Ather Energy: Revolutionizing Mobility in India with BigQuery and Cloud IoT Core

Ather Energy, a Bengaluru-based startup, aimed to redefine the mobility segment in India by creating the country's first intelligent electric scooter. The founders, Swapnil Jain and Tarun Mehta, envisioned a scooter that could navigate the complex Indian terrain and evolve based on road data, driving habits, and vehicle performance. However, with a small team of engineers and limited resources, they faced the challenge of not only building intelligent applications but also designing a new lithium-ion battery, developing a robust motor, and creating a touchscreen dashboard that could withstand harsh conditions. Additionally, they lacked the time and resources to develop data analytics or maintain IT infrastructure.

Ather Energy's customers are people from various backgrounds in India, a country with a fast-growing economy and a population of 1.3 billion. Initially, the company expected its customers to be tech-savvy individuals, but it has seen rising demand from a broader demographic. The customers are willing to invest in the Ather scooter, which costs about US$1,800, as they understand the long-term benefits such as structured electricity plans, predictive maintenance, and route optimization. The aggregated data from all scooters on the road also provides key intelligence for Ather Energy to develop future models based on customer habits and requirements.