Ola Electric to launch electric two-wheeler in India in 2021

• Ola Electric aims to launch its global electric two-wheeler in India in 2021

• The company is already working with India’s power distribution companies to develop an EV ecosystem in New Delhi

• Etergo was founded in Amsterdam in 2014 and has won multiple awards for its AppScooter

Ola Electric, a company backed by ride-sharing giant Ola, has announced the acquisition of Etergo BV, a Netherlands-based electric scooter company. With this purchase, Ola Electric has also announced its entry into the electric two-wheeler market, both globally and in India. It also aims to launch its global electric two-wheeler in India in 2021.

Netherlands-based e-scooter company Etergo was founded in 2014. The company is well-known for its AppScooter, which has won multiple awards at CES 2019 and the Automotive Brand Contest, Germany, among others. The Etergo AppScooter, which was first revealed in 2018, uses swappable high energy density batteries to deliver a claimed range of up to 240km. The AppScooter also has a claimed 0-45kph time of 3.9 seconds, underseat storage capacity of 50 litres and TFT instrumentation.

Bhavish Aggarwal, Founder & Chairman, Ola Electric said, “The future of mobility is electric, and the post COVID-19 world presents an opportunity for us to accelerate the adoption of electric mobility globally. Every year, almost twice the number of two-wheelers are sold across the world compared to cars. With electric, digitally connected capabilities, two-wheelers will further emerge as the most preferred urban mobility paradigm around the world and empower every consumer. We look forward to building the best global capabilities in engineering, design, and manufacturing for these products to be made here in India.”

Etergo’s team will continue to be based out of Amsterdam as they join Ola Electric. The Indian company has also said that it is already working with India’s power distribution companies towards developing an EV ecosystem through the establishment of battery swapping and charging stations in New Delhi.

While the AppScooter gives us a good idea of what Etergo is capable of, we don't expect it to be the scooter Ola Electric will bring to India. The AppScooter is priced at 3,399 Euro (around Rs 2.82 lakh) and at that price it would not fit into the premium electric scooter segment in India. We expect to see a more cost-efficient product that will use design and technology from Etergo, but come with a price tag so that it rivals the likes of Ather’s e-scooters, Bajaj’s Chetak and the TVS iQube.