MUMBAI: Electric two-wheeler maker Ather Energy is planning to set up its third manufacturing facility in Bidkin, AURIC, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra.
This new facility will manufacture both electric two-wheelers and battery packs, said the company on Wednesday.
Ather currently has two manufacturing facilities in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, one dedicated to battery production and the other for vehicle assembly. The current facilities will continue to produce battery packs and vehicles.
According to Ather, the new facility in Maharashtra would allow them to get closer to more markets in the country by reducing its logistics costs.
Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, said, "Maharashtra offers a conducive business environment and continues to be a top destination for investments. This is in line with our honourable PM Shri Narendra Modi’s vision to strengthen India’s startup and manufacturing ecosystem, aiming to match or surpass global counterparts. We are happy to have Ather in Maharashtra, solidifying the state’s position as India’s leading automotive and manufacturing hub.”
The Deputy CM took to social media platform X to say that it is more than a Rs 2000 crore investment and will generate employment for around 4000 people. This state-of-the-art plant will annually produce up to 1 million units of vehicles and battery packs, he stated.
Swapnil Jain, Co-founder & CTO at Ather Energy, said, "Since 2021, our facilities in Hosur have been serving as our national manufacturing hub, catering to the demand across the country. With the support of the Tamil Nadu government and a strong supplier base, the existing facilities remain crucial for Ather. With our expanding product portfolio and the increasing consumer demand for our scooters, we decided to strategically diversify our production capabilities to an additional location that will be closer to more markets in the country.”
“The new manufacturing facility will not only rationalise our logistics costs, but will also hasten the delivery of finished products to our customers. We are thankful to the Maharashtra government and its policies that foster EV manufacturing and growth,” the Co-founder said.
Ather currently has over 200 Experience Centres and over 1900 fast chargers, Ather Grids, across India. Ather is known for its performance scooters in the 450 platform - 450X, 450S, and 450 Apex. Ather Energy recently launched its first family scooter, Rizta. The Rizta S comes equipped with a 2.9 kWh battery and offers an Indian Driving Conditions (IDC) range of 123 km. The Rizta Z is offered in two variants with a 2.9 kWh battery offering an IDC range of 123 km and another with a 3.7 kWh battery offering an IDC range of 159 km.