Ather enters mass-market e-scooters with ₹99,999 Konarc, adds 500,000-unit plant

Ather Energy is targeting 90% of India’s e-scooter market with its sub-₹1 lakh Konarc launch while expanding manufacturing to address an estimated 15,000-unit monthly demand gap. The move sharpens competition with EV leaders TVS and Bajaj.

— Source publishedThu, 24 Sept, 2026, 12:25 IST·First seen Thu, 24 Sept, 2026, 12:36 IST·Source Forbes India

What happened

Ather Energy · Ather launched sub-₹1 lakh Konarc to enter India’s mass e-scooter segment, challenging TVS and Bajaj. Capacity constraints have pressured its

Key facts

  • Konarc launch price: below ₹1 lakh (₹99,999), excluding software pack
  • AtherStack Pro software pack: ₹8,500-₹23,500
  • Ather says Konarc addresses 90% of the e-scooter market
  • Ather August retail-sales growth: 50%; industry: 67%; TVS: 90%; Bajaj: 235%
  • Ather market share fell from 18.4% in March to 15.7% in August
  • August EV two-wheeler shares: TVS 26.7%, Bajaj 22.4%
  • Ather unmet demand: nearly 15,000 scooters monthly
  • Ather current annual capacity: 420,000 units
  • New Ather factory initial annual capacity: 500,000 units; second phase adds 500,000
  • Hero MotoCorp increased Ather stake from 29.9% to 32.8% with ₹1,758 crore infusion
  • Ather Grid: over 6,100 fast chargers across 370 cities
  • Non-vehicle business contributes 14% of Ather revenue
  • River Mobility raised $120 million in August
  • Ultraviolette planned plant capacity: 250,000 units initially, expandable to 500,000

Why this matters

The mass-market launch and capacity build strengthen Ather’s strategic position but may create partnership or acquisition opportunities across supply chain, charging, financing and dealer-network capabilities.

What to watch

  • Konarc monthly bookings, cancellations and conversion from booking to delivery.
  • Ather's monthly EV scooter market share relative to TVS, Bajaj, Ola and Hero.
  • Plant commissioning timing, capacity utilization and dealer inventory levels.
  • Average selling price, financing penetration and discount intensity in the sub-₹1 lakh electric-scooter segment.
  • Service turnaround times, warranty claims and battery-related customer complaints as volumes scale.
  • Policy changes affecting EV subsidies, registration costs, battery safety standards or financing availability.
  • Accelerate dealership and service-network expansion in tier-2 and tier-3 cities where sub-₹1 lakh demand is concentrated.
  • Offer aggressive EMI, exchange and battery-warranty packages to reduce the upfront-price advantage of ICE scooters.
  • Prioritize localization and supplier contracts for high-volume Konarc components to protect gross margin during competitive pricing.
  • Use the 500,000-unit plant to shorten delivery lead times before expanding exports or launching additional mass-market trims.
  • Competitors are likely to counter with refreshed entry variants, dealer incentives and bundled financing rather than immediately matching all price cuts.

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