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Old 16th November 2023, 15:53   #1
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SAIR (सैर) - It is an Urdu term. It's common meanings include: Trip, Ride, Pleasure Trip, Spin, Outing, Excursion and many such terms, as per the website link.

Exactly the kind of trips I wanted an electric scooter for, for leisure rides around Manali!

As has been my recent habit, I like to name my rides, my Aria is called Saffira (Saffira | My Pre-owned 2011 Tata Aria Prestige 4x4), and my bike was Uni (2010 Honda Unicorn Pearl Ingenious Black). So, I named my scooter as SAIR!

So, Sair replaces my trusted old Uni! Uni has served me well for 13.5 years, and close to 70K kilometres. But, it's time to let go of my parent's college gift, and embrace the torquey electric future of mobility.

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231008_231322.jpg

Introducing the first Ola S1 Air in Manali! Manali has at least one other Ola S1 Pro or S1 scooter, but I hadn't seen anyone driving an S1 Air till now.


Likes:
1. Silence - I absolutely love the silence of an electric scooter. The faint whine, no noisy drama of the engine straining hard on inclines. Absolutely adore being able to move silently in the quiet hills around Manali!

2. Torque - EVs have instantaneous torque delivery. I had never driven any EV before, and I was amazed by this fact. If I am not mistaken, S1 Air hub motor gives close to 150NM of torque, that's more than my Nano, more than my Triber (Ownership Review of my Renault Triber RXZ (Electric Blue)) and more than my A-Star! And all this from 1RPM. The scooter climbs steep gradients even in Eco mode, rarely do I use Normal mode, and have only used Sport mode on one ocassion till now, in 1.5 months.

3. Looks - I like the look of the Ola scooters. Ever since I read that Ola scooter will be based on the Etergo App scooter, I was in love with those looks. I do not mind not having a Single Front Suspension, or vertical Suspension struts at the back, as long as I can travel comfortably, looks do not matter much to me.

4. Reverse Mode - Many a times it has been helpful to have Reverse Mode in the scooter.

5. Speaker - Although S1 Air does not have the dual speaker setup of the S1 Pro, nor does it have any kind of base in the single speaker that it does have on it's right side, but the ability to have a waterproof speaker setup in your scooter is a big plus. I can comfortable listen to music while driving, if I'm in the mood to, and can also control it via the switches on the Right side of the handle bar.

6. Maps - Inbuilt Maps is a good thing, as now I do not need to keep my mobile in a holder at viewing level for directions, if I'm driving towards a new place nearby.

7. USB Port - The port is nicely angled downwards, and is away from direct rain splash. It is a boon to have, as it can help recharge the phone battery on the go. No rubber cover is surely a cost cutting measure, and wold have raied the value.

8. Speaker Pockets - They are adequately sized, and I am able to fit my Redmi 9 Power with a Leather Flip Cover in them without a problem.

9. Ola Electric App - I love the animations present in the App. It deserves a special mention for providing so much data, and also the exact color and model of your scooter, not just a random model and color. More details at the end of the review.



10. Party Mode - Great fun trick while stationary and in mood for some fun or to impress friends, but that's about it!


Dislikes:
1. No Hill Hold - Many a times I have had to stop behind traffic on steep inclines, and a lack of Hill Hold is evident when I need to start moving again, and the scooter starts rolling back upon releasing the Brakes.

2. No Cruise Control in Eco mode - This feature may come with Move OS4 update, but is absent at present.

3. Short Seat Length - Even though I am not a fan of driving with my children and wife altogether, but when we first went on a drive after buying the scooter, it was evident that the seat length is small. We had a hard time managing our 6 year old son in between us parents, and even when he was sitting in the front. Not very comfortable if you want to ride with 2.5 people on the scooter.

4. Rough Edges - The speaker pockets have rough edges on the top, especially on the Left side. On a few ocassions, I have been able to scrape my skin off because of them, while keeping gloves and cleaning cloth etc.

5. No inbuilt SIM Card - The S1 Pro and S1 have an inbuilt Jio SIM card for navigation purposes and to share the scooter data with the App. I am not sure if the S1 Air has it, because I have been unable to use Maps when the scooter is not connected to a WiFi network, but I haven't tried it after my App was activated after over a month of using the scooter without App activation.

6. Sudden Loss of Performance Issue - I live in Manali, and the roads towards Atal Tunnel, Rohtang Pass, and even to some villages are pretty steep. I have notice that the scooter is suddenly switching off without any warnings while going uphill, and sometimes even while going downhill! I have scheduled a service appointment for Thursday (23rd Nov.), and will update what problem was diagnosed and how it was rectified, after doing another trip towards Atal Tunnel after the service is done.

Video of the problem when my son and I tried in Eco mode:-


Video of the problem when I tried in solo, in Normal mode, the next day:-



Alternatives Considered:-
Kullu district had only 3 companies which sell EV Scooters by September 2023. Okinawa, Ola and Kinetic Electric/Green something. Gutkar (Mandi) had a showroom of Benling scooters, but it wasn't showing up in their website, so I didn't bother.

Okinawa - I had loved Okinawa scooters, but the only powerful scooter they had was Okhi-90, and it was close to 2 Lakhs ex-showroom, which was way beyond my budget.

Kinetic didn't have models to my liking.

I loved the Ola S1 Pro Gen 1 and Gen 2 both, but by the time I could book online, Gen 1 was sold out, or had become unavailable to book online, and Gen 2 was a stretch in my budget, which I did not want. I did not want to take up another EMI on my head, not even for a few months!

Then I carefully examined between Ola S1X+ and S1 Air, as both had similar specs, but different looks, features and speedo consoles, and I decided that I want to fancy touchscreen, the speaker setup and the fast charging ability of the Air, and not stick with lesser features and slower charging of the S1X+.

After the decision was made, choice of color was between Stellar Blue and Midnight Blue. I prefer darker shaded, and hence I finally decied to buy the Midnight Blue color.


Complete Booking Experience:-
I did the booking on the Ola Electric website. It was very easy, and I was able to choose between 2 Insurance providers, and also Extended Warranty and Ola Care+ plans.

My booking details have been documented at the link below:
I booked my scooter (The "I Booked my Bike / Scooter" Thread) on 27th September 2023 through the Ola Electric website, and completed all the payments online.

The scooter was scheduled to be delivered on 22nd October, but I wanted it to be delivered on or before 7th October (being our Wedding Anniversary), I prayed real hard, and I finally got a call from Mr. Chakshu from Ola in Banur, Punjab that they will be coming to deliver my scooter tomorrow. By the way, my payment included the "Home Delivery" option, as the nearest Experience Centre was still not active in Kullu by that time. But, ultimately their plan got cancelled due to lesser number of scooters to deliver!


Delivery Experience:-
Then again on 8th October he called and informed me that he has started from Banur, Punjab, and will reach me before midnight, and I should be ready for delivery, I was more than happy to get it delivered even on 8th, a day after our special day.

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231008_230253.jpg

They were out to deliver 3 scooters on that day, they delivered 1 in Mandi, the middle one was mine, and the silver one on the right was to be delivered in Palampur or Dharamshala. My scooter was delivered at 11PM in the night, and the next scooter would have been delivered the next morning in Palampur or Dharamshala. The whole process of Home Delivery has been documented in this video attached below:-



So, the scooter was delivered with 1Km on the Odometer, and I have covered close to 350Kms in my >1 month of ownership.


On-Road Price:-
On-The Roar Price : Rs.1,43,744/-

Dealer : Ola Experience Centre, Kullu (selected the Home Delivery option, which costs Rs.999/-, included in the OTR Price written above)

Accessories : None so far, only Helmet and Cover were available from Ola website, and I didn't want them.


Discounts:-
I did not get any discounts, as this was a new product and there was no way to haggle for discounts on the Ola Website!


Extended Warranties & Service Packages Chosen:-
Digit Insurance (including 1 year Own Damage, 5 years Third Party, Personal Accident Cover, Zero Depreciation, 24/7 Roadside Assistance)
Charger and Screen Protection (₹799/year)
Rodent Protection (₹699/year)
Comprehensive Extended Warranty (₹7,299 for covering Battery, Motor, Charger and Head Unit)
Ola Care Plus (₹3,599 for Annual Comprehensive Diagnostics, Free Home Service and Pick Up/Drop, Free Consumables, 24/7 Doctor and Ambulance Service)


My Usage Pattern:-
I walk to work, as I live on campus. And I do not need a 2 or 4 wheeler to commute to work, so the sole purpose of buying a 2 wheeler was to drive around town when needed, without getting stuck in long traffic jams, common around the tourist season.


Overall Build Quality, Fit & Finish and Paint Quality:-
The scooter looks sturdy and does not rattle or squeak while driving. There is a 'thuk' noise while going through some deep potholes, but it is not consistent, and may be due to slightly excessive speed sometimes.

A point of concern is the rounded Rubber at the end of the Rear Grab Rail, it tends to get stuck in clothes and come off, as per online reviews on YouTube. Mine had started to come out, but I was able to push it back in, before loosing it out on the road. I have made it a habit to push it back in after every drive with my wife or a rear passenger!

The scooter does have some panel gaps, and that was a known issue in these initial batches of S1 Air models, which was highlighted in many ownership videos on YouTube as well. But, I haven't done anything to get them fixed yet!

My scooter has a matte finish paint, and the quality looks good. My son has been able to scratch a small section on the Left Rear Panel, due to his shoes dangling while going with me on the drives.


Wheels & Tyres:-
The S1 Air comes with 90/90-12 tyres in the front and back. The front has Drum Brakes on a steel rim, while the rear has Drum Brakes with the Hub Motor!


Handlebar / Switchgear / Cluster Design & Quality:-
The handlebar has 5 switches on each side. The left side has controls for Headlight/Dipper, Cruise Control/Reverse, Right Indicator, Horn and Left Indicator respectively (clockwise from top left).

The right side has Riding Mode Switch, Power Switch, Volume Up, Play/Pause and Volume Down buttons respectively (clockwise from top left).

The Riding Mode Switch needs to be kept pressed to switch to Eco mode, Normal and Sport modes can be toggled by a short press of this switch.

It is speculated that Auto Turn Off Indicators feature will come with Move OS4 update, but nothing is confirmed yet for the S1 Air model.


Seat Height and how it may or may not suit short / tall riders:-
I am 5'8" tall and I find it a bit of a stretch to reach the road when standing still. It feels like the seat height is designed for slightly taller riders. The floor board is flat, and has a rubberized feel to it, but an ideal seating position is with the legs stretched forward a little, and there the floor is all plastic, and the shoe soles make a banging noise while going over potholes, I may need to invest in a long rubber floor mat in the future, if my riding pattern changes!


Visibility & size of mirrors:-
The mirros are decently sized and give a good coverage of what's behind you. They are not round, but are trapezoidal in shape.


How are the Headlamps?:-
The dipper is 'figure-of-8' shaped, or maybe Eagle shaped! It is quite bright and has good range and throw for most of my use.

The headlanp is a small round throw of white light in the centre of that bird figure, which hardly makes a difference for me here in the hills, people using it down in the plains may give their feedback on it's effectiveness. I just use it while initiating an overtake, or when cars come towards me with their high beams on.

The DRL or Halo Lamp function is not activated on the S1 Air, it is not illuminated in the brochure, it does not switch on during Party Mode, but a recent owner of S1 Air with Move OS higher than my 3.1.1 had uploaded a video on YouTube showing the DRLs on during Party Mode, not sure.


Storage & practicality (including underseat storage). Can it carry the papers? How secure is it?:-
The new gen Ola scooters have a cavernous 34L underseat storage. It is claimed to be able to carry 2 half face helmets, and I keep 1 in my boot, unless I have a passenger sitting behind me. I use the storage space to carry the Scooter Papers, Tool Kit, First Aid Kit, Waterproof Riding Gloves and Rain Suit, and it barely has space for some more flat items on top of all this.

The pockets behind the speaker grills can carry Mobile Phones or other small wiping cloth etc.

There is a Hook in the front to keep some small carrybags or backpack while travelling. It is not very deep, and I fear that the carrybag may jump and fall, while going over some deep pothole, but I haven't actually tried carrying anything there till now.


Exhaust note - satisfying? Not so?:-
By default there is only an electric motor whine while driving. The scooter comes with 3 skins for the Human Machine Interface (touch-screen), and they include Vintage, Bolt and Eclipse moods, each with a different kind of sound you can use while driving the scooter, to warn pedestrians nearby. Vintage sounds like a Yamaha RX100 bike, Bolt seems like a Petrol scooter and Eclipse is more like a futuristic scooter sound from Sci-Fi movies.


Fuel Efficiency:-
Being all electric, there is no Fuel Efficeincy per se, but there is a Driving Range to know about.

Claimed Ranges for Ola S1 Air are: 125Kms (Eco), 100Kms (Normal) and 80Kms (Sport).

Here in the hills, I loose 1.5-2.5% battery per Kilometer, depending upon solo or 2 person riding, and usually get 2/3rds the advertised range in all modes.

0-100% charging takes 5.5 hours with the provided 750Watts charger, which can be connected to any 6Amps plug at home. As of now, Ola Experience Centre Kullu is about to install a 3KW Fast Charger, but I have no confirmation yet.

S1 Air supports Hyper Charging, but the nearest Hyper Charger is in Chandigarh only, so of no use to me currently.

I am in contact with EV Car charger provider Hotels near Manali and Kullu, and have advised them to get compatible chargers, or at least charging sockets installed, so that Range Anxiety can be taken care of, when needed.


Ground Clearance:-
If I remember correctly, ground clearance is 160mm. But, I have not had any under body scraping accidents till date in 1.5 months, even while driving over broken roads and rocky sections.


Stand:-
By default the scooter comes with only a Side Stand, which is made of Plastic. I haven't tried sitting on the scooter with the stand in place, as the angle is quite a bit to sit and relax, the OEM Centre Stand does not show compatability with S1 Air model, and hence only option for me is an After Market Stand, in case I want to install one.

The scooter has a Side Stand Warning indication on the HMI, and will not start if the Side Stand is open!


Any Niggles, Problems or Part Replacements:-
the only issue I am facing currently is probably overheating while trying to drive up towards Atal Tunnel or Gulaba, or even sometimes locally. I have a Home Service Appointment scheduled for 23rd November evening, will update as to what was the problem leading to this issue after their diagnosis!

My Ola Electric App was not activated till last week. I had sent requests on EMail, and they would revert back after a few days, but do nothing about it. Finally I contacted the Manager of the Ola Experience Centre, in Kullu, and he escalated the issue to the Punjab Office, and it was activated last week. Now I do not need to enter my scooter's passcode everytime in public places, and I feel so much more relaxed and safe that I can control most of the things with just my mobile!


Accessories Installed:-
1. Touchscreen Guard (bought off Amazon)
2. Seat Cover Net (bought off Amazon)
3. Scooter Cover (bought off Amazon)

In the future I may install a Floor Board Mat and Centre Stand!


Usage:-
I have done some trips in my SAIR, and have compiled the data from these trips in another video I uploaded to my channel, link below:-



I hope that this review will help so many other people to help decide if they want to invest in buying an Ola S1 Air or not. For people from the hills, my suggestion is to wait for now, as the scooter is still not there yet, to be used exclusively in the hills. Maybe after Move OS4 update, or some Motor tweaks, but not yet!


Ola Elctric App:-
This deserves a special mention and place in the Ownership Review, because it has changed the overall experience by leaps and bounds. It has a nice Widget to be placed on your mobile's home screen, from where you can check up on your scooter's battery and charging statictics.

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-screenshot_20231122113309002_com.olaelectric.companion.jpg

The app shows the following data:
Range
Battery Percentage
Lock/Unlock Status
Boot Status (Lock/Open)
Mode (Parked, Charging, Vacation Mode, etc.)

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-screenshot_20231122113312316_com.olaelectric.companion2.jpg

Features of the App include:
Scooter Name and Registration Number
Proximity Lock/Unlock (BETA version)
Scooter Access (to give your scooter to other Ola registered friends, without sharing your scooter password)
Add Ons (Ola Care details, Insurance details)
About Scooter (Odometer, Purchase Date, Chassis Number, Application Version and Dash Software Version)

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-screenshot_20231122113321913_com.olaelectric.companion2.jpg

Support Section (Ongoing Tickets Raised, Resolved, Topics for raising complaints or seeing troubleshooting guide, Emergency Assistance Button, Fork Arm Upgrade for Gen 1 owners).

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-screenshot_20231122113325674_com.olaelectric.companion.jpg

A video animation of the charging and Lock/unlock animations that are seen in the App.




Product Brochure:-

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231129_210300.jpg
Headlamp throw

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231129_210253.jpg
Dipper spread (please correct figure of 8 and eagle shaped to Ski Goggle shaped)

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231126_123454.jpg
USB Charging Port location above the front right speaker

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231126_123439.jpg
Space behind the speakers

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231126_123424.jpg
Speakers and Carry Hook

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231126_123415.jpg
Control Keys on both sides

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231126_123407.jpg
Rear View Mirror design and coverage

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231126_1529232.jpg
Front view, the Halo Lamp doesn't work in Air, at least not for the Move OS3.1.1 version scooters

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231126_152942.jpg
Left side view, due to the dark blue shade, the lower matt black half is not very easily seen, until looked at closely

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231126_1529533.jpg
Rear View, tail lamp design is slightly different from Gen 1 vehicles
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Ola S1 Air brochure.pdf (13.50 MB, 154 views)

Last edited by Aditya : 2nd December 2023 at 05:20.
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Old 22nd November 2023, 19:06   #2
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!
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Old 23rd November 2023, 10:45   #3
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

Congratulations on your new ride..
Wish you many happy rides with SAIR.
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Old 24th November 2023, 00:00   #4
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

Congratulations on your new ride, doc! How's the suspension handling those rough roads?
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Old 24th November 2023, 06:48   #5
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

Great to see electric mobility coming to the hills. I have one too in shimla and the eco mode is practically useless in uphill. So the last 20% of range is useless. Also, the os is too buggy. I need to reset the scooter once a week
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Old 24th November 2023, 07:30   #6
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

Quote:
Originally Posted by Venky03 View Post
Congratulations on your new ride, doc! How's the suspension handling those rough roads?
Thank you Venky03, except the occasional front suspension thud, otherwise it is handling the hills pretty well! No qualms there...

Quote:
Originally Posted by siren373 View Post
Great to see electric mobility coming to the hills. I have one too in shimla and the eco mode is practically useless in uphill. So the last 20% of range is useless. Also, the os is too buggy. I need to reset the scooter once a week
Congratulations Siren373! I guess I'll have to try driving it in Normal and Sports mode during uphill sections then, and leave the Eco mode for very short trips. Thanks for your practical suggestion!
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Old 24th November 2023, 07:45   #7
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

Quote:
Originally Posted by AdityaDeane View Post
3. Short Seat Length - Even though I am not a fan of driving with my children and wife altogether, but when we first went on a drive after buying the scooter, it was evident that the seat length is small. We had a hard time managing our 6 year old son in between us parents, and even when he was sitting in the front. Not very comfortable if you want to ride with 2.5 people on the scooter.
Agreed. I have an S1 (Gen 1) and have the same observation.

Quote:
5. No inbuilt SIM Card - The S1 Pro and S1 have an inbuilt Jio SIM card for navigation purposes and to share the scooter data with the App. I am not sure if the S1 Air has it, because I have been unable to use Maps when the scooter is not connected to a WiFi network, but I haven't tried it after my App was activated after over a month of using the scooter without App activation.
It should include data. Else there is no point having maps. Does it explicitly mention anywhere that your scooter does not have the sim card? This is also required for several Move OS 4 features like geo fencing etc.

Quote:
6. Sudden Loss of Performance Issue - I live in Manali, and the roads towards Atal Tunnel, Rohtang Pass, and even to some villages are pretty steep. I have notice that the scooter is suddenly switching off without any warnings while going uphill, and sometimes even while going downhill! I have scheduled a service appointment for Thursday (23rd Nov.), and will update what problem was diagnosed and how it was rectified, after doing another trip towards Atal Tunnel after the service is done.
This is the most important issue to get resolved right now as the scooter is new. Please report your findings and don't leave this as this is a fundamental issue and not a niggle anymore.


Quote:
It is speculated that Auto Turn Off Indicators feature will come with Move OS4 update, but nothing is confirmed yet for the S1 Air model.
I got the move OS4 beta on my S1 and the auto turn off indicators work very well. Nicely implemented.

Quote:
Seat Height and how it may or may not suit short / tall riders:-
I am 5'8" tall and I find it a bit of a stretch to reach the road when standing still. It feels like the seat height is designed for slightly taller riders.
Agreed. This has been one issue for me as well. While I can still manage reasonably easily (I am 5' 6''), my wife who is shorter finds it harder.
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Old 24th November 2023, 11:08   #8
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

First of all congratulations on your new ride. Thank you for penning down such an exhaustive review, it has cleared most of my doubts. What is life of the battery that ola is claiming and do they have in place any battery replacement policy in place. Also what is the charging time in slow charging mode.
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Old 24th November 2023, 11:30   #9
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kkumar View Post
First of all congratulations on your new ride. Thank you for penning down such an exhaustive review, it has cleared most of my doubts. What is life of the battery that ola is claiming and do they have in place any battery replacement policy in place. Also what is the charging time in slow charging mode.
Thank you Kkumar, I'm glad that the review was helpful for you and cleared some doubts. I have no idea about the claimed battery life and replacement policy, I guess it wasn't clear on the website and all their official communication, hence I have chosen to take the Extended Warranty and Ola Care+ Plan, because I do not want to be taken by surprise in the remote area of Manali, with no nearby service support.

Claimed home charging time via a 6Amps socket is 5.5 hours from 0-100%, but I have never gone below 7% till now, and now I do not remember how many hours it took to recharge from that low to 100%.
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Old 25th November 2023, 19:22   #10
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

@AdityaDeane, with regards possible heating up of motor while riding up hill, I would suggest you to try using sports mode. What I read and personally experienced is that the motor is most stress free in sports mode at speeds where even Normal mode is struggling and pushing the motor, leave alone Eco mode. I have stopped using Normal mode completely as I am getting similar range with Sports mode and the motor is stress free.

I observed that in Normal mode there is lot of resistance around 40 - 50 kmph mark amd takes time as if to suggest not pushing the motor. However, once the speed crosses 55 kmph mark the power comes back. However, in Sports mode the motor is stress free all the way till 80 - 90 kmph speeds and if ridden normally, gives just as much range as Normal mode. Another thing you can possibly try is to have low Regen while going up and High Regen while coming down hill.

All my observations are with Ola S1 Pro and over 6000 kms of riding in 3 months. I ride 50km every day and am left with 65% - 60% charge at the end of day.

Last edited by vamsi.kona : 25th November 2023 at 19:25.
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Old 25th November 2023, 20:04   #11
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

Quote:
Originally Posted by AdityaDeane View Post
9. Ola Electric App - I love the animations present in the App. It deserves a special mention for providing so much data, and also the exact color and model of your scooter, not just a random model and color. More details at the end of the review.
This! It almost feels like OLA's software division and hardware division are 2 different companies. OLA's software design and attention to detail is highly underrated, but overshadowed by the amount of hardware issues is comes along with.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AdityaDeane View Post
5. No inbuilt SIM Card - The S1 Pro and S1 have an inbuilt Jio SIM card for navigation purposes and to share the scooter data with the App. I am not sure if the S1 Air has it, because I have been unable to use Maps when the scooter is not connected to a WiFi network, but I haven't tried it after my App was activated after over a month of using the scooter without App activation.
That should definitely not be the case. It must indeed have an inbuilt sim. Only because of an eSim the scooter talks to the app(when you are away from the scooter without Bluetooth connection.)
The issue with maps not working might be due to the following probabilities:
  • Poor network reception in your area(it uses a Jio sim)
  • Glitchy software
  • Hardware issue such as the VCU(Vehicle control Unit)
Sometimes, the GPS may not be calibrated as you might not have used maps in a while, when I face such an issue, I enter a destination, drive around a couple of kilometers, and it again establishes GPS connection and maps start to work.
Anyway, congrats on your purchase and wish you happy riding!
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Old 25th November 2023, 21:08   #12
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

Quote:
Originally Posted by vamsi.kona View Post
@AdityaDeane, with regards possible heating up of motor while riding up hill, I would suggest you to try using sports mode. What I read and personally experienced is that the motor is most stress free in sports mode at speeds where even Normal mode is struggling and pushing the motor.

Another thing you can possibly try is to have low Regen while going up and High Regen while coming down hill.
Exactly the suggestion of so many other owners on our Telegram and WhatsApp groups. I haven't been able to try it due to the reason/update posted at the end of this reply.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzzaper View Post
That should definitely not be the case. It must indeed have an inbuilt sim. Only because of an eSim the scooter talks to the app(when you are away from the scooter without Bluetooth connection.)

Anyway, congrats on your purchase and wish you happy riding!
I only get vehicle updates if: (1) My scooter is connected to my home WiFi network, or (2) I am nearby and connected to my scooter via my phone's Bluetooth.

Today I went for a short ride, and I tried to use maps. It is either not connected to the internet, or does not have many POIs like GMaps, cause I still cannot search for Ola Experience Centre, Kullu on the maps, while it shows places like Bangalore, Chennai etc. on typing Ola Experience Centre. But, it was able to search for a local hotel name, and start navigating for me, so strange!

Thanks for the wishes, but it is something I can only hope for, not really happening currently!

Update on my Service Request:-
So, as I wrote while writing the ownership review, I had put up a service request through the Ola Electric app for 22nd November, and due to some function on campus, postponed it by a day to 23rd November, 4-7PM time slot.

I was home the whole evening, but never received any call, or saw any service vehicle coming to cater to my request. At night, I again opened the app and rescheduled my service request to Sunday 1-4PM. The next morning, when I opened my e-mail, I got an email asking me for feedback about my recent service experience. I was flabbergasted! I gave my response that no-one came for the service, and I am highly dissatisfied!

Then, on Thursday night, I went out at 10PM to switch on my scooter and take it out of vacation mode. I had fully charged the scooter, and turned on vacation mode, and kept it parked. To my surprise, it didn't switch on. I then tried to Reboot it as well, but nothing. I thought that maybe it's not starting as ambient temperature showed 6°C, so waited for the whole Friday, and repeated this exercise during the warmth of the day, but still the same response.

Incidentally, I had left the charger in the boot thinking that when service guys will come on Thursday, I'll switch the scooter on, so there should not be any charging problems in 3-4 days.

Finally, frantically I started messaging on all our WhatsApp and Telegram groups, and everyone suggested me to open the boot from the front (trust me it's a very easy process, so never leave anything valuable in your scooter's boot, any layman can do it with just 1 basic tool), and then Hard Reset the scooter by disconnecting the coupler, and reconnecting it again. Some people suggested that the battery cells may have frozen and died in the cold morning climate, hence the issue. I was scared!

Finally, I mustered the courage to open the boot yesterday, and at least take my charger out, and see if the scooter charges or not. To my utter shock, it wasn't charging. The LED on the charger body wasn't coming on, no activity in the scooter like when it usually charges.

I called up the local Ola Experience Centre guy in Kullu, he suggested me to see if I can find any Ola scooters near me, and take my charger along, then connect it to their scooter and check if my charger has gone kaput. But, I could not find any scooter near Manali.

Then today afternoon, I decided to do the Hard Reset, and oh what a relief it was, to see the screen light up once again, and the scooter switched on with 96% battery remaining. I was so happy, that I charged it fully again, and asked my son to join me for a scooter trip somewhere close by.

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img20231125wa0012.jpeg
This is the location of the coupler, and the method to Hard Reset the scooter!

But, the joy was short lived. As I wasn't planning on a long drive, I stuck to my usual Normal Mode, and didn't use Sport Mode. I kept the speeds around 40Km/Hr, and did not strain the motor. I went from Manali to Majach village, a distance of around 10Kms from the Right Bank road, via Old Manali and Gaushal villages. The scooter went up without any problem!

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-img_20231125_152806.jpg
The views from there are amazing, you can see the whole valley, and also the water reservoir side, on the way to Rohtang Pass!

We stopped in the village for some pics, and to enjoy the views of the valley. On the way down, the scooter switched off again, after driving just 4-500 meters, near the Bada Pathar and Iron Bridge. We sat down again to let the motor cool down, by walking down to the stream, and then coming back to the scooter after 15-20 minutes. It started, but stopped after 3-4 feet. We sat down again and waited for another 10 minutes, and then we were able to drive back to Manali in Sport and Normal modes without any issue.

After all this, now I am very scared,
1) I now know how to Hard Reset the scooter,
2) But, I also now know, how easy it is to open the boot, and how insecure it is to keep any valuable things there!
3) Also, if the problem keeps popping up even in 10 odd kilometres of driving, what is the use of such a mode of transport in the house at all?

I was able to drive it till Dhundhi Bridge initially with my son, the scooter didn't overheat or switch off then, then why has the motor started heating up during every drive now?

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-screenshot_20231125205540639_com.google.android.apps.maps.jpg

I seriously hope that the Service guys come tomorrow and thoroughly check what is wrong with the motor or the software, and get a perfectly running scooter for my SAIRs around Manali!

P.S. - One more shocking update from the Kullu OEC person was that the Mandi Service Centre people have not received any service request from my App, and hence no one came.

What is the use of providing an App, and the feature to raise Service Requests, when it doesn't reach the concerned Service Centre? I have asked him to request them to come tomorrow by all means, let's see how things go.
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Old 30th November 2023, 09:01   #13
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

To all the prospective buyers out there, planning to invest in an Ola S1 Air, if you've heard that the after sales is where Ola needs to work hard from YouTube videos or owner reviews, I would suggest you to take it really seriously!

My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR-screenshot_20231127104840903_com.olaelectric.companion2.jpg

This screenshot is from Monday, 27th November 2023. I still haven't heard from the Service Centre team despite 3 tickets raised through the Ola Electric app.

This is despite attempting to also mobilise them via persuasion through the Manager of Ola Experience Centre in Kullu. Nothing can budge them, you're on your own, despite buying Ola Care+ plan, Roadside Assistance and every possible option to have a peaceful ownership experience.

Thankfully my scooter is safe at home, not on some roadside. I can still use it for very short runabouts, but that's about it. Not sure when I can go out exploring again in it. Really disappointed.
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Old 10th December 2023, 08:29   #14
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

For those of you interested in watching how Party Mode looks in an Ola S1 Air with Move OS3.1.1, here is how it looks:-



P.S. - By the way, 3 weeks later, still haven't had any luck with the Service personnel to come and check on my scooter and find out why it behaves the way it does.
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Old 12th December 2023, 10:40   #15
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Re: My 2023 Ola S1 Air Midnight Blue | Ownership Review of SAIR

@AdityaDeane Just this morning, I read a detailed story on ET about how some Ola Scooters are catching fires abruptly and how Ola seems to have a team of 'firefighters' who are called 'law enforcement team'. The article also talks about one of the owner's troubles in contacting Customer Care team at Ola.

I suggest that you park the vehicle at a reasonably safe distance during the nights or whenever it is unattended.

Attached is the PDF of the article.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AdityaDeane View Post
To all the prospective buyers out there, planning to invest in an Ola S1 Air, if you've heard that the after sales is where Ola needs to work hard from YouTube videos or owner reviews, I would suggest you to take it really seriously!

Thankfully my scooter is safe at home, not on some roadside. I can still use it for very short runabouts, but that's about it. Not sure when I can go out exploring again in it. Really disappointed.
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