Ather Energy Has Signed An MoU With ESCOMs To Setup 1,000 Two-wheeler Charging Stations In Karnataka

Ather Energy, an electric scooter manufacturer, has signed an MoU with ESCOMs (Electric Supply Companies) of Karnataka to jointly establish fast charging for two-wheelers in 1,000 locations in the state.

“The collaboration aims to create a favorable ecosystem for electric vehicles in the state… All government agencies will coordinate with ESCOMs to share their available spaces for charging stations,” said a press release from Ather Energy.

The agreement comes at a time when Karnataka is trying to capitalize on growing interest for green technologies by inviting more companies in the sector to set up shop in the state and make it a hub for production of alternative fuel vehicles and essential components including battery technology.

The MoU was signed by Co-Founder and CEO of Ather Energy Tarun Mehta and BESCOM Managing Director Rajendra Cholan in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, reported The Hindu BL.

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Tarun Mehta, CEO and Co-founder, Ather Energy said on Twitter, “We are excited to partner with the Govt. of Karnataka and thankful to the Hon. CM of Karnataka Mr. Basavaraj Bommai for his speed, support and commitment to set-up a statewide network of charging stations. A robust charging network is one of the most important factors in accelerating EV adoption. Karnataka has been at the forefront of EVs and this will further the lead.”

Besides increasing the charging network in India, Ather also aims at significantly ramping up production in the country. Ather currently manufactures around 5,000 electric scooters per month but aims to increase its annual production capacity to 10 lakh scooters over the next three years. The recent investment of $200 million will help the EV maker achieve its targets by setting up a second production unit.

Since its inception, Ather Energy has invested in building a fast-charging network – Ather Grid, and has also released its IP for the charging connector to all OEMs. The Ather Grid has been designed and made in India completely by the company. In Karnataka, Ather Energy installed 58 fast charging stations and around 300 fast-charging Ather Grid Points across 28 cities in the country. In the next three years, Ather plans to install 5,000 fast chargers across India, and the MoU with the Karnataka government is the first step towards the goal.

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