News Update

Ola Electric enables S1 scooter buyers to upgrade with new front fork

• ByStartupStory     |    March 15, 2023

In response to reports that the front fork arm of Ola Electric’s electric scooters had broken while on the road, the company has announced that it will offer customers the opportunity to replace the component free of charge. The front fork arm is a crucial link between the vehicle’s body and wheel, and the company has recently received complaints from users regarding its safety. However, Ola Electric has assured customers that the concerns are unfounded.

Ola Electric has announced that it will provide its customers with the opportunity to upgrade to a new front fork arm for its electric scooters at no additional cost, in response to concerns raised by some users regarding the safety of the component. The company, based in Bengaluru, explained that this initiative is part of its continuous efforts to improve the design and engineering of its vehicles, and that the updated front fork arm design is intended to provide greater durability and strength.

Ola Electric has sold over 200,000 S1 and S1 Pro scooters thus far, thanks to the support of SoftBank. While the company did not explicitly refer to the action as a “recall,” several industry experts have stated that the approach being implemented is comparable to a voluntary recall.

An anonymous automotive analyst has claimed that while Ola Electric’s decision to replace a potentially defective component at no cost to customers is effectively a recall, it may not be legally classified as such unless the government is informed. In the past, the company has faced criticism for a number of incidents, including a fire that occurred in March 2021, which led to a voluntary recall of 1,441 vehicles in April of that year. Additionally, the company has had to release statements regarding several accidents that have occurred due to the front fork arm breaking.

Despite facing quality concerns since launching its scooters in December 2021, Ola Electric has consistently claimed that accidents involving its vehicles are isolated incidents. Despite the criticisms, the SoftBank-backed company has continued to experience unprecedented sales figures in recent months. However, the firm has yet to commence delivery of its most affordable model, the S1 Air, and while it initially pledged to begin deliveries in March 2022, founder Bhavish Aggarwal later pushed back the start of deliveries to July.

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