After becoming the most popular electric scooter in India, the Ola S1 Pro has undergone a radical update. Called the Ola S1 Pro Gen 2, the flagship EV from Ola gets a subtle design update but a major hardware update, hopefully addressing many older niggles. Having ridden the Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 briefly, here’s our first ride review.
The Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 was showcased at the company’s Future Factory based in Krishnagiri during the media rides for the Ola S1 Air, which is set to address the mass market for a budget electric scooter. Using the same platform as the S1 Air, Ola has built the S1 Pro Gen 2 with tweaks to the motor design.
Design and platform
The Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 retains the same overall design, however, it sees major tweaks done to the platform to make it lighter. Apart from shedding a few kilos, the S1 Pro Gen 2 does seem to have taken a step back in terms of design as the company has ditched the unique single-sided front fork for a traditional telescopic unit, while the rear also gets dual shocks.
Apart from these changes, the Gen 2 retains the twin-pod LED headlight setup and DRL, sleek tail lamp and blinkers, and its bold colours. The suspension update is the biggest change and the new box-section swingarm is a bit of an eyesore, but it’s functional.
Ola S1 Pro Gen 2: Ride and handling
Powering the new Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 is the same battery pack as the previous-gen vehicle but with tweaks to make it lighter. The S1 Pro Gen 2 retains its brisk acceleration and Ola claims a 0 to 40kmph timing of 2.6 seconds. The company also claims a true range of 180km on a full charge, which was impossible to test given the short time we had with the scooter.
The Gen 2 Pro retains the Hyper, Sport, Normal, and Eco modes and the scooter can be charged fully in six and a half hours with a home charger. Ola claims a top speed of 120kmph, but again, it was impossible to test these figures. One thing to note, however, is that the ride quality has improved over the previous gen S1 Pro.
Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 features
Similar to the older-gen vehicle, the S1 Pro Gen 2 retains all the bells and whistles integrated with its TFT dash. The dash itself has been tweaked, not in terms of UI, but the internals and the software to make it more efficient.
The Gen 2 S1 Pro gets a slightly smaller boot at 34 litres, but it is still large enough to accommodate a full-face helmet. Also, the flat floorboard adds to the utility space if carrying groceries or other things. Apart from the above, the Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 remains largely unchanged and retains all the features that made it a success.
Ola S1 Pro Gen 2 – Should you buy it?
The Gen 2 being the company’s flagship scooter gets everything one needs, looks, performance, range, features, and colours. However, from S1 Pro Gen 1 owner’s perspective, the Gen 2 seems to be a step down in design, as it misses the single-sided swingarm and the rear monoshock that added to the design of the scooter. For a first-time buyer, however, it makes sense as it is an improved version of the scooter.
Answering the question, we say it is too early to recommend it, as we did not spend enough time on the new S1 Pro Gen 2. We suggest waiting a little until deliveries begin and minor issues with the first batch are ironed out.
