Ola Electric made headlines last year with the release of their S1 and S1 pro-e-scooters and now they plan to expand overseas. According to a recent media report, the Indian electric 2-wheeler manufacturer is aiming to enter the UK electric vehicle space by 2025.
The report suggests Ola has plans to develop a new affordable range of e-scooter and e-cars within the next 3 years, alongside the existing S1 premium e-scooter. The aforementioned models will be available in the UK EV space as soon as in other experimental markets. Ola has further long-term plans for the EV markets in the four-wheeler category.
With the investment of £100 million, which is approximately Rs 9,74,37,92,000 in their Warwickshire plant in England in the period of five years, Ola is aiming to employ over 200 automobile designers and engineers. The Indian manufacturer has also established a technical centre in Coventry, England, which has been operational since January this year.
Varun Dubey, Chief Marketing Officer of Ola Electric Mobility, said, “We have found that as long as you provide the right value to customers, they’re willing to provide the right price, which may not be the lowest price. Outside of NA, the rest of the world moves on two wheels. But the world of electric mobility is not going to be monolithic. You might own a two-wheeler or a car or both or use a ride-hail (service) sometimes.” Ola had shown their interest in expanding globally earlier this year with their prime focus being Europe.
It is worth mentioning that Ola has been receiving a lot of criticism online from its customers in India. Various individuals have shared their issues on social media regarding the malfunctioning of Ola’s existing products in India. We can see images and videos on the internet showing issues like scooters randomly driving in reverse, battery related issues and the most important concern at the moment is the lack of a conventional service centre network.