Ather Energy To Launch EL Platform Scooter, Start Operations At New Plant In Aurangabad Before The End Of 2026

Ather Energy is betting big on its upcoming EL platform to widen its addressable market, with the first model expected around the festival season this year and production to be supported by a new factory, which will start operations before year-end.

The new plant is expected to start with a monthly capacity of about 42,000 units, adding to the company’s existing manufacturing base in Hosur as it prepares for the next phase of growth.

The EL platform marks a shift for Ather as it looks to enter lower price segments where it currently has no presence. “Our understanding is that the mass segment of ₹1–1.25 lakh is the largest chunk of the EV market today… and with EL, we are particularly targeting this segment,” co-founder Tarun Mehta said during a post-earnings call.

He said the platform would help the company expand its reach while improving profitability. “EL will give us the opportunity to expand margins with less dependence on really expensive commodities like aluminium… and fundamentally enable considerable cost reduction, based on how we have designed this platform,” Mehta said.

The company also expects the platform to open up a new set of customers without affecting its current products. “We’re talking about adding a product in a price segment where Ather literally does not play… giving us a large upside with very limited cannibalisation concerns overall,” he said.

The platform can produce a diverse range of scooters, from commuter and family to high-performance models, offering various battery sizes, wheel dimensions, and dashboard designs. When asked about the launch timeline, Mehta said: “We believe this festive season would be a good timeline for the products to come out.”

Ather currently sells the 450X and Rizta electric scooters, both positioned in the premium and mass premium categories of the market, leaving a gap in the more affordable segment. The EL platform is expected to address this, while also supporting cost improvements through design changes such as lower use of aluminium and simpler engineering.

To support the rollout, the company is building its largest factory in Auric City in Aurangabad. “This is our largest factory till date, planned for a total capacity of 10 lakh units, with 5 lakh units of capacity going live in phase one itself,” Mehta said.

The new facility will also improve efficiency. “This plant… will help unit economics, because it has higher vertical integration… with battery pack assembly, transmission assembly, painting, and electronics assembly… coming in-house,” he added.

The expansion comes at a time when competition in the electric two-wheeler market is intensifying, with established players such as TVS Motor Company, Bajaj Auto, and Hero MotoCorp strengthening their presence, especially in the mass segment.

Ather, which reported registrations of 238,461 units in financial year 2026, up 82%, also saw its market share rise to 17% from 11.4%, supported by network expansion and the Rizta launch.

The company doubled its store count to 700 outlets and more than doubled its service centres during the year, strengthening its reach across regions.

With the EL platform and new capacity coming online, Ather is positioning itself to compete more directly in the mass segment, even as it continues to build on its presence in the premium electric scooter space.