Good News And Bad News For Ola S1 Gen 3 Buyers

Update: Ola Electric has resolved the issues with its subsidiary for vehicle registrations. Here's the company statement: "Ola Electric has amicably settled all outstanding dues between its wholly owned subsidiary, Ola Electric Technologies Private Limited, and the Rosmerta Group. As a result, the Rosmerta Group has filed the memo for withdrawal of the petitions filed before the National Company Law Tribunal (“NCLT”), Bengaluru. The matter now stands fully resolved. Ola Electric remains committed to fulfilling its obligations and maintaining professional relationships with all stakeholders." 

Quick Highlights: 

• Ola Electric has begun the deliveries of the S1 Gen 3 electric scooters

• The company recently faced some issues in registering their vehicles 

• Along with this, the manufacturer is also facing alleged trade certificate violations

Ola Electric has begun the deliveries of their Gen 3 electric scooter in India. The range includes 4 scooters: S1 Pro Plus, S1 Pro, S1 X Plus and S1 X. Prices start from Rs 79,999 up to Rs 1,54,999 (ex-showroom). However, not everything is as smooth sailing for the EV brand as it looks. Even if you have paid up fully for your new Ola S1 Gen 3 scooter, there are chances that you could face some hurdles getting one home. The first and foremost is the allegation of paperwork issues with its dealerships.

Will You Get Your E-scooter? 

The short answer is yes, you will get your new e-scooter. But it might not be soon. You see, Ola Electric has been in some troubled waters for a while now. This is because of the fact that the EV maker has received notices in four states regarding trade certificates of some of its stores. However the manufacturer is in the process of answering them as per a letter to the National Stock Exchange of India Limited. This is pertaining to the recent allegation that not all Ola dealerships have valid trade certificates. These are required by dealerships to operate properly.

Unlike other OEMs,  Ola Electric sells its electric two-wheelers via company-owned stores and uses its own subsidiary for registrations. Rosmerta Digital Services Limited, a fully-owned subsidiary of Ola Electric, which does the registration process for them, has filed an insolvency petition over alleged unpaid dues. 

Due to the insolvency issue, there is a discrepancy in the number of electric scooters registered in India and the amount of scooters which Ola claims it has sold. That said, Ola claims the backlog is being rapidly cleared, with daily registrations exceeding 50% of its three-month daily sales average. 40% of the February backlog has already been cleared, and the remaining will be fully resolved by the end of March 2025.

Should You Get One?

The Ola Electric S1 Gen 3 scooter range is very promising on paper. The top-end scooter has a claimed range of 320km, which is marginally more than its rivals. It has a long list of features, decent performance, and exceptional range which makes it seem like a sensible choice. If Ola’s ground reality matches what it claims regarding its registration issues, and if Ola clears the air over the paperwork issues with its dealerships, you may not have to worry about buying one. That said, we would advise you to tread carefully as the brand is still known to grapple with inconsistent aftersales service. One could consider alternatives such as Ather 450X, TVS iQube and the Bajaj Chetak if you are in the market for a premium electric scooter in India.