Ather launches scooter sharing program with Bounce

Ather and Bounce have joined hands to launch a unique scooter sharing platform. Through the program, new Ather 450 customers will be able to rent out their scooters. The Ather 450, under this program, is priced at Rs 1.15 lakh.

Ather and Bounce have joined hands to launch a unique scooter sharing platform. Through the program, new Ather 450 customers will be able to rent out their scooters.

Electric scooter maker Ather Energy has come up with a unique new ownership plan. The company has decided to join hands with Bounce – a shared mobility player in the Indian market – to offer a Peer-to-Peer or P2P scooter sharing program. What this basically means is, Ather customers will be able to rent out their scooters without any hassle.

The initiative was first introduced by Bounce with its ‘ScooterHero’ initiative to help COVID-19 frontline workers. This program allowed individuals to rent out their vehicles directly during the lockdown. Now, the company has decided to take it a step further by partnering up with Ather. According to Bounce, the partnership will enable new Ather 450 owners ‘to monetize the idle time of the vehicle’ and they will be able to make an additional income.

How will it work? To opt for this, new Ather 450 customers will have to book their scooter on the Bounce platform. The scooters will have commercially registered plates, as a result. Once the purchase is made, customers will be able to rent their scooter for hours or days through Bounce’s online sharing platform.

In addition to that, Ather will offer a new post-purchase plan (Ather One), specially customized for the sharing model. This will include a new service & maintenance plan, while these scooters will also be eligible for free fast charging at 38 Ather Grid points during the first year of purchase. A portable charger that can be used at any 5A plug point will also be provided.

The Ather 450 can be booked via Bounce’s website at Rs 499 and deliveries will be on priority basis post the lockdown, says Ather. The Ather 450 is priced at Rs 1.15 lakh (on-road) under this scheme. That’s not a bad deal considering the private registered Ather 450 has a price-tag of Rs 1.13 lakh. The only thing that's not so good here is the limited availability - this program will only be offered to customers in Bengaluru.