Ola S1 Pro Catches Fire In Pune

A video of an Ola S1 Pro electric scooter catching fire has surfaced on the internet. Ola Electric has issued a statement on this incident, but is yet to comment on the cause of the fire. The incident reportedly took place in Pune, and while no casualties were reported, it raises serious questions on the safety of the e-scooter. 

This could possibly be the first of many incidents. Lithium-ion batteries are prone to overheating and in extreme cases catch fire, especially with rising temperatures in summers. Cases of rebadged Chinese e-scooters catching fire have been reported across the country; however, this is the first premium electric product to face this problem.

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This incident adds to the bunch of existing problems with Ola Electric’s scooter including the EV going up to 90kmph in Reverse mode. Such issues pose a serious threat to customer’s safety and speak about the brand’s quality control.

Though Ola Electric is yet to fix the issue with its Reverse mode, the brand will be rolling out its first major Over-The-Air (OTA) update by the end of next month. The MoveOS 2.0 will bring a host of features to the EV including navigation, a companion app, cruise control and bluetooth along with performance improvements.

The Ola S1 Pro has a lot of potential, especially with its claimed range of 181km. It also is the most feature-packed e-scooter in its segment; however, its quality issues not only keeps buyers from trusting the brand, but also raise apprehensions amongst people who are considering purchasing an EV.