Ather Energy Limited has expanded its Product Testing & Validation Centre, known as The Juggernaut, in Begur, Bengaluru, to enhance its research and development capabilities. This expansion is a crucial step in strengthening Ather’s R&D ecosystem, ensuring its electric scooters meet high standards of quality, reliability, and performance. The upgraded facility will also accelerate the process of product development, testing, and validation, reinforcing Ather’s commitment to innovation in the EV sector.
Ather Energy has expanded its testing facility, covering 38,692 sq. ft., to enhance durability and safety validation for its electric scooters. The advanced centre focuses on testing vehicles, systems, and individual components, including real-world endurance checks. It is equipped with dedicated labs for structural durability, battery performance, electrical and electronics reliability, and environmental testing, ensuring high standards of quality and performance.
Ather Energy has adopted a rigorous validation process to ensure its electric scooters meet high durability and performance standards. The facility is equipped with a 4 DOF Road Simulator (MTS 334), which replicates real-world riding conditions and compresses 1,00,000 km of endurance testing into just 15 days. This technology allows engineers to detect issues early, optimize designs faster, and reduce development costs. Ather also conducts extensive battery testing, including thermal performance, water wading, drop, vibration, and thermal cycling tests. By simulating real-world usage patterns, the company fine-tunes its battery packs for reliability and safety, ensuring long-term performance for customers.
Ather Energy offers two distinct scooter models—the Ather 450, built for performance enthusiasts, and the Rizta, designed for everyday convenience. To support its growing operations, the company has two manufacturing units in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, dedicated to vehicle assembly and battery production. Expanding its production capacity further, Ather is setting up a third manufacturing facility in Bidkin, AURIC, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra, reinforcing its commitment to scaling up electric mobility in India.
Swapnil Jain, Co-founder & CTO of Ather Energy, said, “EVs are fundamentally different from ICE vehicles and represent a relatively new technology, making it crucial to rigorously test every component of the vehicle. At Ather, we have consistently invested in R&D and established robust testing processes and standards to ensure high-quality products. Our scooters undergo extensive testing, specifically designed for Indian road conditions and extreme usage scenarios, aligning with real-world customer experiences. With the expansion of The Juggernaut, we are enhancing our testing capacity and capabilities, allowing us to accelerate innovation and product development while maintaining our commitment to performance, quality, and reliability.”