Ather Konarc Metal Body Confirmed – Upcoming Affordable Electric Scooter To Rival Chetak, iQube
- Team Autopunditz
- 5 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Ather Energy is steadily revealing more details about its upcoming Konarc electric scooter, and the latest confirmation could become one of the model’s biggest differentiators. Ather CEO Tarun Mehta has confirmed that the Konarc will feature a metal body, making it the first Ather electric scooter to adopt metal body panels.
The Konarc will also be significant for Ather for another reason: it is set to become the first production scooter based on the company’s new EL platform. The new architecture is expected to allow Ather to address a broader and more price-sensitive segment of India’s rapidly growing electric two-wheeler market.
Ather Konarc Gets Metal Body
Ather’s existing scooters have largely relied on composite bodywork, but the Konarc will take a different approach.
Tarun Mehta has now confirmed through a teaser that the upcoming scooter will use a metal body. This could give the Konarc a more traditional scooter feel and potentially strengthen its appeal among mainstream buyers moving from conventional petrol scooters.
The decision also puts the Konarc closer to the Bajaj Chetak, which has made metal body construction one of its key product attributes.
With buyers in the mass-market scooter segment often associating metal panels with durability and a more substantial feel, Ather appears to be tailoring the Konarc specifically for this audience.
First Scooter Based On Ather EL Platform
The Konarc will be the first production model to use Ather’s EL platform.
The platform is expected to underpin a new generation of Ather products and could allow the company to expand beyond the relatively premium positioning occupied by the 450 series and Rizta.
While complete technical specifications have not yet been officially announced, the Konarc is expected to become Ather’s most affordable electric scooter.
That positioning could dramatically increase the addressable market for the Bengaluru-based EV manufacturer.
Ather Konarc Design Details
A few design elements of the Konarc have already started emerging.
The production scooter is expected to feature a handlebar-mounted headlamp, while a wide horizontal LED DRL will sit on the front apron.
Ather is also adopting an unusual wheel combination for the scooter.
The Konarc is expected to use:
14-inch front wheel
12-inch rear wheel
Handlebar-mounted headlamp
Wide horizontal LED DRL
Metal body panels
The larger 14-inch front wheel could potentially improve ride stability and confidence over uneven roads, although its actual ride characteristics will only become clear once the production model is revealed and tested.
Positioned Below Rizta And 450 Series
Perhaps the most interesting element of the Konarc strategy will be its pricing.
The scooter is expected to be positioned as the most affordable model in Ather's portfolio, below the Rizta and the performance-oriented 450 series.
Current estimates place the Konarc's possible price at around ₹1 lakh to ₹1.25 lakh, although Ather has not officially announced pricing yet.
If Ather manages to bring the entry variant close to the ₹1 lakh mark, the Konarc could significantly broaden the brand's reach.
Ather Konarc Expected Rivals
The Konarc is expected to compete in one of India's most fiercely contested electric scooter categories.
Key rivals are likely to include:
Bajaj Chetak
TVS iQube
TVS Orbiter
Ather itself has so far built a strong technology-focused identity, while products such as the Chetak and iQube have benefited from familiar scooter proportions and strong legacy-brand recognition.
The Konarc appears designed to bridge these two worlds – combining Ather's EV technology and software ecosystem with a more conventional, mass-market scooter formula.
Why Konarc Is Important For Ather
Until now, Ather's portfolio has largely been split between the sporty 450 family and the family-focused Rizta.
The Konarc could add another important layer: a high-volume entry-level electric scooter.
A more aggressive price point combined with metal construction could allow Ather to reach consumers who may have previously considered the company's products too expensive.
It could also give the brand a stronger presence outside major metro markets, where purchase price, durability, service reach and familiarity often influence buying decisions as much as outright performance.
More Details Expected On August 29
More information about the Ather Konarc is expected around August 29, 2026, when Ather could disclose further details regarding the new scooter and its EL platform.
Important specifications such as battery capacity, certified range, motor output, charging capability, storage space, variants and final pricing remain unconfirmed.
These details will ultimately determine how aggressively the Konarc can challenge established electric scooters.
Auto Punditz Take
The metal body confirmation may appear like a small product detail, but strategically it could tell us a lot about Ather's intentions with the Konarc.
Ather built its initial reputation around performance, technology and a distinctly modern EV experience with the 450 series. Rizta subsequently moved the brand towards family buyers. Konarc now appears to be the next step – taking Ather deeper into India's mainstream scooter market.
Choosing metal body panels could help the Konarc address one of the more traditional expectations of Indian scooter buyers, particularly consumers upgrading from petrol scooters such as the Activa or Jupiter and those comparing the product with the Bajaj Chetak.
But pricing will be the real differentiator.
If Ather manages to position the Konarc near ₹1 lakh while retaining a competitive real-world range, usable storage, connected technology and access to its charging ecosystem, the scooter could become the company's biggest volume opportunity yet.
The larger 14-inch front wheel is another interesting decision. Rather than simply producing a lower-cost version of an existing Ather, the company appears to be developing a product with its own character.
The Konarc therefore shouldn't be viewed merely as an affordable Ather.
It could be Ather's attempt at becoming a truly mass-market electric scooter manufacturer.
