Ola Electric Scooter Spotted Testing In India For the First Time

The Ather 450-rivaling electric scooter from Ola is slated to launch in the coming months

(UPDATE: The Ola S1 has been launched in India with a starting price of Rs 99,999. Head here to read the launch story)

Electric scooters in India are a dime a dozen these days, but we have some rather interesting products lined up for this year. In December 2020, Ola signed an MoU for Rs 2,400 crore with the Tamil Nadu government to set up a manufacturing facility for its electric scooter. The e-scooter has now finally been spotted testing in India, hinting at an imminent launch in the coming months.

The e-scooter has been spied in what seems like a private testing facility. The quirky-looking LED headlamp with LED DRL surround and the unconventional single-sided telescopic fork at the front have been retained from the international model.

The Ola electric scooter is based on the Etergo AppScooter, designed and built by a Dutch brand. The Etergo AppScooter’s motor is capable of producing 8PS and 135Nm. It’s paired to a detachable 1.6kWh ‘banana battery’ that offers a range of 80km. The e-scooter can accommodate up to three batteries. The unique design of the battery allows it to offer a range of up to 240km, without compromising on storage. The e-scooter boasts an impressive underseat storage capacity of 50 litres, capable of gobbling up two helmets, something unheard of in a scooter of this size.

In a price-conscious market like ours, selling a premium electric scooter isn’t an easy job. Hence, Ola Electric is relying on heavy localisation. Ola is reportedly in talks with companies like Bosch and Samsung for the supply of components. The brand has an agreement with Jose Pinheiro, former vice president of manufacturing at General Motors, to help with the setting up of the Tamil Nadu plant. It’s slated to be the world’s largest electric scooter manufacturing unit and will generate as many as 10,000 jobs. The e-scooters will also be exported to Europe, Latin America, and other foreign markets.

As for the Ola Electric Scooter’s India debut, we expect it to make it to the roads by September 2021. The brand could import the initial batches from the Netherlands to gauge the country’s response. While initial prices could be steep, we expect it to go down once the brand starts manufacturing the scooters here. The e-scooter will go up against the Ather 450X, which is the best electric scooter in the market at the moment. Why? Find out in our road test review here.