SoftBank-Backed Ola Plans to Roll Out EV Test Rides Across India

(Bloomberg) -- Ola Electric Mobility Pvt. plans to scale up test rides of its electric two-wheelers to more than 1,000 cities and towns from nine currently in what it says is India’s largest such EV initiative.

Initially, the test rides will be open only for those who have purchased or reserved the company’s Ola S1 and S1 Pro scooters, Ola Electric said in a statement. The firm, backed by SoftBank Group Corp and Tiger Global Management, aims to open test rides to all its customers by Dec. 15.

The plan to scale up test rides comes as high fuel prices in the country are pushing customers to consider shifting from gasoline to electric vehicles. At current prices, even the most fuel-efficient two-wheeler guzzles gasoline worth more than 100 rupees ($1.35) for a 100-kilometer ride, while an e-scooter can cover the same distance at less than a sixth of that cost.

Ola Electric received 100,000 orders within 24 hours when pre-bookings opened a few months ago. However, deliveries have been delayed from an October target, and now prospective buyers are showing their impatience on social media.

The company is making its scooters in Ola Futurefactory, the world’s largest two-wheeler EV factory, about a two-hour drive from Bengaluru. The factory is managed entirely by women.

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