- The store is the 26th experience centre in India and is driven by the brand’s strategy to expand its retail footprint across key towns and cities
- The company plans to launch 10 new retail stores in the state in the next year
Thiruvananthapuram : Ather Energy, India’s leading electric scooter brand, is all set to strengthen its retail operations in Kerala with the launch of a new retail outlet– Ather Space at Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram. The new experience centre will be the brand’s third store in the state, after launching two stores in Kochi and Kozhikode earlier this year. The rapid expansion in the state is driven by the phenomenal response to the Ather 450X and 450 Plus electric scooters.
The new outlet has been inaugurated at Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram, in association with Popular Vehicles & Services. The Ather Space provides a unique ownership experience along with complete service and support for the owners. It will offer customers an opportunity to learn about every aspect of the vehicle and provide a complete overview through a stripped-bare unit on display. Customers can book test ride slots on the company’s website before visiting the experience centre to experience riding a connected and intelligent scooter. The Ather 450X, alongside the Ather 450 Plus will be available to test ride and purchase at Ather Space.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ravneet Singh Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy, said, “Kerala is one of the largest markets for Ather Energy, with a high rate of EV adoption, and the market acceptance for premium electric two-wheelers has been encouraging. The new experience centre in Thiruvananthapuram will cater to the rising consumer demand and will make Ather electric scooters more accessible to customers in Kerala. The outlet will provide a holistic experience of riding a connected and intelligent scooter for the customers. We also aim to launch 10 new retail stores in Kerala by March 2023”
Naveen Philip, MD of Popular Vehicles & Services, said, “ECOMARQ, the EV subsidiary of Popular Vehicles and Services, is delighted to partner with Ather Energy. Customers in Kerala are increasingly looking to switch to electric vehicles since they provide exceptional value for money. Till date, Thiruvananthapuram consumers had to look at retail outlets in other cities in Kerala to buy EVs, but with the new Ather Space, we can now cater to the entire city. We intend to empower consumers’ journeys with eco-friendly electric vehicles and to enable seamless connectivity via the use of intelligent vehicles. We have served millions of satisfied customers along the way, and we are all geared up to welcome customers looking to own the new Ather 450X. “
Ather Energy is one of the few OEMs that also invests in building charging infrastructure. It has installed 5 Ather Grid points at several critical points across Thiruvananthapuram. These charging points can be found in Thycaud, Kazhakootam, Panavila, Nemom and Plamoodu. The company plans to add four more charging points by March ‘22 to strengthen Ather’s charging grid network to provide smooth and hassle-free rides to EV owners in the city. Also, Ather Energy plans to strengthen its retail operations by expanding to 100 cities with around 150 experience centres by March 2023.
The Ather 450X is the best and most awarded electric scooter available in the country today. Ather Energy designs and builds high-performance and truly intelligent electric scooters that are on par, if not better than the 125cc petrol scooters on the market. The cost of ownership for an Ather Energy vehicle is lower than its petrol counterparts over the long term.
The ex-showroom price post the Fame II revision for the Ather 450X is INR 1,46,926 & INR 1,27,916 for the Ather 450 Plus in Thiruvananthapuram. Considering the total cost of ownership of a comparable 125cc scooter, Ather 450X and Ather 450 Plus owners can now breakeven their investment in 18-24 months and will begin to save nearly Rs. 2 per km in the years after.
Total Cost of Ownership comparison of an ICE vehicle for an average usage of 25kms per day, 5 days a week :
| Ather 450 Plus | Ather 450X | 125 cc Petrol Scooter | |
| Upfront Cost* | Rs. 127,916 | Rs. 146,926 | Rs. 107,651 |
| 3 year cost of riding** | Rs. 26,806 | Rs. 26,311 | Rs.74,613 |
| 3 year cost to own | Rs. 159,927 | Rs. 178,230 | Rs. 182,264 |
| 3 year cost per km | Rs. 1.37 | Rs. 1.35 | Rs. 3.83 |
| 5 year cost to own*** | Rs. 176,198 | Rs.194,004 | Rs. 235,496 |
| 5 year cost per km | Rs. 1.51 | Rs. 1.48 | Rs. 3.93 |
* Ex-Showroom All India prices
**Based on INR 105 per/ltr cost of Petrol and average service costs for a comparable 125cc petrol scooter in 3 years
***Based on INR 105 per/ltr cost of Petrol and average service costs for a comparable 125cc petrol scooter in 5 years