Ather Energy, Bounce partner to launch scooter rental program

• Service launched in Bengaluru, only for scooters bought through Bounce website

• Owners can make money whenever the e-scooter is not in use

• Ather connectivity feature allows owners to keep an eye on their scooters

In an attempt to explore new ownership options, Ather Energy and scooter rental platform Bounce have teamed up to offer a new program, in Bengaluru only for now. Under the Ather-Bounce peer-to-peer (P2P) program, new Ather 450 owners can list their e-scooter on the Bounce app and make money every time the scooter is lying idle; say, while it’s parked at home or the office, or unused on weekends. 

How does it work?

Customers need to first book a new Ather 450 via the Bounce website. The booking amount is Rs 499 while the on-road cost is Rs 1.15 lakh. This includes commercial vehicle registration charges, 5-year comprehensive insurance and tax benefits under FAME. The price is reasonable, considering the on-road cost of an Ather 450 with a private number plate is Rs 1.13 lakh.

Upon receiving their commercially registered Ather 450, owners will have to list the scooter on the Bounce app and select the hours or number of days that they'd wish to rent out the scooter. Bounce customers can then pay the rental amount and ride your scooter for the selected period. The biggest advantage of the P2P program is that the customer has to pick up and drop off the scooter at the owner's location. This makes life quite hassle-free for the owner and easier for the customer to access the scooter as regularly as possible.

Can existing Ather 450 owners register on Bounce?

Yes. Ather and Bounce have extended this service to current Ather 450 owners as well. However, owners will have to register their private scooter as a commercial vehicle again and pay the additional RTO charges.

What's in it for the owner?

Owners can make money while the scooter is unused. Bounce says that owners can earn up to Rs 2,500 in a month by renting their Ather 450 for four weekends or eight days.

What's in it for the customer?

A customer can use the services of an e-scooter to commute over short distances or run errands. It saves them cost of ownership (including EMIs) which they'd normally incur if they owned a two-wheeler.

What about vehicle safety and service?

This is where Ather's connectivity features come to the fore. Owners can keep an eye on their scooter remotely, via the Ather app. It allows them to track and monitor the location of the scooter, vehicle speed, routes taken, pattern of usage and battery health.  

As far as maintenance is concerned, Ather has rolled out a specific package to take care of wear and tear associated with multi-rider usage under the P2P program. The plan also includes free access to Ather's fast-charging network across Bengaluru for one year.

The cost of the special connectivity pack, Ather P2P connect, is Rs 3,000/year. The maintenance package, Ather P2P service, will cost Rs 9588/ year. These prices are excluding GST.

Speaking about the new initiative, Tarun Mehta, Founder and CEO of Ather Energy said that this program will help owners decrease cost of ownership and break even on their investment quickly. He also added that Ather's connectivity will help instill confidence in owners and Bounce customers.