Bengaluru-based EV two-wheeler company Ather Energy, which recorded its highest ever monthly sales after selling 3779 units in April 2022, is registering a growth of over 255 per cent year-on-year. Ather said that transition to EVs is inevitable, and technology will play a pivotal role in the future of mobility.
“EVs are a breath of fresh air for the auto industry which lacked innovations for decades. Consumers today want modern, compelling vehicles that provide a reliable and hassle-free ownership experience. The experience of riding our truly intelligent vehicles has played a critical role in driving the EV revolution in the country,” Swapnil Jain, co-founder and CTO Ather Energy, said. `
He added that the ecosystem and cost structures will first need to stabilise for EVs to be a viable option in a price-sensitive market like India.
“The current levels of localisation in the Indian EV sector are as low as 20 per cent. While limited access to crucial raw materials such as lithium and rare earth magnets are beyond our control, we have the expertise to achieve complete localization in BMS (battery management system) and TMS (tyre mobility system), motor and power electronics,” he added.
A number of tech giants like Song and Apple have announced their foray into e-mobility.
“While the entry of tech giants will definitely boost the supply chain and bring down costs, we strongly believe that building a favourable ecosystem in the country is critical for the success of the EV industry,” he said.
Ather, too, has tied up with Foxconn to manufacture components of EVs.
“While the demand is growing exponentially every month, challenges in the supply chain have become a hurdle in catering to the demand. To address the same and strengthen our supply chain, we have entered into a strategic partnership with Bharat FIH, a Foxconn Technology Group company, to develop and manufacture key components for Ather scooters,” he added.
The partnership, Jain said, aims to enhance the manufacturing ecosystem to meet the strong demand for their flagship products, the Ather 450X and the 450 Plus.
“Under the partnership, Bharat FIH will offer a host of manufacturing services that include Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Assemblies for Battery Management Systems, Dashboard Assembly, Peripheral Controlling Units, and Drive Control Modules. These products will be manufactured on a ‘Turn-Key" model, including managing the supply chain logistics and raw material procurement for Ather Energy. The partnership has benefitted us immensely as Bharat FIH has demonstrated incredible capability over the last few months by ramping up very quickly to meet our requirements,” he added.
He said that mobility tech has been steadily maturing, becoming more cost-effective and allowing engineers to experiment with more features, which in turn makes it more easily accessible.
“The evolving digital and physical infrastructure around electric vehicles can address multiple pain points in cities while making it safer, affordable, sustainable, and accessible for everyone,” Jain said.
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