Indian companies should make electric 2-wheelers for global market: Amitabh Kant

BENGALURU: The future is electric in India which has seen a meteoric rise in EV adoption and homegrown companies should now aim to make electric two-wheelers for the global market, the G20 sherpa and former NITI Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant, said on Saturday.

Speaking at Ather Energy’s community day event here, Kant said that India is already the biggest exporter of two-wheelers in the world.

“Now is the time for Indian EV companies like Ather to not only make 2 two-wheelers for the domestic consumers but also for the world,” Kant told the gathering.

India’s EV sales nearly doubled in 2023 and are likely to grow 66 per cent this year, driven by rising consumer interest, government initiatives and infrastructure development, according to Counterpoint Research.

Ather Energy, one of India’s electric scooter manufacturers, also launched its family scooter, called the ‘Rizta’, at the event.

Starting at Rs 1,09,999, it comes with connected features to enhance the riding experience like ‘SkidControl’ and WhatsApp on the dashboard.

“We entered the two-wheeler market with our performance scooter, the 450 series, which was recognised in the industry. Now, we are setting foot in the family segment with the Rizta, which has been designed and engineered with the Indian family in mind,” said Tarun Mehta, Co-Founder and CEO, Ather Energy.

Additional safety features which were previously seen on Ather’s 450 series of scooters are integrated into the Ather Rizta, said the company.

All three variants come with a top speed of 80 kmph and two riding modes – Zip and SmartEco.