Despite cost cuttings, Ola S1 Air could prove to be a better VFM than its immediate rivals
For a long time, Ola Electric has been one of the highest selling 2W EV manufacturers in India. In the recent past, Ola has firmly secured the top position with little room for rivals. The company has launched its most affordable electric scooter S1 Air in India for a starting price of Rs. 84,999 (ex-sh).
Sure, it is not Rs. 79,999 promised during unveiling. But it makes sense given the revised FAME II scheme with less subsidies. Deliveries are supposed to start from this month. Recent test mules might be testing some final touches ahead of deliveries. Hat tip to automotive enthusiast Prajwal Shetty (@_naanu_unknownu_) for sharing the latest spy shots. Let’s take a look.
Ola S1 Air Test Mule Spotted
S1 Air has potential to become one of the most value for money offering in the segment. Especially with 4 kWh model. We say this because, for not a lot of cost cuttings, Ola S1 Air will still provide a lot of staple features from its top-spec S1 Pro.
Cost cuttings are in the form of less paint on its body panels which creates a dual-tone look, conventional front and rear suspension, a hub motor that negates the need for power transmission from motor to wheels and more.
S1 and S1 Pro get full body paint and single-sided suspension components at both ends. S1 Air buyers will get to choose between a 2 kWh, a 3kWh and a 4 kWh battery spec. Speaking of batteries, these are not the same banana-shaped ones seen with S1 and S1 Pro. This liberates a lot of practicality in terms of an almost flat floorboard. Biggest perk with Ola S1 Air is that it retains the 7” touchscreen display. Albeit, with fewer features.
Bigger battery option is dope!
As seen in spy shots, Ola S1 Air test mule has a hub motor at the rear along with a drum brake. Even the front lacks disc brakes. LED headlights and tail lights are the same as other S1 offerings. Because of this hub motor and different batteries, Ola S1 Air 4 kWh model doesn’t match its range with the S1 Pro 4 kWh model.
Speaking of range, S1 Air 2 kWh model has 85 km range, 3 kWh model gets 125 km and 4 kWh model gets 165 km. Top speed is 85 km/h with all three variants from a 4.5 kW motor (6 bhp). In terms of rivals, Ola S1 Air will primarily rival upcoming Ather 450S which could pack a larger 3.9 kWh battery.
Ather Energy has revealed prices for 450S and it costs Rs. 1.3 lakh (ex-sh). It claims a 115 km range and it lacks a touchscreen. Ola S1 Air on the other hand offers 165 km of range and retains the touchscreen and still costs Rs. 85K for 2 kWh model, Rs. 1 lakh for 3 kWh model and 1.10 lakh for 4 kWh model.
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