Ola Electric Scooter: Maintenance Costs Detailed

Here’s how the S1 Air could help you save more than Rs 22,000 each year

• Where the S1 Air stands out clearly is with the fuel prices
• Running costs and maintenance are two aspects where the S1 Air takes the cake too
• More the distance you travel, more you save

People choose electric scooters mainly because they run on electricity. This results in significant savings compared to using petrol, especially considering the high cost of fuel today. If you're thinking about getting an Ola scooter, let's take a quick look at how much money it can help you save.

Let’s dissect this one by one. The EMI is the only part where the average petrol scooter pulls ahead of the S1 Air. Batteries are expensive and hence so are electric scooters. The S1 Air, despite being priced very well, does carry a slightly higher price tag when compared to its petrol-powered rivals. Hence, it’s kind of inevitable that it’ll carry a higher EMI value than the petrol scooter. 

Moving onto maintenance now, this is where things start favouring electric scooters a fair bit. While petrol scooters aren’t usually very high on maintenance, they do have a fair bit of moving parts. Given that they have a proper functioning engine, the cycle parts are also a lot more and hence replacing brakes, checking fluids, etc do take up some of the maintenance money. 

Electric scooters, meanwhile, have absolutely nothing to be taken care of in that regard. All you need to take care of are the brake pads and maybe a few other things here and there. 

Next on the list is running costs, which obviously include petrol as well. If you have a daily commute of around 30km, which is usually how much people in India travel, it’ll help you save close to Rs 2,000 every month in just petrol! For most people in India, that truly is a lot of money. 

All in all, this could help you save Rs 1,905 each month, resulting in you saving close to Rs 23,000 each year! You could then put that very money in riding gear, petrol for your other petrol vehicles or even putting down money for the next vehicle you really want to buy. So in sum, if pure savings is what you’re looking for, the Ola S1 Air will help you save Rs 23,000 every year. 

Where the S1 Air lacks though, is with its reliability, an issue that’s generally been prevalent with the brand itself. 

Verdict

During the initial launch, Ola claimed that the S1 Air had a certified range of 125km with its 2.98kWh battery. However, they now state that the certified range has increased to 151km. In Eco mode, Ola claims a true range of 125km, 100km in Normal mode, and 87km in Sport mode. Charging at home takes approximately 3.8 hours to reach 80 percent and 5 hours for a full charge.

The Ola S1 Air provides an authentic Ola experience, offering impressive features, promising performance, and widespread availability across the country. All of this, coupled with competitive pricing, has propelled Ola to the forefront of the electric two-wheeler market.

If you're considering an Ola S1 scooter, the S1 Air is a compelling choice, closely resembling the S1 Pro. However, it's worth noting that the S1 Air does have some notable issues and bugs. It might be wise to wait until Ola has addressed these concerns before making a purchase.