Ola S1 Air vs S1 vs S1 Pro Variants Differences Explained

Range, performance, underpinnings, here’s everything that’s different on the three e-scooters

Ola Electric recently launched the S1 Air in India, its most affordable electric scooter. It now has three variants in its S1 lineup: the S1 Air, S1, S1 Pro. Now, all of them look quite similar to the naked eye, but which one suits your needs? So here’s a look at how the three e-scooters differ from each other: 

Design

The S1 and S1 Pro are identical in appearance, with the major point differing them is the fact that the former is available in five colours while the latter has 11 colours on offer. The S1 Air, meanwhile, stands out with its black-coloured panels for the lower half of its body. The S1 and S1 Pro, on the other hand, get colour-matched panels. The grab rail on the S1 Air is a simpler tubular metal one, while the other two get a cast aluminium unit. 

Range

This is where the scooters really start to break away from each other. The S1 Air gets the smallest 2.5kWh battery capacity, which is good for an ARAI-certified range of 101km. The S1’s smaller 3kWh lithium-ion battery pack gives it a range of 141km, while the 4kWh unit on the S1 Pro enables it to go 181km on full charge. 

The smaller battery also means faster charging times. The S1 Pro will charge from 0-100 percent in a claimed 6 hours 30 minutes, something that the S1 and S1 Air will do in 5 hours and 4 hours 30 minutes respectively. Owing to the smaller battery, the S1 Air (99kg) is substantially lighter than the S1 (121kg kerb) and the S1 Pro (125kg kerb).

Performance

While both the S1 and S1 Pro pack a 5.5kW, mid-mounted motor, the S1 Air runs a 3.5kW hub motor at the rear wheel. With its less powerful motor, the S1 Air goes from 0-40kmph in 4.3 seconds, which is more in line with the base TVS iQube, which went from 0-40kmph in 4.2 seconds when we tested it. The S1 and S1 Pro, meanwhile, do the same in 3.8 seconds and 2.9 seconds respectively. 

Something you’ll miss the most on the S1 Air and the S1 is the Hyper Mode and Cruise Control on the S1 Pro. The other riding modes: Eco, Regular and Sport are to be seen on all three. The S1 Pro’s top speed, hence, is a solid 116kmph, something that’s restricted to 85kmph and 95kmph on the S1 Air and S1 respectively.

Features

Where Ola has really hit it out of the park is in terms of features. Typically, affordability comes with compromise in these areas, but despite the lower tag that the lower-spec scooters carry, they all get the same seven-inch touchscreen TFT console. The S1 Air carries over a lot of features from its premium siblings like the reverse mode, smartphone connectivity, call control, ride moods and even the party mode, where the scooter’s speakers can play music from your connected smartphone.  

Underpinnings

While the S1 and S1 Pro pack the same underpinnings, their fancy single-shock front suspension has been replaced with a standard telescopic fork along with dual shocks at the rear on the S1 Air. Owing to its more affordable price tag, it now gets drum brakes at both ends instead of the discs seen on its siblings.

Prices

The S1 Air costs an enticing Rs 84,999, while the Ola S1 is sold at a reasonable Rs 99,999. So if you’re looking for a feature-packed electric replacement to your ICE scooter, these two present a solid case for themselves. But if you’re looking for that extra bit of range and performance and don’t mind shelling out extra cash for it, the top-of-the-line Ola S1 Pro, at Rs 1,39,999 (all prices ex-showroom Delhi, including FAME II subsidy), with its Hyper mode and cruise control could interest you.