ATHER ENERGY: RIDING THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE TIDE

Situation Analysis:
Ather Energy is an Indian hardware start-up co-founded by Tarun Mehta and
Swapnil Jain, 2013 graduates of the famed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).
The case study deals with the difficulties that Ather energy confronts when it
tries to get its product, a two-wheeler EV, into the market, following policies
that were contradictory to the existing industry norms- internal combustion
engine (ICE). It also examines the general situation of the EV industry around
the globe and in India, addressing important areas such as political initiatives,
big emerging participants in the EV sector and the main changes that have taken
place in recent years. Ather Energy had developed an in-house battery and a
battery management system (BMS). Their first offering was designed ground-up
and required unique parts from auto ancillaries who were not very keen to
invest in an upstart technology Being a start-up also meant that Ather Energy
lacked veterans to guide them through the $67billion Indian automobile market.
Ather Energy was struggling with key questions concerning their market model.
In an environment where existing motor homes have dominated the roost for
decades, could they become a symbol of hope for all start-ups to take on a mark
in energy sector? Much depended on whether their first offering was approved
on the market, so the plan was to come up with an impeccable bid even when it
meant a lag in the launch.