Vaidya Energy, a subsidiary of Vaidya's Organisation of Industries and Trading Houses (VOITH), has collaborated with Ather Energy, India's premier smart electric vehicle manufacturer, to introduce their flagship 450X two-wheeler model in the country in November.
Known for its performance in India, Ather 450X series boasts of a top speed of 90 kilometres per hour and the power to go from zero to 40 kilometres per hour in just 3.3 seconds. The scooter will come in two variants, a 3.7 kWh battery and a 2.9 kWh battery, with a certified range of up to 150 kilometres and 111 kilometres, respectively.
With the state-of-the-art battery pack and software with the most unique user interface compared to any other two-wheeler available in the market, users will be able to make phone calls, listen to music, and use integrated Google Maps. Other interesting features include park assist, a reverse mode for scooters, and auto hold, where the scooter automatically detects a slope and holds it without the need to continue pressing on the brakes, among others.
The company is also known for introducing the first touchscreen dashboard on a two-wheeler across the globe and provides real-time information on the remaining battery life, nearby charging stations, and maps.
Introduction of the brand in the local market also involves setting up Ather Space, an experiential retail outlet, and deploying Ather Grids, a fast-charging network across Nepal. As part of this collaboration, Vaidya Energy will establish the fast-charging stations to alleviate range anxiety for riders in the country.
Ravneet S Phokela, chief business officer of Ather Energy, shared that unlike other scooters, Ather's products are built from scratch in India.
"Around a decade ago, the EV industry model in India was to go to China, procure a product, rebrand it, and start selling it. But that model never works because the product is already a bad one. We believed that the model was not great and as electric scooters are also expensive compared to petrol-run scooters, the idea was to give people not just a good product but the best scooter for the price," he said.
Stating that the scooter is also well tested for steep inclines and hot environment conditions, he shared that the 450X has proven its performances in areas which are similar to Nepal's geography.
"In Nepal, we are currently seeing a similar scenario like we used to in India and believe that the challenges and opportunities will also be similar to what we experienced here. People in Nepal are already exposed to EVs coming from China. We are here to not only promote Ather but also say that EVs are great," he added.
Nepal is the first international market for Ather Energy as part of the company's expansion outside India where it has enjoyed considerable success. The company's scooter plant in Tamil Nadu is spread over an area of 300,000 square feet with two vehicle and five battery lines. With direct as well as indirect involvement of more than 18,000 employees, the plant produces around 35,000 units of vehicles per month.
