HoEV - Darshan Ingale

I am a resident of Pune and have only recently switched to an Ather 450X, after my brief stint with the company as a product specialist.

My decision to own an EV was made when I moved to goEgoNetwork as an inside sales executive. The reason I chose Ather was purely based on my experience with them, especially since I followed the company for 4 years before I joined Ather, after which I was completely blown away by the product and its safety features. I bought my EV on 6th May 2022 and received the bike within 2-3 days after I placed the order. This all started last year in August, when I accompanied my brother to the Ather showroom to buy an EV, instead, I ended up making up my mind to own one someday.

Since I worked with the company for 9 months, I was aware that they conducted over 120 in-house tests which made me confident to invest in their bike. The most important thing for an EV owner is to feel safe and assured while riding their EV. The best part about my EV is that it is internet enabled, which gives me access to riding data, alerts, and tracking status which pop up on my phone through the Ather app, making it extremely unlikely of threats and robbery. Moreover, it has Bluetooth connectivity with which I can answer calls, change music, and much more, similar to what can be done on your smartphone.

I thoroughly enjoy riding my EV as it is so much more efficient compared to an ICE vehicle, offering more features and sturdiness. It is as powerful as a 350 cc bullet and I feel very safe riding the bike when I usually hit a top speed of 90-93 Km/h on my daily commute to work. I travel 50 Kms daily and have never regretted buying an EV. On the contrary, this has been the most productive decision of my life. I have a portable charger at home, which I use in case of an emergency since I charge my vehicle free of cost at the office using the goEgo chargers. And I must say, it has been the most pleasant experience of my EV charging events and it takes me usually 2-3 hours on average to charge my EV.

In terms of the app, the Ather app has many plus points such as uploading your documents like the driving license, insurance, and registration number; connecting with the Ather community in India, viewing nearby charging stations, and analyzing how long it will take to reach the location. It also shows how much carbon emissions I saved, by detailing out data for each trip I make.

However, I prefer the goME app as it is super smooth and functions without any lag. It has similar features as the Ather app and an additional standout offering that allows the user to reserve their charging slot for a nearby charging station. Not only does this allow the EV owner to save time, but also provides freedom of convenience and planning the day well. The charging stations are top-notch and I have a soft corner for them since it is made in India. They are super easy to use and are OCPP certified, which means that once my vehicle is fully charged, it will switch off the main socket automatically. They have many EV stations in Pune, which reduces the range anxiety to a great deal.

My opinion as an EV owner is that a wide range of EV charging infrastructure is very much required to create a large network of EV owners and facilitate the transition to E-mobility. I truly believe that once you go electric, there is no turning back!

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