Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 vs Ola S1 Pro Gen 1: Has It Gotten Any Better In The New-Gen Avatar?

The Ola S1 Pro Gen 1 was a good first attempt, but the S1 Pro Gen 2 has outdone it with an all-new powertrain, mechanical tweaks and new feature additions.

• The Ola S1 Pro now gets a revised chassis and front suspension, making it sturdier yet lighter than before.
• Powering the Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 is a more powerful 11 kW motor, which gives it a higher top speed and faster 0-100 kmph timing. 
• The 4 kWh battery pack has been redesigned and re-engineered to make it lighter and achieve a higher riding range. 

Much has been talked about the Ola S1 Pro Gen 1 ever since its launch in 2021. The electric scooter is intended to “end the ICE age” with its best-in-class powertrain and features, some of which were never seen before in an affordable scooter. However, like most of the first attempts by new manufacturers, it was not entirely perfect, though it consistently outperformed all of its all-electric rivals in sales numbers.

Now, Ola Electric has bounced back with an updated version of the scooter, the S1 Pro Gen 2. With a revised chassis and a new electric motor, the Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 claims to make its original intent of replacing the ICE scooters even stronger. But first, it has to prove its betterment over its predecessor, the S1 Pro Gen 1. We compared both generations of the Ola S1 Pro to put the claims made by Ola Electric to test.

Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 vs Ola S1 Pro Gen 1: Design & Features

The new Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 retains the cutesy looks and simple but futuristic design of the Gen 1 model. It continues to have a curvy design with all-LED dual-projector headlamps with LED DRL around them, slim LED turn indicators at the lower corners of the front apron and a wraparound clear-lens LED tail lamp cluster at the back.

However, the most noteworthy change in the new S1 Pro Gen 2 is the elimination of the central hump in the floorboard, making it a flat surface like in most of the conventional scooters sold in the country. For this, Ola Electric has redesigned the monologue platform of the scooter, which has also reduced the overall weight of the S1 Pro in general. This modification of the platform, though, has decreased the under-seat storage compartment capacity by 2 litres. However, it remains the most capacious under-seat boot among all scooters on sale right now. 

The Ola S1 Pro Gen 1 was already a generously equipped scooter, with features like a full-TFT instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity, navigation and multiple display modes, built-in speakers with audio output and party mode. The S1 Pro Gen 2 retains all these fancy features without any changes, thus continuing to offer prospective buyers a new-age scooter riding experience.

Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 vs Ola S1 Pro Gen 1: Battery and motor setup

There is a big change in the performance of the Ola S1 Pro with this Gen 2 update, as it is now powered by a new 11 kWh electric motor, compared to the 8.5 kW electric motor which powered the S1 Pro Gen 1. With this new, more powerful electric motor, the Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 has now a higher top speed (increased by 4 kmph) and a faster 0-40 kmph sprint timing (faster by 0.3 seconds). 

The Ola S1 Pro continues to come packed with a 4 kWh battery pack, though it has been modified to make it lighter and more effective in its performance. The results are evident, with the S1 Pro now claiming a higher maximum riding range (increased by 14 km). However, the revised battery pack now takes 20 minutes more for a full charge from 0 to 100 per cent, which shouldn’t be a bother, considering the improvements it has brought to the table. 

Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 vs Ola S1 Pro Gen 1: Suspension, Tyres & Brakes

One of the weakest links of the Ola S1 Gen 1 was its suspension setup. The centrally-mounted front fork in it was never seen before in the market and was termed revolutionary at the time of its launch. However, unfortunately, several customers of the scooter reported issues with the front suspension breakage and reliability.

With this new Gen 2 update, Ola has updated the S1 Pro with conventional telescopic forks, which are expected to be more durable and functional for Indian roads. The Ola S1 Pro continues to get the same 110/70 R12 tyres for both front and rear 12-inch alloy wheels, which are specifically made for it by MRF. It also retains the same braking setup as before – 220mm front disc and 180mm rear disc.

Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 vs Ola S1 Pro Gen 1: Dimensions

The extensive changes to the platform to make it lighter have also altered the overall dimensions of the Ola S1 Pro. The Gen 2 model is now 4mm shorter, 137mm wider and 108mm taller than the Gen 1 model while having 11mm shorter wheelbase, 5mm lesser ground clearance and 13mm taller seat height. Despite the Ola S1 Pro growing in size, it has become 5 kg lighter than the Gen 1 model, thanks to its lighter-in-weight platform and battery. 

Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 vs Ola S1 Pro Gen 1: Price

The Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 has become technically advanced in almost all the parameters, and for those advancements on offer, it is commanding a premium of Rs 8,500 over the now-discontinued Gen 1 model. 

Verdict 

As a first attempt by Ola Electric, the S1 Pro Gen 1 had its fair share of niggles, but what it offered was stellar performance and equipment list never seen before in an electric scooter. Despite coming from a relatively new manufacturer and facing a few niggles, the Ola S1 Pro Gen 1 roared on the sales chart month after month. 

With this new Gen 2 update, Ola Electric thankfully took notice of all the niggles and has tried to tone them down while upgrading the already best-in-class performance and range among all electric scooters on sale in the country. The new Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 is faster, offers more range and feels sturdier than the Gen 1 model, which makes it a perfect upgrade, justifying its Rs 8,500 premium over the Gen 1 S1 Pro.