EV, a revolution made in India, for the world

This article walks us through the Ola Electric’s new EV Ola S1, an significant step towards reducing the environmental impacts by increasing EV adoption in their two-wheeler vehicle range.

Climate change is real and so is the need to reverse it. This is not news to any of us. And I know we all want to make a difference. But the question is how do we reverse climate change and also advance our development as a nation, together. 

80 percent of the vehicles sold in India today are two wheelers and despite that only 12 percent of India owns a two wheeler. These vehicles consume 12,000 cr liters of fuel every year and are responsible for 40 percent of air pollution. 

Clearly, this penetration is going to grow exponentially in the coming years and we simply cannot allow that to happen. So moving to EVs is no longer optional, it’s crucial. 

But a shift like this requires innovation and manufacturing at a global scale and quality. That’s what we have been upto with the Ola Futurefactory – the largest 2W factory in the world – and that’s what we are introducing in the market today. It’s a revolution on two wheels. It’s called the Ola S1 and it is, quite simply, the best scooter ever made. 

Our goal has been to build products which are both sustainable and revolutionary and with the S1, we’ve done just that. It has the best design, best performance and best technology. 

Best Design: Available in 10 stunning colours in satin, matte and glossy finishes, Ola S1 comes with iconic twin headlamps, ergonomic and fluidic body, superior alloy wheels, sculpted seating, and the largest boot space that fits two helmets comfortably.

Best Performance: It is setting new industry benchmarks with a range of 181 Kms, acceleration of 0-40 kmph in 3.0 seconds, and a top speed of 115 kmph. It has a 3.97kWh of battery capacity, more than 30 percent higher than the next closest EV, and the most powerful motors in the category with 8.5 KW of peak power. 

Ola S1 also comes with a proprietary Battery Management System (BMS) which works actively to monitor the battery for optimal durability, performance, range and safety. 

Best Technology: S1 brings technology that is several generations ahead of anything on the market. It has no physical key and pairs with your phone with its “digital key” feature. This enables it to know when you’re near it and unlock automatically. It will also lock itself as you move away. It has a multi-microphone array, AI speech recognition algorithms built in-house, and one of the sharpest, brightest 7-inch touchscreen displays.

With our homegrown MoveOS, customers can not only alter the look & feel of the display but also how the scooter sounds. It will have four moods at launch – Bolt, Care, Vintage and Wonder, and will offer a customised vehicle sound experience that matches your mood of the day. It will also come with three driving modes – Normal, Sport and Hyper for you to personalise how you ride. 

We have introduced a lot of safety features which are rare in the two wheeler segment. Ola S1 has an anti theft alert system, geo fencing, and a battery which is flame retardant and water & dust resistant. It also has front and rear disc brakes and ‘Hill Hold’ feature which makes riding in traffic and navigating inclines easy. 

The 110/70 R12 tyres, rear mono-shock suspension and front single fork suspension leads to much superior road grip and riding experience. It has a cruise mode that makes riding comfortable and convenient and a reverse mode that makes it easy to park and exit tight spaces. 

With a robust grab rail for safety, a side step and sculpted seating, pillion riders too will love how comfortable their ride will be. The scooters also come with voice recognition that enables you to complete your key tasks quickly without having to bother with navigating the menu. 

Ola S1 also solves one of the biggest challenges which has hampered the growth of the EV sector in India has been the upfront cost. Ola S1 comes at a revolutionary price of ₹99,999 onwards. 

In states with active subsidy grants, Ola S1 will be much more affordable than many petrol scooters. For instance, after state subsidy in Delhi, the S1 would cost just ₹85,009 whereas in Gujarat it would be only Rs 79,000. We have also tied up with banks and financial institutes for an EMI plan starting at ₹2,999. 

The first phase of Futurefactory is near completion and our teams are busy perfecting each and every feature for you. We will officially open Ola S1 for purchase from 8th September 2021, and

Under embargo till 3pm on Aug 15 

will start delivering across 1000 cities and towns in October. Till then, Ola S1 is available for reservation at just ₹499. 

Let’s truly Commit to Mission Electric 

We are taking this moment to announce ‘Mission Electric’, a pledge that no petrol two-wheeler will be sold in India after 2025. This is a mission that we are putting forward to the industry and to the consumers to reject petrol and fully commit to electric. It’s time for India to lead the way in electrification and build technologies of the future, here in India for the entire world!. 

This is certainly not going to be easy but together we can and we must. The climate needs it, the world wants it and our country definitely deserves it.

Expertise shared by: Bhavish Aggarwal – Co-founder and CEO