News Brief
Bhaswati Guha Majumder
Jul 03, 2021, 04:48 PM | Updated 04:48 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
India's largest mobility platform and one of the world's largest ride-hailing companies, Ola, has been making headlines since the announcement of its debut into the realm of the electric vehicle sector.
On 2 July, it again put together a show to get the attention ahead of its much-anticipated launch of the first electric scooter.
It was the CEO of Ola Electric, Bhavish Aggarwal, who offered a sneak peek at how the company’s new EV would look like and perform on the road.
Ola Electric is getting ready to launch its first electric scooter in India and the price of its first product is scheduled to be revealed later this month. However, as per reports, the company's first electric scooter is expected to cost around Rs 1 lakh and will compete with rivals like Ather Energy’s 450X, as well as Bajaj Chetak EV.
In a tweet, Agarwal said: "Goes 0-60 faster than you can read this tweet! Ready or not, a revolution is coming!" The tweet also included a video that featured the scooter’s drive performance and showcases a modern, as well as elegant design.
Took this beauty for a spin! Goes 0-60 faster than you can read this tweet! Ready or not, a revolution is coming! #JoinTheRevolution @Olaelectric https://t.co/ZryubLLo6X pic.twitter.com/wPsch79Djf
— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) July 2, 2021
Even though the company has not yet revealed any features of the EV, the new scooter is expected to have a range of over 150 kilometres on a single charge and achieve a top speed of over 90 kmph.
The electric scooter will come with a home charger that does not require installation and allows consumers to charge their vehicle at their residence by plugging it into a standard wall outlet.
As per The New Indian Express, the vehicle may also have features such as a lithium-ion battery that can be removed, a digital instrument console and cloud connectivity.
However, apart from providing home charging options, Ola Electric is also working to build a vast EV charging network that will allow users to access the charging stations across India.
The company has already begun establishing its “Hypercharger Network”, which will include 100,000 charging stations in 400 cities in India and parts of Europe.
According to Ola, its fast charging options will be able to charge the scooter by up to 50 per cent in just 18 minutes and provide a run of 75 kilometres.
Ola Electric will also include smartphone connectivity in its scooters, allowing consumers to track the state of charging in real-time via an Ola Electric app, which will also allow users to pay for the service.
Ola's entry into this industry is likely to give India's modest EV market a significant boost and its global aim of pushing mobility towards a more sustainable, accessible and connected future is reflected in the launch of the scooter.
The company has already invested Rs 2,400 crore to build the world's largest electric two-wheeler manufacturing facility, with an initial annual capacity of 2 million units.
As per the reports, the Ola future factory is slated to open in Tamil Nadu soon.