Ola electric scooters need no introduction as they are flamboyant as exotic Italian sportscars. The S1 range of scooters have proven to be popular for the company as they come with a host of features from music to party mode. However, with the reduction in FAME subsidies, EV makers are forced to come up with more affordable scooters, and thus, the Ola S1 Air.
Unveiled a few weeks ago, the Ola S1 Air replaces the S1 in the EV maker’s lineup. Priced at Rs 1.09 lakh till August 15, the S1 Air seems to be a tempting offer — or is it?
Ola S1 Air review: Platform and design
At first glimpse, the Ola S1 Air looks similar to the familiar S1 Pro, however, a closer look reveals more details. For one, the new Air sports traditional telescopic front forks instead of Ola’s unique single-fork design. Towards the rear, the S1 Air gets dual shocks as well, mounted on a box-section swingarm.
The Ola S1 Air is based on a heavily tweaked platform compared to the S1 Pro, which is lighter. The new Air also gets a flat floorboard, which is handy when wanting to carry things. Overall, the S1 Air weighs 108kg, which is the result of the new platform and tweaks done to various parts of the scooter.
Other changes in the design include a new single-piece grab handle and dual-tone bodywork, along with six colours to choose from. Apart from these, the S1 Air retains the trademark headlight design and gets LED lighting all around.
Ola S1 Air review: Battery and range
The EV maker has also tweaked the battery and other electrical components on the scooter which has saved weight, resulting in better performance. The S1 Air gets a smaller 2.9kWh battery pack capable of returning a claimed range of 100km. Ola has retained the Eco, Normal, and Sport modes, as the Sport mode can help the S1 Air reach a top speed of 90kmph.
Moving on to charging, Ola claims that the battery pack can be charged from 0 to 80 percent in under 4 hours while 0 to 100 percent takes 5 hours with a home charger. One of the biggest changes here is the hub-driven electric motor capable of attaining 0 to 40kmph in 3.3 seconds. Now, keeping costs in mind, a hub-driven electric motor makes sense compared to the S1 Pro’s mid-drive motor that drives the rear wheel via a belt drive.
Ola S1 Air review: Ride, handling, and performance
In terms of performance, the S1 Air is quick, given its positioning. It has a top speed of 90kmph in Sport mode and can accelerate from 0 to 60kmph in 5.8 seconds, which is plenty for a commuter. The rider is in a comfortable position, sitting low with wide bars. The new suspension setup does a good job of soaking up Indian road conditions well, and the 160mm ground clearance is plenty to tackle the biggest of speed breakers.
However, what could be better is the braking. Unlike the S1 Pro, the S1 Air gets drum brakes at both ends with a combined braking system. The CBS works well, but a disc brake up front could have been a standard feature as the e-scooter is pretty quick off the line.
Ola S1 Air review: Instrumentation and features
Ola e-scooters are also famous for their large touchscreen display and the company has not taken away this experience in the S1 Air. The scooter gets all the features as the Pro such as speakers, party mode, phone connectivity, Bluetooth, and more. One cost-cutting measure, however, is that the Air gets a single speaker instead of two.
The redesigned frame has also reduced the boot space of the S1 Air by two litres, which now stands at 34 litres, however, the space is more than adequate to store things, including a full-size helmet. The front storage pockets have also been redesigned, while the switchgear is familiar and feels tactile.
Should you buy the new Ola S1 Air?
Ola has done a good job in cutting costs but keeping the scooter feature-rich. The addition of a disc brake would have made the S1 Air even better, which could be a deal-breaker for some. Also, when the overall design is taken into consideration, the new S1 Air is well put together, however, when compared to the S1 Pro, the box-section swingarm and the rear suspension seem to be a step down in design.
To be honest, this is not a deal-breaker though, as the S1 Air serves its intended purpose of being a cost-effective electric commuter with a lot of features. So answering the question if you should buy the new Ola S1 Air — we’d say think about it for a couple of days.
