Ather Energy today has partnered with Godrej Nature’s Basket to expand AtherGrid, the company’s EV fast-charging public network’s presence in India. The electric two-wheeler manufacturer signed an MoU with Godrej Nature’s Basket for a pan-India association that will see the company set-up its charging points at various outlets of the grocery and fresh-food store, the first of which is up and running at the Sadashivnagar outlet in Bengaluru.
AtherGrid Points will be hosted at the 35 locations that Godrej Nature’s Basket operates across the country. The electric two-wheeler company which began delivery of Ather 450 in September 2018, has its charging infrastructure, AtherGrid, currently at 24 locations with 31 charging points operational in Bengaluru. The fast charging network is accessible, free of cost, for all electric vehicles in the city until September 2019.
The Bengaluru-based automotive OEM has also announced its expansion plans for Chennai, which will be rolled-out with the establishment of AtherGrid ahead of the commercial launch of the vehicles. Ather will also be setting up 10-15 charging points before the commercial launch of the scooters in the city and are actively seeking partnership with progressive minded institutions in Chennai.
“For us, partnering with a brand like Godrej Nature’s Basket was a natural choice for AtherGrid. Their wide network and ease of accessibility allows us to offer charging at locations that fit seamlessly into our consumers’ lives. We are excited about bringing newer locations for Bengaluru residents to charge their electric vehicles at and take the first step towards a pan-India expansion,” Ravneet Phokela, Chief Business Officer of Ather said in a statement.
The Ather 450, which is designed for city riding conditions, comes with a top speed of 80 km/hr, a range of 75 km and one of the quickest acceleration of 3.9 seconds from 0-40 km/hr in the scooter category. Also, for the first time in the category, Ather 450 comes with parking assist, which allows riders to reverse into tight parking spots.
The Ather 450 also has a 7-inch touchscreen dashboard that allows onboard navigation with options of alternate routes and saved locations. It comes with the Ather app that enables push navigation from the phone to the vehicle dashboard, remote monitoring of the vehicle’s health and charge status. Finally, with the over-the-air (OTA) updates functionality, the vehicle is capable of improving over time with continuous upgrades and the addition of new features and functionalities.