Ola Electric, one of the new entrants in India's electric vehicle market has been facing scrutiny due to product quality, service issues, layoffs, and an extreme work environment. CNBC-TV18 has reported on how several former employees have complained about a toxic work culture where spot terminations are common.
Speaking at the launch of the company's third electric scooter, the company's founder Bhavish Aggarwal said, "I don't need to address employees who are no longer here. We are a very hard-working company and we are not here to have a nice time. Ola is a place for people who are truly ambitious, and there are many such people within the company. There are some who don't like the work environment and we mutually shake hands and move on. The yardstick we would like to be judged by is the impact we are having".
Aggarwal also said that the exits of over 2000 employees in recent months were due to business closures and belt-tightening, which happens 2-3 times a year.
The company said it has sold over one lakh scooters so far and is looking to hit full installed capacity by early 2023. Ola Electric has launched its third electric scooter, the S1 Air at a starting price of Rs 85000. Speaking at the launch of the product, Agarwal said that the S1 could be a game changer for the industry and would significantly drive up Ola's market share.
The company said, that the S1 Air weighs 99 kg, 25 kg lighter than the S1 Pro. The scooter comes with a 2.5 kWh battery pack, 85 km/hr top speed, and a range of 100 km. The company is giving an introductory price of Rs 80000 to customers who book the product before or on Diwali. The purchase window for the S1 Air will open in February and deliveries are scheduled for March, said Agarwal.
The new S1 Air will come with Ola's latest software update which includes party mode, feedback mechanism to help you ride better, hill hold, proximity lock, shared profiles, and vacation mode. In the past, Ola has faced a lot of complaints about software glitches.
The company had seen a significant drop in sales post the fire in an S1 Pro scooter in March due to numerous customer complaints. A month ago Ola started offering a Rs 10000 discount on its scooters and also opened 50 experience centers across the country.
The company has confirmed that the discount on the Ola scooter will continue till the end of 2023. Ola Electric which has been at the receiving end of several customer complaints said it is now offering vehicle servicing options in 300 cities.
In a bid to further push sales, Ola is starting free trials of its S1 Pro scooter in 24 cities and plans to cover 40 cities by 7th November. Customers can now take a scooter for a 24-hour free trial. Ola will soon begin exports of the scooter to Nepal, with a plan to take it to Europe and Latin America early next year.
At the launch of the S1 Air, Ola once again teased an electric car and promised to launch more electric commuter scooters, motorcycles, and sports bikes in the next 12 months.
Check out our in-depth Market Coverage, Business News & get real-time Stock Market Updates on CNBC-TV18. Also, Watch our channels CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bajar Live on-the-go!
Lok Sabha elections: 4th phase sees over 68% voter participation, West Bengal leads with 76% turnout
May 14, 2024 1:47 AM
Lok Sabha elections phase 4 witnesses around 67% voter turnout, experts weigh in on key contests
May 14, 2024 12:06 AM
Lok Sabha Election 2024: Shiv Sena UBT’s Arvind Sawant highlights Uddhav Thackeray's vision for Mumbai’s progress
May 13, 2024 9:21 PM
Exclusive interview: 'Southern states will be a big surprise,' says PM Modi
May 13, 2024 9:05 PM