Ola Could Launch An Electric Scooter With A 240 km Range Next Year

The temperature in the electric two-wheeler space is on the rise as Ola Electric Mobility Pvt Ltd (Ola Electric) today announced the acquisition of Etergo BV, an innovative electric scooter OEM, based out of Amsterdam. With this acquisition, Ola Electric has also announced its entry into the premium electric two-wheeler market, both globally and nationally.

While it isn’t certain if the first launch will be a new product developed from scratch, Etergo already has the AppScooter which is available for pre-order in its home country. The all-electric AppScooter has won multiple awards across the world for its innovative design and engineering at CES 2019 and Automotive Brand Contest, Germany amongst others. First revealed in 2018, the AppScooter uses swappable high energy density batteries to deliver a range up to 240km and class-leading acceleration. Since Ola Electric intends to launch the new product in 2021, it could be this very scooter or a new product which borrows its USPs, especially that massive range.

For that impressive range that the Appscooter boasts of, the portable batteries which weigh 7.5 kilos need 2.3 hours of charging. The battery pack consists of three modules, each capable of making the scooter cover a distance of 80 kilometres. The user can choose to plug in all three at once to achieve maximum range. The scooter can go from 0 – 45 kph in 3.9 seconds, offers 50 litres of storage space underneath the saddle and comes fitted with a colour display which supports navigation, apps and music.

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The Appscooter is fitted with an AC Brushless motor which is rated for a maximum output of 6 KW and a nominal output of 3 KW. The maximum torque output for the motor is rated at 50 Nm, while maximum wheel torque is rated at 135 Nm. Depending on how many battery modules are purchased with the scooter, with all three in place, the maximum speed it can achieve is 95 kph.

Electric two-wheelers are the most efficient and cleanest solution for urban mobility, which will become even more relevant in the post COVID world. With European design, strong engineering collaboration and Indian manufacturing and supply chain, Ola Electric aims to transform the 100-million+ global two-wheeler market, including the 20-million+ Indian two-wheeler market, into clean energy, digital future.

Ola Electric has been working towards building the electric vehicle ecosystem to enable ‘clean kilometres’ at scale. With plans to set up extensive charging and swapping networks around the country, Ola Electric is currently running several pilots to deploy electric vehicles and charging solutions across cities with a focus on 2 and 3 wheelers. The company aims to build a suite of electric and smart urban mobility solutions for global citizens, both in India and around the world.

On this acquisition, Bhavish Aggarwal, Founder & Chairman, Ola Electric said, “The future of mobility is electric, and the post COVID world presents an opportunity for us to accelerate the adoption of electric mobility globally. Every year, almost twice the number of two-wheelers are sold across the world compared to cars. With electric, digitally connected capabilities, two-wheelers will further emerge as the most preferred urban mobility paradigm around the world and empower every consumer. We look forward to building the best global capabilities in engineering, design, and manufacturing for these products to be made here in India.”

In its mission to build sustainable mobility solutions for India and the world, Ola Electric aims to launch its global electric two-wheeler in India in 2021. This acquisition will further bolster Ola Electric’s strong engineering and design capabilities with the Etergo team’s extensive vehicle development experience with leading automotive companies like Tesla, General Motors, Ferrari, Jaguar, and BMW. Etergo’s team will continue to be based out of Amsterdam as they join Ola Electric.

Ola Electric is already working with India’s leading power distribution companies towards developing a conducive EV ecosystem through the establishment of Battery Swapping and Charging Stations in the national capital of New Delhi. Ola Electric has also inducted renowned automobile industry veterans like BVR Subbu and Jaime Ardila to its board who bring in their deep industry expertise and global mobility experience.