Should you buy Ola S1 electric scooter or S1 Pro?
What's the story
Ola Electric has launched the S1 electric scooter in India with an introductory price tag of Rs. 1 lakh (ex-showroom). This makes it the most affordable offering for the homegrown automaker. The EV has a claimed range of 141km per charge and a top speed of 95km/h. However, its sibling, the S1 Pro offers slightly better performance. So, which should you pick?
Context
Why does this story matter?
Ola Electric is one of the largest electric scooter manufacturers in India with a 500-acre facility and an annual production capacity of 10 million units. The homegrown brand has two products in its portfolio: S1 and S1 Pro. Both scooters feature a similar design language and are backed by the latest version of the brand's MoveOS. They rival Ather 450 Gen3 and Simple One.
Design
Design-wise, both the scooters are same
Both the Ola S1 and S1 Pro sit on a tubular chassis and feature a minimalist front fascia with a smiley-shaped dual-pod LED headlight, a flat footboard, a single-piece seat, cast alloy grab rails, a sleek LED taillamp, and angular mirrors. The scooters pack a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster running on MoveOS 2.0 and ride on blacked-out, 12-inch aluminium alloy wheels.
Performance
The S1 Pro gets a bigger 3.97kWh battery pack
Both the Ola S1 and S1 Pro are powered by an 8.5kW electric motor. However, the S1 gets a 3kWh battery pack while the S1 Pro provides a bigger 3.97kWh battery pack. The former has a claimed range of 141km, while the latter can do 181km on a single charge. The standard variant also has lower top speed than Pro model (95km/h v/s 116km/h).
Safety
Both the e-scooters are equipped with disc brakes
In terms of safety equipment, both the S1 and S1 Pro are Identical. The e-scooters as equipped with disc brakes on both the front and rear wheels, along with a Combined Braking System (CBS) for better braking performance. The suspension duties on both the EVs are taken care of by a single fork on the front and a mono-shock unit on the rear.
Our verdict
Ola S1 v/s S1 Pro: Which one is better?
The Ola S1 is priced at Rs. 1 lakh, while the S1 Pro costs Rs. 1.39 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). If you don't have to commute long distance and budget remains a concern, the S1 should serve you well. Else, get the S1 Pro as it provides more range and better performance. You also get more color options with the Pro model.