Ola Electric has launched the S1Z electric scooter at an introductory price of ₹79,999, using the model to bring its homegrown Bharat Cell LFP battery technology into the heart of the mass-market EV segment for the first time.
Ola Electric bets on Bharat Cell technology with new S1Z electric scooter
The scooter is available in two versions. The 3.1 kWh variant is priced at ₹79,999, while the larger 5.1kWh model costs ₹99,999, both ex-showroom. Ola claims IDC ranges of 179 km and 301 km, respectively. Deliveries of the smaller-battery version are scheduled to begin in December 2026, with the 5.1kWh variant set to reach customers from March 2027.
The headline figure, naturally, is the 301 km claimed range. But the bigger change lies underneath the scooter.
The S1Z is the first mass-market Ola scooter to use the company's 46-series lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, Bharat Cell platform. The cells were developed at Ola Electric's Battery Innovation Centre and are manufactured at the company's Gigafactory. Ola says building the battery technology in-house has helped it reduce the cost of the battery, traditionally the most expensive component on an electric vehicle, while bringing newer cell technology to a lower price point.
That is also what sets the new S1Z apart from the earlier S1 Z range. The previous S1 Z+ started at ₹64,999, but offered a claimed 146 km range in its dual-battery configuration. The new S1Z costs more at entry level, yet pushes the claimed range to 179 km on the 3.1 kWh version and as high as 301 km on the 5.1 kWh model. In other words, Ola is asking buyers to pay more, but is pairing that increase with a substantial jump in battery capacity and claimed riding range.
Both new variants use a 4 kW peak motor and have a claimed top speed of 70 kmph. The 3.1 kWh model is rated to accelerate from 0 to 40 kmph in 4.6 seconds, while the 5.1 kWh version takes 4.9 seconds, according to Ola's official specifications. Home charging from 0% to 80% is claimed to take 5 hours and 42 minutes for the smaller battery and 6 hours and 16 minutes for the larger one.
So, what makes the S1Z different from other electric scooters?
Beyond the headline-grabbing range, Ola is pitching the S1Z as a more technology-heavy offering. It runs on MoveOS 5 and gets features such as cruise control, advanced regenerative braking, reverse mode, GPS and over-the-air software updates. Through the Ola Electric app, riders can also access geo, time and mode fencing, along with ride statistics and energy insights.
Then there is ‘Easy Park’, which is designed to make manoeuvring the scooter in tight spaces simpler. A twist of the wrist allows riders to move in and out of parking spots — a feature Ola is using to add everyday practicality to the scooter's technology package.
The bigger difference, however, may be the Bharat Cell itself. While range and connected features have become increasingly common across electric two-wheelers, the S1Z is Ola's first mass-market scooter to use battery cells developed by the company and manufactured at its own Gigafactory. That vertical integration — spanning the battery, motor, software and vehicle — is central to Ola's pitch.
The S1Z also marks a change in how Ola plans to sell its scooters. It will be the first model to be sold through the company's dealer-operated stores, taking the brand beyond its company-owned retail network as it targets a full-fledged dealership footprint by Diwali 2026.
Ola calls the proposition ‘Zyada’ — more safety, more range, more technology and more value. Whether the S1Z can deliver on that promise will depend on how its claimed range, new battery technology and expanded feature set perform once deliveries begin.
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