Owning an electric vehicle goes far beyond the environmental benefits of reduced emissions and cleaner urban air. At the News18 Rising Bharat Summit South Regional Edition, Tarun Mehta, Co-founder and CEO of Ather Energy, highlighted how software upgrades and intelligent features create a fundamentally different ownership experience that continuously evolves long after the vehicle leaves the showroom. Unlike traditional vehicles that remain largely static after purchase, EVs powered by robust software platforms receive over-the-air updates that introduce new capabilities, refine performance, enhance safety, and improve everyday usability without requiring a visit to a service centre.
Mehta emphasised that these intelligent features turn the scooter or vehicle into a connected, learning companion. Real-time data from the fleet enables proactive alerts, optimised navigation that accounts for road conditions, voice interfaces that allow natural conversation rather than menu navigation, and personalised riding modes that adapt to individual habits. This ongoing relationship means the product an owner buys today becomes smarter and more valuable over time, shifting ownership from a one-time transaction into an evolving partnership between rider and machine. The result is greater convenience, heightened safety, and a sense of continuous improvement that conventional mobility simply cannot match
In the same conversation Mehta also shared an unexpected product idea he would love Ather to pursue next, illustrating that true innovation need not remain confined to a single category. By thinking beyond the immediate boundaries of electric two-wheelers, the company demonstrates a broader appetite for solving mobility and technology challenges in imaginative ways. Such openness reinforces the idea that the real differentiator in the EV era lies not only in batteries and motors but in the software intelligence layered on top and the willingness to explore adjacent opportunities.
Together these perspectives underscore a simple yet powerful truth: the value of an electric vehicle compounds through software-driven intelligence and thoughtful innovation. For riders, this means an ownership journey that grows richer with every update and every new capability, delivering cleaner mobility alongside a smarter, more connected, and continually improving experience.
