partnership is to provide easy accessibility to EVs and their convenient ownership or usability.
Under the partnership, both companies will set up EV charging infrastructure across the locations and focus on convenient bookings of Ather's electric scooters. At least 15 charging stations, called BLive EV Zones, will be set up across Goa for Ather e-scooters by the end of this year. Five of these will come up this month. BLive's online EV platform will offer first hand Ather e-scooter experience to potential customers and also help them with the booking process.
(Also read | Ather opens its proprietary fast-charging connector to rival electric scooters)
Ather hopes to leverage BLive's partnerships in hospitality and tourism industries across popular tourist destinations in the country to boost the confidence of commuters to shift to electric vehicles. “The electric vehicle market in India is amidst massive transformation and we have seen an exponential increase in demand for our electric scooters," said Ravneet S Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy.
(Also read | Ather says its e-scooters have helped save 30 metric tons of CO2)
BLive, the official EV Tourism partner of Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), also plans to set up EV Zones across hotels associated with the Corporation. GTDC's Chairman Dayanand Sopte said, "We want Goa to set an example for sustainable tourism… (we) support all the efforts to make tourism sustainable and encourage EV adoption in Goa. We want to create an environment where companies like Ather Energy and BLive can drive innovative change and lead us into the future".Ather Energy currently produces 450X and 450 Plus electric scooters in the country. It plans to expand this range with more variants. The EV startup hopes to make the most of BLive's online EV retail forum and its presence across tourist destinations in the country.
