Simple Energy’s new family scooter and Ather’s first model based on the EL platform are set to arrive within days, taking on some of India’s biggest electric scooters
The Indian electric scooter market is about to get two new entrants. Ather and Simple Energy are both preparing scooters aimed at a much wider audience than their earlier products, with the Ather Konarc launching on August 29 and the Simple Wave following on September 2. Both scooters are expected to focus more on practicality, comfort and everyday usability rather than outright performance.
1. Ather Konarc
The Ather Konarc will be the first production model based on Ather’s new EL platform, which has been developed as a more flexible architecture than the platform used by its 450 range. Ather has designed the platform to support battery packs ranging from 2 kWh to 5 kWh, allowing the company to develop multiple scooters across different segments in the future.
The Konarc itself is clearly aimed at family buyers. It gets a flat floorboard, long single-piece seat, handlebar-mounted headlamp and a conventional scooter layout, while spy shots reveal a 14-inch front wheel and 12-inch rear wheel. It will also be the first Ather scooter to use metal body panels, something the company appears to be highlighting for durability and a more premium feel. Pricing is expected to fall in the Rs 1 lakh – Rs 1.25 lakh range, putting it directly in the line of fire of the TVS iQube, Bajaj Chetak and Ather’s own Rizta.
2. Simple Wave
The Simple Wave is an equally important product for Simple Energy because it marks the company’s entry into the much larger family electric scooter segment. The scooter has a more conventional design than the performance-oriented Simple One, with a flat footboard, long single-piece seat and practical proportions. Test bikes have also revealed a telescopic fork, rear shock absorber, alloy wheels and a front disc brake.
Simple has developed the Wave entirely in-house and is expected to position it against scooters such as the Ather Rizta, TVS iQube and Bajaj Chetak. The company has not yet revealed battery capacity, motor output or claimed range, with those details expected at the September 2 launch. There are expectations of a roughly Rs 1.3 lakh price point, but that too remains unofficial for now.
What makes these two launches interesting is that both Ather and Simple are moving away from the early-adopter approach and towards the much larger family scooter market. Ather has the technology and brand image, while Simple has been known more for performance and range. Now both have to prove that they can build something that regular Indian families actually want to live with every day.
