The Ola S1 Air just went on sale a few days ago and at Rs 84,999, it sits at a pretty competitive price point. The S1 Air is the new entry point into the world of Ola Electric scooters, with the S1 and S1 Pro sitting above it, both in terms of price as well as performance and range.
That said, the S1 Air isn’t limited to being a watered-down version of the premium S1s. In fact, the S1 Air boasts of features like a 7-inch touchscreen TFT, Bluetooth connectivity, proximity unlock and more. Other highlights of the scooter include a hub-mounted motor with a peak power of 4.5kW and a claimed 0-40kph time of 4.3s. The scooter can accelerate to a top speed of 85kph. Its 2.5kWh battery takes 4.5 hours to top up and offers a range of 101km in Eco Mode.
We take a look at what the Ola S1 Air’s similarly priced peers offer.
Hero Electric Optima CX (Dual battery): Rs 85,190
The Electric Optima falls under Hero’s city-speed range of electric scooters, capable of hitting a top speed of 45kph. The low-speed range can go up to 25kph only.
A quick look at the specifications of the Optima reveals that the scooter is powered by a 1.2kW, hub-mounted motor. The battery capacity is a touch above 1.5kWh and that translates to a range of 140km. The company says it takes 4-5 hours to fully charge the battery and unlike the Ola S1 Air, the Optima’s battery is removable and can be hauled up to your home or office and charged using a regular 3-pin electrical socket.
As for the design of the scooter, it looks pretty conventional. The chassis, meanwhile, is suspended by a telescopic fork and dual shock absorbers. The scooter rides on 12-inch wheels, and braking duties are taken care of by drum brakes at either end.
In terms of features, the scooter has an LED headlight, a USB charging port for your phone, cruise control and reverse mode.
Okinawa Praise Pro: Rs 87,593
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The Okinawa Praise Pro, like the Hero Optima, can’t match up to the S1 Air when it comes to specifications alone. The Praise Pro has a 2.7kW, hub-mounted motor that is capable of propelling the scooter to a top speed of 50kph. The motor is powered by a 2.08kWh lithium-ion battery and the company claims it can cover 81km in Sports mode on a full charge.
As is the case with the Ola S1 Air, the Okinawa also has a telescopic fork and twin shock absorber set-up. However, it has disc brakes at either end instead of the drums on the Ola.
In terms of features, the scooter has a mobile phone charging port and reverse/forward park mode.
TVS Jupiter 125: Rs 82,825-Rs 89,625
If you aren’t bitten by the electric scooter bug yet and instead need a good old ICE scooter, the TVS Jupiter 125 makes a strong case for itself. Powering the scooter is a 124.8cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine that makes a little over 8hp and 10.5Nm. It is capable of taking the scooter to an indicated top speed of 90kph (Vbox 80kph).
When it comes to features, it doesn’t have the fancy, TFT display that you see on the S1 Air and instead makes do with a conventional, digi-analogue instrument cluster. However, like the Hero and the Okinawa, it too has a USB port to charge your phone. Other conveniences include a bag hook and a large, 33-litre boot that’s merely a litre smaller than the S1 Air’s trunk.
As for the chassis, it is suspended by a telescopic fork and a gas-charged monoshock with preload adjustment. The scooter rides on 12-inch wheels at both ends and is available in either a drum brake set-up at both ends, or with a disc at the front and a drum at the rear.
The best part is that unlike the electric scooters, you won’t have to wait for hours to refuel the ICE scooter.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
