Ather Launches AI-Led E-Scooter Platform, With Pothole Alerts And Voice Commands

Electric two-wheeler maker Ather Energy on Saturday unveiled a new two-wheeler platform for a new generation of electric scooters across multiple segments.

The company also announced a series of other significant product and technology developments, including showcasing a concept moto-scooter Redux, and AtherStack 7.0, which would alert riders to share live location, report on potholes and crashes, update them on tyre pressure, among others.

Built for versatility, scalability, and cost optimisation, the new e-scooter platform is the first vehicle architecture since the launch of Ather 450, the company announced at an event here.

"With the EL platform, we are laying the foundation for Ather's next phase of growth. Just as the 450 defined our first chapter, EL will define the next, enabling us to develop multiple types of scooters at scale far more efficiently," said Tarun Mehta, Co-founder & CEO, Ather Energy, at the event.

This platform-first approach enables faster innovation and improved efficiency, serviceability, and rider experience, he said adding the latest platform reflects years of learning, deep R&D, and engineering.

He said the Ather's new factory at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will scale with EL platform products to meet growing demand effectively.

A vehicle platform is the underlying structure and integrated systems shared by multiple vehicle models. The structure, which includes the chassis, powertrain, underbody, and electronic architectures, serves as the common foundation for the design and engineering.

The company has two manufacturing plants in Hosur (Tamil Nadu), one each for vehicle manufacturing and battery manufacturing. Additionally, another is coming up in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, which is expected to increase Ather's total manufacturing capacity to 1.42 million EVs per year.

Ather said its next-generation platform is designed to meet the evolving and diverse needs of the domestic electric scooter buyers.

Designed on the back of 26 lakh km of field data, the new platform features a new chassis, powertrain, and a fully redesigned electronics stack. This offers the flexibility to build a wide variety of form factors by utilising a common set of key components, the company said.

The versatility it offers enables Ather to cater to different consumer segments, use cases, and markets, while being more cost-effective. It also noted that simpler architecture and a reduced component count enable 15 per cent faster assembly.

This also allows up to 2X faster periodic services, increasing the service interval up to 10,000 km, it said.

The new platform also introduces features such as Advanced Electronic Braking System (AEBS), which enhances braking performance by reducing stopping distance and minimising rear-wheel lockups, it said.

"With AtherStackTM 7.0, we're bringing AI into everyday riding through an LLM (Large Language Model) trained for our use cases and tuned to Indian dialects. Voice is the first step in that journey, an interface beyond buttons that makes rides smarter, safer, and more intuitive," said Swapnil Jain, Co-founder and CTO at Ather Energy.

Ather also announced expanding its theft-safety suite with the introduction of ParkSafe and LockSafe features and said that AtherStack 7.0 will roll out as an over-the-air (OTA) update in the coming months, and will be backwards compatible with the Rizta Z and the Ather 450X up to Gen 3 scooters.

The company also announced it has updated the 2025 Ather 450 Apex with its own advanced cruise control system designed specifically for Indian riding conditions.

Ather also unveiled its next-generation fast-charging experience. The new 6 kW charger is half the size of the current Ather fast charger and delivers double the speed in select Ather variants, adding up to 30 km of range in just 10 minutes, the company said. PTI IAS MR MR