After disrupting the personal electric scooter market, Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola Electric has trained its guns on Bajaj Auto, more specifically the commercial electric two wheeler business of the Pune-based motorcycle giant.
Ola Electric recently launched the Gig and Gig+ electric scooters aimed primarily at gig workers working with Apps such as Zepto, Zomato, Swiggy and Blinkit to name the prominent ones.
The Gig and Gig+ electric scooters are aimed at offering last mile connectivity at incredible price points – price points that are meant to disrupt the industry and give Ola Electric a massive advantage over rivals. The sharp pricing is meant to throw down the gauntlet, setting up a high barrier for other EV makers considering this space.
While bookings for both the Ola Gig and Gig+ electric scooters are now open on Ola Electric’s website, deliveries will commence from March 2025. Both these scooters will be built at Ola Electric’s state-of-the-art Future Factory at Krishnagiri, Tamilnadu.
What the Ola Gig and Gig+ offer
For starters, the introductory prices at which both these scooters have been launched has surprised everyone. While the Ola Gig is priced at Rs. 39,999, the Gig+ comes in at Rs. 49,999. They represent great value.
Price Comparison With Bajaj/Yulu
In comparison, Bajaj Auto’s similar offering that’s sold by Yulu – an app that rents and sells commercial electric scooters for gig workers – is called the Wynn, and is priced at Rs. 55,555, and buyers will also have to sign up for a 467 rupees/month subscription program for the battery, charger and battery swap service that further increases cost.
More details about the Ola Gig
Even the most affordable version of Ola Electric’s last-mile scooter – the Gig – priced at Rs. 39,999, offers a lot more than the Bajaj Wynn sold by Yulu, and for a whopping Rs. 15,000 less. While the Ola Gig gets a 1.55 kWh LFP battery that’s removable and rechargeable at home, the Bajaj Wynn gets a 0.98 kWh LFP battery that’s also removable and rechargeable at home.
The difference in battery capacities between the two scooters is stark. The Ola Gig gets a 50 % larger battery pack, and this means a much longer range. While Bajaj Auto claims a 68 kilometer range for the Wynn, the Ola Gig offers nearly double the range with a claimed 112 kilometers per charge.
Top speeds of both scooters are restricted to 25 Kmph and so is the power rating of the motor, which remains identical at 250 watts. Both scooters can be ridden without a driving license. Both scooters can be unlocked through QR codes from their respective apps, making for a 100 % keyless and seamless experience.
The Ola Gig+ promises to go a step ahead
While the Wynn is the top-of-the-line last mile connectivity electric scooter offered by Bajaj Auto through Yulu, Ola Electric also has the Gig+, which is a significant step up from the Wynn.
The Gig+ offers more power, range and features that none of Bajaj Auto’s scooters have, and all this at a price that puts it well below the Wynn. It’ll be interesting to see how this battle between Ola and Bajaj pan out once the Gig range of scooters are out on the road.
The base trim of the Ola Gig+ has a bigger battery than the Bajaj Wynn (1.5 kWh vs 0.98 kWh), and a lot more power (1.5 Kw vs 250w). The additional power means a higher top speed of 45 Kmph, which is significantly more than the 25 Kmph top speed of the Wynn. More power also means better gradeability.
Moreover, the Ola Gig+’s certified range of 81 kilometers is higher than the 68 kilometer range promised by the Bajaj Wynn. Finally, there’s the ability of the Gig+ to host an additional battery. The additional battery, with an identical 1.5 kWh capacity, boosts certified range to a considerable 167 kilometers.
Of course, this comes with an extra cost of about Rs. 9,999, but that for kind of money, you get great flexibility in a stylish yet very utilitarian scooter. All in all, both the Ola Gig and Gig+ promise to redefine last mile connectivity for delivery fleets and gig workers across India. What will be Bajaj’s next move now that Ola has just beaten it in price and value terms? We’ll have to wait and watch!
