Are Ola Electric Showrooms Shutting Down In Maharashtra? Here’s What’s Happening

(UPDATE: Ola Electric has responded to the reports. In a statement, the brand says, "We wish to submit that we are not aware of any such negotiations/events regarding a notice from the authorities ordering immediate closure of over a 100 showrooms in Maharashtra. Additionally, we have already informed the exchange, via our intimation dated March 21, 2025, regarding the receipt of notices in four states pertaining to trade certificates for certain stores located in those states." )

Quick Highlights: 

• 121 unauthorised Ola Electric showrooms to be shut down in Maharashtra

• A show cause notice has been sent to another 270 stores across the state 

• 192 vehicles have been seized in raids until now

Ola Electric seems to have a roller coaster of a start in 2025. On one hand they finally started deliveries of the Roadster X, their electric motorcycle, and on another, reports claim that the state is taking action to shut down some of its dealerships in Maharashtra. The state government has asked the local authorities to shut down 121 of its 450-odd Ola Electric showrooms in the state over missing valid trade certificates.   

The state transport department also reportedly said that until now, 75 stores have been shut down, and a total of 121 stores have been found operating without having a trade certificate from the transport office. Earlier, a show cause notice was sent to these dealerships regarding the same issue. Another 270 stores will also be reportedly issued show cause notices. 

Wondering what exactly is a trade certificate and why is this important? Well, Ola Electric has been in deep waters over this for some time now, and here’s our explainer. In several raids, the Maharashtra government has seized a total of 192 EVs from the showrooms with irregularities in paperwork.

As a response to this situation, Ola Electric responded to Mint that the claims regarding its stores in Maharashtra are “speculative, incorrect and misplaced”. It also mentioned that the brand is working closely with the concerned authorities in Maharashtra to address any specific queries or concerns. We reached out to dealerships in Pune, but the representatives denied any developments of showrooms shutting down. 

Should You Be Worried?

Well, not entirely. If you’ve booked a scooter or motorcycle online which is set to arrive at a particular showroom that turns out to have improper paperwork, then it will be the brand’s responsibility to reassign it to another showroom. This will ensure customers are not affected by Ola Electric’s legal issues. If you are concerned about Ola’s troubles and want to consider other options, the Bajaj Chetak, TVS iQube and the Ather 450X, are other electric scooters that you can test ride. 

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