Driven by Vision here is How Ather founders rewrote India's Electric 2-wheeler playbook
Ather’s journey is not just the story of an indigenous electric scooter company. It is the story of how two founders challenged perceptions, pioneered a new market category, and built an enduring platform based on product integrity, customer trust, and innovation discipline. It was their vision to build brand Ather as a pioneer in quality that moved away from poor-quality imports.
Ather’s early ambition went against the grain. The founders envisioned an electric scooter that was not just sustainable but aspirational — blending superior performance with cutting-edge technology and exceptional customer experience for a premium brand positioning. “India is not a demand, but a supply-constrained country. We don't have great products. We don't have brands trying to build great quality. We don't have companies trying to do the right things. Do it, and consumers will pay,” said Tarun Mehta in an interview with Forbes India in September 2023.
The Ather 450 launched in 2018, marked a watershed moment for the industry. It was India’s first "intelligent" scooter, with a touchscreen dashboard, over-the-air (OTA) software updates, and a smartphone-connected ecosystem. These features set a new benchmark for what consumers could expect from a scooter, forcing even traditional ICE players to rethink product roadmaps. No longer were E2Ws seen as budget alternatives; Ather had turned them into lifestyle upgrades.
Building this vision required not just innovation, but the foresight of Ather’s founders to create an entire ecosystem — from product design to supply chains — future-proofing the company for long-term leadership.
At a time when EV-specific supply chains were virtually non-existent in India, Ather took the unconventional path of designing several components in-house. Rather than rely on fully assembled outsourced systems, Ather owned the design of its batteries, vehicle control units, and dashboard interfaces, providing it greater control over quality, costs and the speed of innovation.
Building a fast innovation cycle became a part of Ather’s DNA. Thanks to its software-first platform, AtherStack, now in its fifth generation, the company could roll out new features and upgrades faster than any other E2W company in India.
A testament to the founders' long-term thinking is the approach to battery technology. Instead of rushing products to market, Ather iterated through six generations of batteries, each improving reliability, safety, and performance. Products undergo more than 4,500 component tests, a figure that exceeds industry norms and reflects the founders’ unwillingness to compromise on long-term product integrity.
After-sales service has also been a differentiator. While most brands offer standard servicing, Ather launched its "Gold Service Centre" model, offering customers a tech-enabled, premium after-sales experience rarely seen even in the luxury automobile segment. Additionally, its "Eight70" warranty program, offering 70% battery state-of-health assurance for a coverage of eight years, is among the most customer-friendly offerings in the global EV sector. This warranty shows the founders' confidence in their technology and their customer-first commitment.
Today, Ather’s platform strategy is paying off. With The launch of Juggernaut, a 38,692 sq ft product testing and validation centre in Begur, Bengaluru, Ather has enhanced its testing capacity and capabilities, allowing for the acceleration of innovation and product development.
“EVs are fundamentally different from ICE vehicles and represent a relatively new technology, making it crucial to rigorously test every component of the vehicle.” Swapnil Jain said, “At Ather, we have consistently invested in R&D and established robust testing processes and standards to ensure high-quality prr5tgoducts.” Juggernaut positions Ather to tap into both the performance and convenience scooter markets at a time when India’s E2W penetration is expected to surge from 5.1% to 40% by FY31, as per CRISIL report.
As Ather prepares for its public offering, the founders' long-term commitment remains intact.
Unlike many startup promoters who partially exit at IPO, neither Tarun Mehta nor Swapnil Jain are selling any significant proportion of their shares. This is an unusual move in India’s start-up ecosystem, where promoter exits are not uncommon. Their continued ownership signals strong alignment with long-term value creation and confidence in Ather’s roadmap. Their decision is a bet not just on the company’s future, but on the larger transformation of India's urban mobility landscape.
Ather Energy's founders, Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, have demonstrated a steadfast vision, prioritizing quality and innovation over fleeting market trends. Their commitment to "doing the right things" for the industry is evident in their focus on manufacturing high-performance scooters for the premium segment. This is further supported by their emphasis on building a robust customer interaction network, rigorous product validation, and continuous R&D. Their decision to retain a significant ownership stake as the company goes public underscores their confidence in Ather's long-term success.
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