Ather Energy, manufacturer of smart electric scooters, has chalked out plans for setting up a new manufacturing unit in South India. The company will make an investment of USD 50-USD 100 million in the next few years. The proposed expansion has been necessitated in view of growing volumes for its electric scooters and strengthening of an ecosystem with the government support for electric vehicles.

Also, the company has drawn out an ambitious plan to sell one million units by 2023 with its presence in 30 cities across the country. The new factory will come in phases as the company’s Bengaluru facility could handle only 20,000-25,000 units per annum.

The company is in talks with the governments of four southern states – Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – for the proposed manufacturing venture. Ather Energy has now expanded to Chennai and is hoping to enter Hyderabad during 2019. The deliveries for the first pre-order will happen in September 2019 and for the second limited pre-orders, deliveries will happen during November-December 2019.

In Chennai, the company has installed charging points in 10 locations which will be ramped up to 50 locations by the end of 2019. It will be opening Ather Space, the experience centre at Nungambakkam for prospective buyers to test ride vehicles and other information. Service will be done at customers’ doorsteps.

With its next expansion planned in Hyderabad, ithe company hopes to achieve a volume of 10,000 units across three cities in 2019.