Ola Electric was the poster child of India’s electric vehicle revolution for a while. The promise of an electric two-wheeler that would change how Indians moved was a dream that founder Bhavish Aggarwal sold with infectious enth usiasm. The company, a subsidiary of ride-hailing giant Ola, claimed it would take the country’s roads by storm, moving millions away from polluting petrol bikes to sleek, sustainable, tech-powered scooters. However, what began as a promising journey toward green mobility has recently been clouded by controversy, customer dissatisfaction, and a public spat in the digital age’s gladiatorial arena—social media.
The Dream of Revolutionising Indian Mobility
Founded in 2020, Ola Electric quickly positioned itself as a key player in India’s burgeoning electric vehicle market. Bhavish Aggarwal’s vision was bold—to manufacture electric scooters at scale and make India a global hub for electric two-wheelers. Ola’s high-profile launch of its electric scooters—the S1 and S1 Pro—was accompanied by big promises: an impressive range, cutting-edge features like keyless ignition, hypercharging technology, and a sleek design that oozed modernity.
India’s EV market was ripe for disruption. According to reports, the government aimed for 80% of India’s two-wheeler market to go electric by 2030. Ola Electric’s rapid growth seemed to align with this national ambition. The company plans to build the world’s largest electric two-wheeler factory in Tamil Nadu, a sprawling “FutureFactory” capable of producing 10 million scooters annually. Investors lined up, with Ola Electric raising over $200 million in a funding round that saw its valuation soar to $5 billion.
For a while, it all seemed to be working. By mid-2021, Ola was boasting about selling its electric scooters by the thousands, and pre-orders skyrocketed. The brand promised affordable and efficient green mobility for the average Indian, aiming to make pollution-free commuting a norm rather than a luxury.
Cracks Appear in the Road
Yet, the honeymoon period quickly soured as more customers began receiving their much-anticipated scooters. Social media, a stage for Aggarwal’s proclamations of a “revolutionary product,” transformed into a battleground of customer grievances. By early 2022, more complaints about the S1 and S1 Pro scooters surfaced. Customers took to Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit to air their frustrations—many were livid over delayed deliveries, faulty software, and poor battery performance. Issues like scooters catching fire, sudden breakdowns, battery drainage, and software malfunctions became recurring topics.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, complaints against Ola Electric scooters sharply increased. Reports of 40-50 cases of scooters catching fire surfaced, leading to a massive recall of 1 441 units. Additionally, customer experience around Ola’s after-sales service received widespread criticism. In a survey conducted by the EV Consumers Forum, Ola Electric ranked lowest in customer satisfaction compared to other electric scooter brands like Ather and TVS iQube. The company’s service centers were often described as unresponsive, frustrating buyers with lengthy wait times for repairs or replacements.
One particular case caught the nation’s attention: a young rider in Guwahati met with an accident that he alleged was caused by a malfunction in the scooter’s braking system. The scooter’s regenerative braking, a feature designed to conserve energy, malfunctioned, causing the rider to crash. Although Ola denied any mechanical fault, the case gained wide traction, further tarnishing the brand’s image.
The CEO vs The Comedian
As the chorus of complaints grew louder, Bhavish Aggarwal became increasingly defensive. But a spat with comedian Kunal Kamra fueled the fire of public discontent. He shared a picture showing several EV scooters parked outside one of the Ola showrooms and wrote, “Do indian consumers have a voice? Do they deserve this? Two wheelers are many daily wage workers lifeline…@nitin_gadkari is this how Indians will get to using EV’s? @jagograhakjago any word? Anyone who has an issue with OLA electric leave your story below tagging all.”
Aggarwal did not take the joke kindly. In an unusually combative response, the CEO shot back, accusing Kamra of being a “third-rate comedian” with “nothing better to do.” The Twitter exchange spiraled into a bitter public row, with Kamra responding with biting humour, calling out Ola’s customer service and the series of recalls. Thousands of people jumped into the fray, many siding with Kamra and using the opportunity to voice their grievances with Ola’s products and customer service. The spat was soon trending, and for days, Aggarwal found himself at the centre of a social media storm.
Trouble in the Factory
Meanwhile, internal issues within the company were also starting to show. Reports emerged of high employee turnover, particularly at the senior management level. Several key executives, including the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, left the company, citing creative differences and a toxic work environment.
On the production front, Ola’s grand vision for its FutureFactory was faltering. Production targets were repeatedly missed, and supply chain issues further hampered manufacturing. By the end of 2023, Ola Electric reportedly produced only a fraction of its ambitious 10 million annual scooter target. Investors began expressing concerns about the company’s long-term sustainability, and rumors of financial instability began circulating.
While Ola Electric has not crashed entirely, it is clear that the company is in the midst of a significant rough patch. Its rise was meteoric, fueled by market need, government support, and aggressive branding. But its fall, while not complete, is a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of overpromising and underdelivering.
