Even as the electric two-wheeler market is set to see the launch of more powerful vehicles in the coming months, there is a need to build a strong home-charging ecosystem to maintain the positive momentum, says Tarun Mehta, Co-founder and CEO of Ather Energy, a leading electric two-wheeler manufacturer in the country.

Govt push

The government has been taking a keen interest in building a public charging infrastructure. The density of charging points across the country will be as that of fuel stations in the coming years. Many new-age players like Ather are also involved in building the ecosystem and setting up charging points across cities. Although the government is looking to build infrastructure at public places, home-charging requires a bigger push.

“The majority of EV charging takes place at home for the average consumer, but EV enthusiasts face challenges due to the lack of dedicated charging spots for two-wheelers, giving them second thoughts about making the switch. Residential Welfare Associations and policymakers should address these basic concerns, which will help generate more demand for EVs. Though these policies have been put in place, ensuring that they are implemented is necessary, says Mehta.

Proprietary charging

Ather recently announced that it will offer its proprietary charging connector to other EV-makers, paving the way for an interoperable two-wheeler fast-charging platform.

“This would not only reduce range anxiety by allowing all scooters to access Ather Energy’s more than 200 fast chargers, but it would also allow more OEMs to build products on a common standard thus lowering infrastructure investments,” says Mehta.

While the new players have created the initial pull and sales momentum for electric two-wheelers, introduction of electric products by conventional two-wheeler makers has also resulted in raising the demand for EVs.

Change in mindset

Electric two-wheeler OEMs say the market is turning in their favour in a big way due to the mindset change among the people thanks to the many benefits of owning an electric 2W.

“Today, people are walking into an EV showroom expecting to be wowed by electric vehicles. Consumers fundamentally want a product that they can be proud of. They expect a well-performing and high-quality electric vehicle which is an upgrade and not a compromise. In the coming years, we will see more OEMs introducing more efficient and powerful electric two-wheelers. This will also impact buying patterns to a large extent,” says Mehta.

Ather sees high demand in all the markets for its electric two-wheelers and expects the demand to get better in the coming years. The company is expanding to 40 cities by the end of this year due to a favourable growth outlook for EVs.