Nothing wrong if Ola India is making history this week. But, not without hiccups. Here’s the story.
Milestone
Forget about other events today, Wednesday, and concentrate on Ola Electric. The company has officially begun delivering its S1 Pro+ scooter, featuring the indigenously developed 4680 Bharat Cell.
Ola Electric may be producing cars, but it is actually part of Ola Cabs, a ridesharing company that compares with Uber.
The S1 Pro+ scooter running with 5.2kWh is the first-ever product to get powered by the specified Bharat Cell battery pack, which delivers more range, better performance, upbeat safety, and so much more, Ola India told Ridesharing Forum.
With its vehicles carrying its own signature battery packs, Ola India is the first company in the South Asian country to own this pack and the cell manufacturing process in-house completely.
“With deliveries of 4680 Bharat Cell-powered vehicles underway, we are taking a giant leap towards achieving true energy independence,” Ola India spoke with Ridesharing Forum. ”Our in-house cell technology enables us to build products with greater range, performance, and safety – all designed and made right here in India. The 4680 Bharat Cell is a symbol of India’s capability to lead the world in EV innovation, and this is just the beginning.”
And, it really is. The milestone is not just about the battery, but about India owning the bright future of mobility and energy, according to Ola India. That said, congratulations, Ola!
Suspension
With that good news comes some bad news. Indian authorities have decided to suspend the registration of Ola Electric scooters, following complaints from customers regarding alleged lack of efficient service support and lengthy repair delays.
Registration of these vehicles is necessary so they could ply the road, as with the policies in other countries.
In addition, the transport authorities issued a show-cause order to the company, seeking an explanation for why its trade certificate should not be canceled.
Worse, this issue has reportedly been going on since November 2024, when several scooters were left unattended in Ola’s workshops.
Officials argued that after their owners in Goa approached and lobbied in the government offices, a warning to the company followed suit, and in a subsequent hearing, this gave a leeway that the issues would be resolved in no time. But it hasn’t been resolved yet, as of press time.
The government said, “We have met the representatives of the company, and we have been assured of compliance and cooperation. The representatives have assured that they have increased manpower nearly eightfold at their workshop in Goa and brought the spare parts, and also that most of the pendency has been cleared. We have been told that the department may, at its discretion, conduct an inspection in the coming days. After inspection, once the department is satisfied that all concerns have been addressed, we will take a decision on whether to revoke the suspension.”
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