Ather Energy’s upcoming launch sees a design prelude to woo commuters

Electric scooter manufacturer, Ather Energy, has unveiled a new campaign before the launch of its flagship scooter 450x. The campaign, titled ‘Simp My Ride’, has been created in collaboration with artist Kunel Gaur, the founder & creative director of Animal. 

With the collab, the brand is experimenting with the design of the scooters. A proper design factor in scooters is very pivotal in acquiring customers. While efficiency and mileage are determining factors of a sale, the first point of attraction for a customer is always the looks of a vehicle.

The brand’s vice president & head of marketing, Pranesh Urs, points out that the task to take on ICE (internal combustion engine) players of the category, is predicated on the ability of EVs to deliver a superior experience. This is also contingent on the overall appeal of the product. 

Through the campaign, the brand is aiming to reimagine the future of two-wheelers in the country, with a sleek design quotient to woo potential customers. Under the aegis of Gaur, the brand’s rendition of a futuristic EV scooter is one of street symbols and minimalistic character. 

The two-wheeler category in India is dominated by combustion engines, with the sweet sound of throttle and the roaring motors roping in enthusiasts from across the country. The electric entrants in Ather, and the likes of it, offer an experience away from what is traditionally expected from the vehicles. The slow purring sound of an electric engine, combined with the sheer aesthetics that come along with a peculiar chassis, has started to grow on bikers, slowly. 

For Ather, the entirety of the brand’s focus is on customer experience.

The design quotient

With the new campaign, the brand has enabled curious riders to have a sneak peek into the future of EV scooters. The ICE players of the category are generously known to offer provisions for design remakes, and modded chassis, among other reconfigurations. For an EV brand like Ather, the inspiration has come from its legacy counterparts. 

“(Designing experiments) aren’t something new. Other legacy brands in the category have done similar stuff for decades. We wanted to find inspiration, and this was one of the ways to do so,” Urs says.

As per Urs, while the new campaign is focused on the design aspect, the other exploratory implications of the campaign could extend to software development, lifestyle tweaks, and an overall better experience. “The ideas stay evolving, but the first step for us is to work and see how we look at designing a scooter in the future.”

A proper design factor in scooters is very pivotal in acquiring customers. While efficiency and mileage are determining factors of a sale, the first point of attraction for a customer is always the looks of a vehicle. Urs points out that for a futuristic brand like Ather, the design has to exhibit perceived charisma. 

“If you put ten ICE scooters together, all of them look the same except the logo. The consumer has to buy the future dream that we are trying to sell. And therefore, the design has to equally support the idea. Right from the ergonomics to the aesthetics, there are distinct experiences that stand out.”

The sound of the engine, or its lack thereof

The sound factor of a bike is something every biker, regardless of the engine category, takes pleasure in. Between throttle sounds and gear-shifts, sound adds a whole new dimension of two-wheel travel. But how does that translate into the EV segment?

Urs answers, “A lot of the products in the category are built while keeping the joy of riding. Sound happens to be a significantly important factor in having a comprehensive ride experience. Of course, the sound of an EV scooter is silent at certain speeds. But when it starts picking up pace, you can easily make out an Ather that is passing by, owing to its distinct V sound.”

This feature is also something that Ather markets to customers. Despite being in the EV category, the ability to generate sound has been something the brand has plugged on social media, with customers showing appreciation for it as well, as per Urs.

The challenge of affordability

Ather scooters belong to a premium segment, with pricing starting at plus 1Lac. This could be a challenge, especially since spending so much money would also come with sufficient skepticism. As per Urs, the category is evolving and the brand is looking to identify its next batch of customers. “The consumers that we are trying to acquire could be EV enthusiasts, or those who are on the fence. This is where the cost of ownership and the initial investments are coming through.”

The brand offers schemes and plans to make the products more affordable and make the transition from ICE to EV more convenient. For instance, Ather has launched EMI plans to acquire more customers. The brand has also announced its plans to launch an affordable scooter in the near term. 

The core target group for the brand has typically been consumers between the age of 25 to 34. But as per Urs, over the last five to six months, the brand has seen a lot of younger customers coming onboard.

The marketing strategy

Over the last one year, the brand has put in efforts to convert the awareness amongst the consumers into consideration, and therefore a purchase. A lot of the brand’s core target group is present online, which is why most of its ad spends go towards digital. 

“A lot of our focus will be towards the digital platforms, and therefore social media. Whether it's listicles, or auto portals, we will be focusing more on the digital platforms to actually drive conversions at this point.”

Beyond just the brand, Ather is also trying to aid the category in terms of awareness and outreach. Urs adds, “We need to work harder to convince consumers. It's not just about electric today, it's about the entire experience and what it can deliver consistently over a period of time.”

The business blueprint

Most of Ather’s business comes from high GDP states in the south, where the adoption of electric two-wheelers has taken off. “Most of the south Indian states were the early adopters of electric two-wheelers. We’re also seeing better EV penetration in markets like Delhi, Rajasthan, and Gujrat.”

As per Urs, every market is playing out a different cycle of adoption. The brand is present in 90 cities across the country, with nearly 140 experience centres.

In terms of sales, most of the leads are generated on digital, while the actual purchase and transactions happen in these experience centres. “From a purely marketing funnel, the leads are being generated through digital platforms. We also do a lot of offline activities to drive consideration and allow customers to experience the  product through test drives."