Ather EL01 Concept, Based On New Platform, Unveiled — Meant For Budget EV Buyers

Ather Community Day 2025: As promised, Ather has revealed its concept electric vehicle, dubbed the EL01, at its Community Day event in Bengaluru. The EL01 features Ather's brand-new 'EL' platform, which is expected to underpin upcoming electric scooters with varying sizes and design approaches. Ather says the EL platform is designed to be scalable, modular, and cost-effective. It also claims that EL has an all-steel, unibody construct, resulting in 15 per cent faster assembly.

Ather EL01 Concept: Direct-Drive Motor, Telescopic Fork Setup

Ather's EL01 employs a direct-drive motor rather than a belt-driven setup, suggesting that the production-ready EL01 wouldn't be performance-oriented. Hardware-wise, the EL01 has a traditional telescopic fork setup. Thanks to the repositioning of a rear shock absorber, the EL01  offers enhanced suspension travel and ride comfort.

Ather EL01 Concept: Battery

EL supports batteries ranging from 2kWh to 5kWh. It remains to be seen which cell chemistry Ather will use for its batteries: LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) or NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt).

Ather EL01 Concept: Integrated Charger, Massive Boot Space

The Ather EL01 comes with an on-board charger integrated with the motor controller, thereby making more space for storing essentials. The EL01 offers enough boot space for placing twin helmets, but whether that would match the Rizta's 34-litre underseat storage is left for time to decide.

Also Read: Ather Community Day 2025: 450 Apex Gets Cruise Control With Single-Button Operation

Ather EL01 Concept: Family-Focused, Sporty, or Maxi-Styled?

It is not clear which specific design direction the EL01 concept will take, but the show vehicle appears to share similarities with the Rizta. However, we do know that Ather's EL platform can accommodate a diverse range of scooters: a family-focused one like the Rizta, a sporty version with 12-inch wheels at both ends, and a maxi-style scooter with larger wheels and a bigger battery. The new platform also supports scooters with a long wheelbase, even longer than the Rizta.

Ather EL01 Concept: Adds More Safety With AEBS

For added safety, Ather has introduced its Advanced Electronic Braking System (AEBS). The system is said to enhance braking performance by reducing stopping distances and minimising rear-wheel lockups.

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Ather EL01 Concept: Availability

The production version of the EL01 will hit Indian showrooms in 2026, and upon arrival, it will go on sale alongside the Rizta and the 450 Series. For those not aware, the Ather EL01 is the first product featuring the modular and cost-optimised EL platform, thereby targeting the budget EV buyers. The EL-based scooters, like the EL01, will be rolled out of Ather’s new Factory 3.0 in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.