Ather Energy expects its newly launched Konarc electric scooter to drive more than half of its sales over the next two years, as the EV maker looks to widen its addressable market and bring more petrol scooter buyers into the electric two-wheeler fold.
“I think Konarc will end up becoming about 50–60% of our portfolio,” Ravneet Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy, told Autocar Professional.
Attracting ICE Buyers
The company is positioning Konarc as a key product in its attempt to take electric scooters mainstream, with the focus less on taking customers from rival EV makers and more on converting buyers who would otherwise remain with internal combustion engine scooters.
“The role of Konarc is to take EVs mainstream, which by definition means that we’re looking at weaning people away from ICE,” Phokela said. “This is not about getting market share from somebody else. It’s really about getting share from the ICE world.”
For these customers, he said, Ather first needs to address fundamental considerations around comfort, safety and battery life before features and technology become differentiators.
Limited Initial Production
Konarc is currently being supplied only in parts of North India, with Ather yet to open bookings across central and southern markets. With supplies limited, the company chose to adequately serve fewer markets rather than spread small volumes across the country.
Ather expects this constraint to ease after its new manufacturing facility is commissioned in December, although Phokela said it would take a few months thereafter to ramp up production. More markets are expected to be added progressively as supplies improve.
The supply situation has also led Ather to pause further store additions for now. It currently has around 740 stores, with expansion expected to gather pace again after the festive period.
Over the next 18–24 months, Phokela sees around 1,800–1,900 stores as a target, while maintaining that expansion will be calibrated to ensure dealers remain viable and profitable.