On the surface, all Ola S1 Air scooters seem to have the same battery, but there are differences within the individual units
With the new and revised FAME II scheme subsidies, there is a significant amount of reduction in total benefits to buyers. We have seen how popular Ola Electric’s newest S1 Air electric scooter is. Company has revealed that reception has exceeded their expectations.
But looking at Ola’s recent NCAT type approval documents, it seems like customers are the ones who should keep different expectations from their new Ola S1 Air. These documents show two different vendors for batteries, with two distinct certified ranges as well. One is superior to the other. Let’s take a look at what’s what.
Ola S1 Air – The tale of two OEM batteries!
We say this because S1 Air gets all new batteries that are different from S1 and S1 Pro’s banana-shaped ones. The company is sourcing these batteries from either LG Chem or BAK Power. Both these vendors have been operating from a long time and have worked with OEM 2W and 4W manufacturers.
NCAT documents list two different batteries with Ola S1 Air. Both battery packs from LG Chem and BAK Power are roughly 3 kWh in size. However, looking at finer details, there are stark differences. The one from LG has a rated capacity of 57.6 Ah with 51.73V, which translates to power rating of 2.98 kWh.
This battery pack weighs 19.53 kg and the battery chemistry of LG Chem’s pack is NMC (Nickel, Manganese and Cobalt). This battery is certified by AIS 040 standard for a range of 151 km on a single charge.
In comparison, BAK Power’s battery pack has a higher rated capacity of 60 Ah. Voltage seems to be 50.33V, which translates to a power rating of a larger 3.02 kWh. This battery pack is slightly heavier too, at 19.86 kg. One would think a slightly larger battery from BAK Power would result in greater range.
How does BAK’s battery fare?
But that isn’t the case. AIS 040 standard has rated BAK Power’s battery pack for just 133 km on a single charge. There are differences with battery chemistry as well. BAK Power packs NCA cells (Nickel, Cobalt and Aluminium Oxide).
You must be wondering that Ola S1 Air has an advertised EV range of just 125 km in Eco Mode. Also, top speed is 90 km/h with a motor rated at 4.5 kW peak power and 2.7 kW of continuous power. But the new document shows just 75 km/h top speed and a higher 5.8 kW peak power from its motor.
Range is varying too. There are no variations to the recently type-approved ‘Ola S1 Air’. Type approval document dates to 4th August 2023. So, it could be possible that Ola Electric is offering a new variant of Ola S1 Air with less top speed and more range in the future.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
