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Ather Energy puts India on MIT’s global climate tech map
The company’s growth has been driven by control over its software and much of its hardware, with plans to invest more in research and development.
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Staff Reporter - Tue, 14, Oct 2025
- 00:35 EDT
- 14
Ather Energy logo. / Ather energy
Bengaluru-based Ather Energy has been named among the 10 Climate Tech Companies to Watch in 2025 by the MIT Technology Review, the only Indian firm on the list. The honorees are companies working to cut emissions and build resilience in transport, energy, and industry. These companies are chosen for their potential to scale, innovate, and withstand shifting policy and market conditions.
The list spans a range of sectors and geographies. US-based Redwood Materials, Pairwise, and Fervo Energy were recognised for work in battery recycling, gene-edited crops, and geothermal power. Kairos Power, also from the US, is developing nuclear fission technologies. From China, Envision and HiNa are working on wind turbines and sodium-ion batteries. Germany’s Traton focuses on electric vehicles, Canada’s Cyclic Materials on critical minerals recycling, and Sweden’s Cemvision on low-emission cement. Ather represents India in the electric two-wheeler space.
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The MIT Technology Review profile of Ather places the company’s rise in the current context of India’s EV two-wheeler surge. It says more than 70% of India’s 200 million registered vehicles are two-wheelers, and Ather Energy’s focus on e-scooters positions it to shift commuters away from petrol vehicles. One of the earliest pure-play electric scooter makers in the country, the company has helped drive the adoption of micromobility EVs and reduce reliance on carbon-emitting models.
The profile notes that Ather entered the market in 2018 with a high-end scooter featuring a touchscreen dashboard, built-in navigation, and over-the-air software updates, which were unprecedented in mass-market two-wheelers. It now has two main product lines: the sporty Ather 450 and the family-focused Ather Rizta, launched in mid-2024. The Rizta crossed 100,000 units within a year of its debut.
The company’s growth, as detailed in the profile, has been driven by control over its software and much of its hardware, with plans to channel proceeds from a public listing into research and development. Its charging network has reached about 4,000 points, and the company has expanded into Nepal and Sri Lanka. A third factory, backed by $105 million, is expected to take production capacity to 500,000 scooters a year by March 2027.
MIT Technology Review also notes that while the company is not yet profitable, its vehicle margins have improved, and annual sales up to March 2025 increased by 42% from the previous year. The company’s expansion plans include doubling its retail footprint to 700 stores and reaching smaller cities, even as it faces challenges with China’s export restrictions on minerals needed for electric motor magnets.
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