Ola Electric, which is setting up what it calls “the world’s largest two-wheeler mega-factory on its 500-acre site" in Tamil Nadu, has revealed teaser images of its electric scooter.

Ola's made-in-India electric scooter will roll out of a brand-new 2-million-units-per-annum manufacturing plant to be set up in Tamil Nadu. According to Ola, the manufacturing facility will cater to customers not only in India but also to global markets including Europe, Asia and Latin America. 

The mega factory, on a 500-acre site in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu, will have a total capacity of 10 million units and will be ready by 2022. Phase 1 of the plant, with annual capacity of 2 million units, is slated to be ready by June 2021. At full capacity, using 10 production lines, Ola estimates one scooter will roll out every 2 seconds.

The mega-block will house all production facilities  across 43 acres and have a 2 million square-feet footprint. The integrated manufacturing facility will house operations for battery, paintshop, welding, motor, general assembly, finished goods and will also have two supplier parts. Furthermore, the plant will have its own test track. Built using Industry 4.0 smart manufacturing techniques, the Ola factory will use 3,000 robots across various operations.

Styling similar to Etergo Appscooter
From the teaser images revealed today, Ola's first electric scooter looks similar to the state-of-the-art, tech-laden Etergo Appscooter. In May 2020, Ola Electric Mobility acquired Etergo BV, an innovative electric scooter OEM founded in 2014 and based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, thereby announcing its entry into the premium electric two-wheeler market, both globally and nationally.

First revealed in 2018, the AppScooter uses swappable high energy density batteries to deliver a range up to 240km and class-leading acceleration of 0-45kph in 3.9 seconds. It also comes with TFT instrumentation. 

It is likely that the made-in-Tamil Nadu Ola EV will have changes made for the Indian market and also to keep costs low.

The Ola EV for India was snapped testing in january 2021. It gets the same unusual single telescopic front suspension. It is likely India will get an updated version, albeit with changes to keep costs low.

Aggressive introductory pricing likely
With Etergo's AppScooter priced at 3,399 euros (around Rs 282,000), it would be way above the premium electric scooter segment in India. Therefore, expect to see a more cost-efficient product that will use design and technology from Etergo, but come with a price-tag that rivals the likes of Ather’s 450X, Bajaj Auto’s Chetak and TVS Motor Co's iQube.  

Also, given Ola Electric's massive manufacturing operation, the company is most likely to come up with an aggressive, disruptive pricing strategy designed to draw maximum bookings and orders at launch.  The Ola Electric scooter launch in India is likely to happen in the second half of 2021. 

ETERGO APPSCOOTER TECH SPECS

Dimensions
Width: 700mm
Height: 1155mm
Seat height: 800 mm
Kerb weight: 74 kg
Wheelbase: 1345mm
Underseat storage: 50 litres
Battery weight: 8.5kg per module
Wheels: 12-inch aluminium alloy
Tyres: 110/70-12

Warning and Alert
Detailed Diagnostics via Built-in App
Cockpit display: 7-inch full-colour touch-screen

Chassis
Front suspension: Telescopic single shock Headstock
Rear suspension: Horizontally mounted shock absorber with progressive geometry
Brake system: Hydraulic disc brake (Front 200mm/ Rear 180mm)

Battery
Capacity: 1155Wh per module
Max discharge power: 3kW per module
Max regenerative power: 1250 W per module
Pack safety: Advanced Battery Management
Max charge power: 600 W per module
Range: 80km per module at 20kph*

Drivetrain
Transmission type: Single-stage belt
Motor: AC brushless\
Acceleration: 0 to 45kph in 3.9 sec (based on simulations)
Maximum motor power: 6 kW
Nominal motor power: 3 kW
System voltage: 48V nominal
Maximum motor torque: 50 Nm
Belt ratio: 2.7
Max wheel torque: 135 Nm

Software & Connectivity
Operating System: Android
Companion App Functionality (available soon): Remote lock/unlock, Find My Scooter, Charging Control
Internet connectivity: 4G (LTE), 3G, GPRS, WiFi
Device communication: Bluetooth, WiFi
Built-in software functions: Navigation, Music, Phone Control, Advanced Diagnostics
Smartphone compatibility for pairing: iOs & Android
Updates: Over-the-air
Positioning: GPS/GLONASS/Galileo
Speakers: 2 x 10W full range audio
*Based on simulations and subject to change, depends on number of modules.