Why Ather Energy named its new electric scooter Konarc? CEO Tarun Mehta explains

Ather Energy shifted to Indian names for its new electric scooters after customers mistook the company for a European brand because of its first model, the 450, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Tarun Mehta has said.

Responding to a post on X, Mehta said the company made a "hard pivot" in its naming strategy after launching the Ather 450, choosing names such as Rizta and Konarc to better reflect the brand's Indian identity.

"After naming the first scooter '450' and hearing from customers that we might be a European brand... We did a hard pivot into proper Indian names: Rizta, Konarc," Mehta wrote on X. "It's amazing to see our customers showing love and affection for Indian names."

The comments offer a glimpse into Ather's branding strategy as the Bengaluru-based electric two-wheeler maker looks to deepen its connect with Indian consumers amid intensifying competition in the EV market.

The company's first scooter, the Ather 450, adopted a numeric naming convention that highlighted its technology-focused positioning. However, the strategy inadvertently led some consumers to perceive the company as a foreign brand.

Ather introduced the Rizta family scooter in 2024, marking a departure from its earlier naming convention. The recently unveiled Konarc continues that approach, signalling the company's preference for names with a stronger Indian identity.

The branding shift comes as Ather broadens its product portfolio beyond performance-oriented scooters to cater to a wider set of buyers, including families and first-time electric scooter customers.

Ather Energy will launch its first mass market electric scooter based on the EL platform at Ather Community Day on August 29.

Demand for Ather Energy’s electric scooters has surged beyond its ability to supply, with paid pre-orders up 158% year-on-year to 1.5 lakh units in Q1 FY27, Mehta told analysts during the company’s first quarter earnings call on Monday.

“Demand has really gone in a very different orbit altogether, up 158% compared to same time last year, and EL (mass market scooter) launch later this month should further set us up for an even stronger demand in the coming quarters,” Mehta said, adding that in several states Ather Energy’s dealers are no longer even accepting new pre-orders because the waiting times are now hitting two months or even higher.