Ather Energy partners with Amara Raja for homegrown e-scooter batteries

Electric two-wheeler maker Ather Energy has signed a pact with battery manufacturer Amara Raja Energy & Mobility (ARE&M) to develop and source Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery cells for its electric scooters, a move which will promote domestic cell manufacturing and innovation.

These cells will be produced at Amara Raja’s upcoming Gigafactory in Divitipally, Telangana for which the company has announced an investment of ~9,500 crore to establish a 16 GWh capacity facility.  

Under the agreement, Amara Raja will collaborate with Ather to develop and supply NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) and LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) Li-ion cells. 

“Our focus has always been on designing and building products from scratch in India, with most of our components, aside from cells, sourced domestically,” said Tarun Mehta, Co-founder & CEO of Ather Energy.

“This partnership will help us to source lithium-ion cells tailored to Ather’s specific requirements, further enhancing our ability to innovate and scale efficiently. Our aim is to help the domestic industry grow significantly to support India’s energy demand now and in the coming future,” Mehta said.

Speaking on this, Vikramaditya Gourineni, Executive Director, Amara Raja Energy & Mobility said, “At Amara Raja, we have significantly progressed in our efforts to build world-class facilities to manufacture cell and battery packs customised for Indian conditions. We are proud to partner with Ather and together we will focus on building market relevant solutions in India’s journey towards indigenisation of Electric Vehicle technologies. We immensely respect Ather’s contribution to electrify mobility in India.”  

Ather Energy currently operates two manufacturing facilities in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, for battery production and vehicle assembly. The company has also announced plans to open a third facility in Maharashtra, aiming to better serve markets across the country.