PLI can unlock massive EV export opportunity: Ather CEO at BS Manthan
Tarun Mehta, CEO of Ather Energy, said that India has no competition in the mid-tier EV two-wheeler segment and PLI schemes can help the industry expand its global footprint
 "PLI can unlock massive EV export opportunity: Ather CEO at BS Manthan")
Tarun Mehta, co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Ather Energy, on Tuesday said the government’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme could unlock a massive export opportunity for India’s electric two-wheeler industry, provided startups are included on equal footing.
Speaking on Day 1 of BS Manthan, Business Standard's flagship event, Mehta said, "PLI is an amazing policy. If delivered properly, it can unlock massive exports of electric two-wheelers from India. This is a $100 billion global market".
He further said that because of the legacy players, India already captures 7–8 per cent of global two-wheeler revenue, and it can leverage it further to expand its EV exports.
Mehta argued that in EVs, India has no competition in the mid-tier two-wheeler segment, not even from China. "India is genuinely at the cutting edge on software, batteries, charging, power electronics and cost structures," he said.
PLI needs reform
However, Mehta said in order for the exports to grow, the PLI framework needs reform. According to him, a company was eligible for PLI only if it had zero revenue.
"If a startup had ₹100 in revenue, it became ineligible," he said.
Mehta added that pure EV players were being penalised while firms with petrol revenues could access benefits. "PLI, meant to push electrification, is penalising pure EV players. They are the engine of innovation," he said, adding that without startups, the industry cannot move forward.
Turning to product strategy, Mehta stressed that reliability and quality is central to Ather's business and has elevated the bar across the EV two-wheeler industry. Before launching its first product in 2018, he said the company spent years building prototypes and running around 2,500 tests.
He further added that with global benchmarks still evolving, the company developed many in-house standards to test its products. "Outside India, nobody has done this level of proper development in testing standards," Mehta added.