Pros and cons
Ola Electric S1 Pro pros and cons — the honest buyer's verdict (2023)
4 min read·Last updated: 2022-12-31·By ev.care editorial team
TL;DR
5 pros, 4 cons. The Ola Electric S1 Pro is best for performance-oriented riders who want maximum range and speed — within that envelope it is one of the strongest picks in its segment.
An EV is too big a purchase to make on vibes. This guide breaks the Ola Electric S1 Pro down into 5 genuine wins and 4 fair criticisms, anchored to Ola Electric's own spec sheet and what 242 km of range actually buys you in daily use. No marketing fluff, no hate piece.
Ola Electric S1 Pro — the pros
If you ask Ola Electric S1 Pro owners what they would tell a friend, this is the short list. Strength 1 — 195 km range — best in class. On the Ola Electric S1 Pro specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 2 — 116 km/h top speed — performance leader. On the Ola Electric S1 Pro specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 3 — Aggressive pricing for specs offered. On the Ola Electric S1 Pro specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 4 — MoveOS improving with updates. On the Ola Electric S1 Pro specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 5 — Large 3.97 kWh battery. On the Ola Electric S1 Pro specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Anchoring all of this: a 4.97 kWh battery, 242 km range, and a ₹1.10 - 1.75 Lakh starting price that defines the Ola Electric S1 Pro's value envelope.
Ola Electric S1 Pro — the cons
Be honest about whether these matter for your driving — for some buyers they're noise, for others they're disqualifying. Weakness 1 — Software bugs in early batches. On the Ola Electric S1 Pro specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 2 — Build quality inconsistencies reported. On the Ola Electric S1 Pro specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 3 — Service network still developing. On the Ola Electric S1 Pro specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 4 — Touchscreen less refined than Ather. On the Ola Electric S1 Pro specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. For a electric scooter weighing 0 kg with 125 km/h top speed, these trade-offs are within segment norms but worth pricing in.
Who the Ola Electric S1 Pro is for
Ola Electric pitches the Ola Electric S1 Pro at "Performance-oriented riders who want maximum range and speed", and that framing holds up. If your driving fits that shape, the pros above land hardest and the cons fade fastest. 242 km of range is enough for most weekly profiles, and 0-50% in 18 min (Ola Hypercharger) of fast charging keep occasional long trips practical.
Practical next steps
Take both columns into your test drive — drive the route that matters to you (commute, school run, weekend highway) and see which side of the ledger your own day-to-day touches first.
Related Ola Electric EVs
If the cons above are dealbreakers, look at ather 450x, bajaj chetak — each makes a different set of trade-offs. The Ola Electric S1 Pro wins more often than not in its tier, but cross-shopping protects you from buying the wrong shape.
Frequently asked questions
- Can the cons be fixed with aftermarket changes?
- A few — wheels, tyres, interior comforts, dashcam, charging cables. Most cons in the list above are structural and not modifiable after purchase, so buy with eyes open.
- What's the biggest reason to choose the Ola Electric S1 Pro?
- Pick the pro in the list above that most matches your weekly use. If it's range, value, charging speed, or feature set — whichever sits at the top for you — that's the buy signal.
- Is the Ola Electric S1 Pro worth buying overall?
- For performance-oriented riders who want maximum range and speed, yes. The Ola Electric S1 Pro's pros pay back week after week for that use case. For substantially different needs, you'll find better fits in other models.
- Does Ola Electric address the cons in newer models?
- Some, not all. Ola Electric has improved the Ola Electric S1 Pro platform with each refresh — software updates close a few cons, hardware refresh cycles close more. But fundamental layout decisions (boot space, seating, charge port placement) are baked in for the life of the model.
Wrapped up — the Ola Electric S1 Pro is a deliberate choice for performance-oriented riders who want maximum range and speed. The pros and cons aren't symmetrical, and that asymmetry is what makes it the right car for some and the wrong car for others.