Ather Takes Aim at India’s Mass-Market EV Segment With Konarc
Ather Energy has launched its new Konarc electric scooter in India, opening a new phase in the company’s push beyond its established 450-series products. The scooter was unveiled on August 29 at Ather Community Day 2026 in Bengaluru, with the entry-level version priced at ₹99,999 ex-showroom in Bengaluru.
The Konarc is the first production scooter built on Ather’s new EL platform, an architecture the company has been developing as a more cost-conscious and versatile base for future electric two-wheelers. Ather had previously shown the EL platform through concept vehicles before confirming the Konarc as its first production model.
The launch gives Ather a product positioned closer to the heart of India’s mass-market electric scooter segment, where it faces competition from models such as the TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak and other increasingly price-focused electric two-wheelers.
Ather Konarc price and variants
Ather is offering the Konarc in S and Z product lines, with six variants planned across the range. The S range includes versions associated with claimed IDC ranges of 100 km, 125 km, 161 km and 200 km, while the Z line includes 125 km and 161 km versions.
The currently announced S variants are priced as follows:
| Variant | Claimed IDC Range | Ex-showroom Bengaluru |
|---|---|---|
| Ather Konarc S 100 | 100 km | ₹99,999 |
| Ather Konarc S 125 | 125 km | ₹1,21,999 |
| Ather Konarc S 161 | 161 km | ₹1,44,999 |
The company said the S 125 and S 161 versions will be available initially, with bookings and deliveries beginning in September in a phased rollout across selected states. The 200-km version and other variants are part of the broader product range.
Prices cited above are ex-showroom Bengaluru and should not be confused with final on-road prices, which will vary depending on location, taxes, insurance and other charges.
Built on Ather’s new EL platform
The Konarc represents Ather’s first production application of the EL platform. The company has described the architecture as being designed with safety, convenience and cost in mind.
Ather’s FY2025-26 earnings-call material had already pointed to the EL platform as an important part of its plans to improve vehicle cost structures. The platform also incorporates the company’s Ather Charge Drive Controller, which enables onboard charging while reducing the physical size of the charger.
The production scooter has also been designed with a focus on stability and everyday practicality. India Today reported that the Konarc has a 1,352 mm wheelbase, the longest in Ather’s scooter range, along with 90 mm of front and 100 mm of rear suspension travel.
Range options stretch to 200 km
Range is one of the headline features of the Konarc lineup.
The currently launched S variants carry claimed IDC figures of 100 km, 125 km and 161 km, while Ather’s broader Konarc lineup extends to a version rated for up to 200 km of claimed IDC range.
IDC figures are standardized test-cycle figures and do not represent the distance every rider will achieve in everyday conditions. Actual range can vary with riding speed, traffic, temperature, rider weight, road conditions, and use of electrical systems.
More practical focus than Ather’s performance-oriented scooters
The Konarc marks a different emphasis for Ather. While the company’s 450 range has traditionally been associated with performance and technology, the new scooter is being positioned toward a much wider group of everyday and family users.
Automotive reports from the launch indicate that the scooter has a 31-litre boot, while the wider design focuses on comfort and stability. The model also uses a metal-body construction, giving it a different character from Ather’s earlier scooters.
The scooter also brings several practical features, including Ather’s MagicKey system and other convenience-oriented functions. Ather has continued to build its vehicle experience around software as well as hardware, with its AtherStack software platform providing connected features across its scooter lineup.
Ather’s mass-market push
The Konarc arrives at an important point for Ather.
The company has been expanding beyond its performance-oriented 450 products, with the Rizta already giving it a stronger presence in the family scooter market. The Konarc takes that strategy further by moving into a lower starting-price bracket.
Ather CEO and co-founder Tarun Mehta told The Economic Times that the company expects Konarc to generate higher gross margins than the Rizta within a year as production and the new platform scale up. Mehta said the lower-cost platform is intended to support Ather’s move into the mass market while improving profitability.
The launch also comes shortly after Hero MotoCorp announced plans to increase its stake in Ather. Reuters reported on August 27 that Hero intends to invest up to ₹17.58 billion to purchase additional Ather shares, taking its stake from 29.88% to 32.8%.
That investment gives additional context to Ather’s expansion plans as competition in India’s electric two-wheeler market continues to intensify.
Ather also introduces a new charging initiative
The Konarc was not the only announcement at Ather Community Day.
Ather also introduced Ather Node, a charging solution aimed at apartment complexes and larger residential societies. The system is intended to connect EV chargers across housing communities, addressing one of the practical problems faced by electric-vehicle owners who live in buildings without convenient individual charging arrangements.
The company plans to roll out Ather Node in six cities by the end of 2026, according to NDTV Profit.
For Ather, the combination of a lower-priced scooter and expanded charging infrastructure points to a broader attempt to make its products more accessible outside its traditional customer base.
What happens next
The Konarc rollout will begin in phases. Ather has indicated that the S 125 and S 161 versions will be among the first variants available, with bookings and deliveries starting in September across selected states before a wider rollout.
The remaining variants, including the higher-range 200-km version and Z-series models, will expand the lineup later.
The immediate test for Ather will be whether the Konarc can translate its lower starting price, longer-range options and practical design into higher sales in a crowded electric scooter market. The company’s ability to scale production while maintaining margins will be equally important as it moves deeper into the mass-market segment.
