Ather Energy may venture into making electric motorcycles: Co-founder

Ather Energy, the electric vehicle (EV) scooter brand, may also venture into making electric motorcycles. In an interview with Peerzada Abrar, co-founder and chief technology officer (CTO) Swapnil Jain said right now the firm is heavily focused on scooters, which is the biggest market.

Ather has been making a lot of investments in research and development, but the outcome of such efforts takes a long time. How has this given you an edge over others?

The investments have been the reason that we have been able to develop the entire product. Not a single piece of technology has been brought from somewhere else. We are doing much more than any other OEM (original equipment manufacturer) does, including the ICE (internal combustion engine) players. Every single electronic component on the vehicle is designed by our team. The advantage it has given us is that it helps us continuously improve the product at a rapid scale. 

We are in 100 per cent control of the design. We can invest where we believe is the right place to invest without having to depend on anyone. We are able to improve the performance and costs and bring in new features. That is a very strong edge, which we have built for ourselves and we continue to leverage that. It took us a long time because we started at a time when nobody even believed that electric vehicles would become possible. It was an uphill battle for us.

Ather has been mainly focusing on the premium segment. Is it working for you at a time when other players are looking at the mass market?

It is working brilliantly for us because we are focused on the customers who are able to appreciate the value of a refined product. It is not that we only want to sell to premium customers. But as a first product, it is actually working quite well for us. We always wanted to establish a certain image in the market. Until now, the image of EVs was really poor. Operating in the premium segment helps us to continue deliver good quality and also deliver a sustainable business model.

What are the new innovations you are focusing on, including the safety aspects, as some of the EVs have caught fire?

We launched our own motor controller recently and a new battery pack, which has a higher capacity. We are constantly increasing the algorithms, which go on to the vehicle. There is SmartEco mode, which gives you better performance. We are planning a lot of software upgrades. We have a trip planner, which helps you plan your trip around a charging station. If you want to go from place A to place B and don't have enough charge, it will tell you the nearest charging station in the route. Innovation is happening in every single area from improving performance to reducing costs. 

Regarding safety (aspects), there are innovations such as the use of aluminium casing. This helps improve thermal management and protects you in case of any mishap. Then, there is innovation related to cell placement and the spacing between the cells. There are thermal interfaces and a material inside the battery pack. We will ensure that your vehicle doesn't become overcharged. All of these help build a safe product.

What kind of conversations are you having with the government for support?

There are dialogues on multiple fronts from an industry perspective like on subsidies, localisation and manufacturing. We are discussing which technologies to focus on if we want to localise. We may venture into electric motorbikes.

As Ather is scaling up, any plans to raise fresh funding?

We raised a funding round last month. We are not very actively looking for raising funds. But it helps to accelerate growth. We may raise it.