Ola S1 Air review, first ride. More than just a cheaper Ola S1 Pro

The electric scooter market has been dominated by Ola thanks to the Ola S1 Pro. But now the company is all set to launch a new version of the same which is priced at a rather affordable introductory price of Rs 1,09,999 (ex-showroom) that is valid till 15th August 2023. Thereafter, the price will be bumped up to Rs 1,19,999 (ex-showroom). So is the Ola S1 Air really different or is it just a cheaper and less feature-rich scooter? We find out.

Ola S1 Air: Design and features

The Ola S1 series of scooters have been able to carve their very own niche as far as the design is concerned. So the S1 Air does not look a world apart and that’s a good thing. The scooter continues to offer full LED headlights and smooth-flowing bodywork up front. The indicators fit flush into the front apron and look good. What is strikingly different is the use of front telescopic forks instead of the single-sided unit Ola scooters are famous for. The Air rides on steel wheels which are shod on 12in tyres. The brakes too at both ends, are drums. However, they come with the combined braking tech. While the profile might look the same, we urge you to look closely. This is where the first major change happened, with the Air getting a fully flat floorboard. This comes as a great convenience for riders whether for getting the right riding position or storing groceries. The speakers and storage options remain the same as on the Pro. The instrument panel remains to be a 7in touchscreen unit which offers a plethora of info and connectivity options. The 738mm seat is also a comfortable perch and overall the riding position of the Air is rather comfortable and nearly identical to conventional scooters. The seat height at 806mm is also reachable for most frames. The grab rail has also been redesigned and although it is functional, it looks a bit rudimentary. More magic has happened under the seat where the boot space has increased to a cavernous 34 litres.

Ola S1 Air: Motor and chassis, top speed

The Ola S1 Air is based on Ola’s Gen 2 platform and this means the scooter rides on a completely redesigned chassis. While the front has moved to telescopic suspension, at the back too, Ola has resorted to twin shock absorbers. While functionality is a benefit, the visual of the new swingarm is not so attractive. The Ola S1 Air is powered by a hub-mounted motor with a peak output of 4.5kW. The top speed of the Ola S1 Air is claimed to be 90kmph and a 0 to 60kmph dash can be completed in 5.7 seconds.

Ola S1 Air: battery, range, charging time

The Ola S1 Air is powered by a redesigned 2.98kWh battery which offers an ARAI claimed range of 125km. Ola claims a true range of 100km in Normal mode, 87km in Sport mode, and 125km in Eco mode. As you can understand, the “Hyper” mode does not exist on the Ola S1 Air. The battery pack can be charged fully in 5 hours while an 80 per cent charge takes 3.84 hours.

Ola S1 Air: How is it to ride

The Ola S1 Air feels very familiar as we have been riding the Ola S1 Pro for a while now. The riding position is comfortable and thanks to the flat floor, things have gotten better now. The scooter takes off in Normal mode with ample vigor and keeps going to 70kmph with ease. The motor feels pretty good and does not emit weird noises of any kind. In Sport mode, the fun continues as the acceleration feels to be faster and one gets the full feel of riding an electric scooter. We touched a speedo indicated top speed of 88kmph in the limited area offered to us for the ride. So we are pretty confident that the Ola S1 Air will do the claimed 90kmph on the clock.

The biggest change though comes in the form of the telescopic suspension and twin rear shock absorbers. The scooter feels fun to ride and bump absorption is pretty decent too. The biggest thing is that even two up, the rear end does not squat like the older S1 Pro. So all is good here.

The brakes being drums do not offer the kind of force expected from disc brakes. While the front remains calm and composed, it is the rear that is prone to wheel locks when brakes hard from slightly higher speeds.

Ola S1 Air: Verdict

We genuinely did not expect the Ola S1 Air to be so very drastically different from the older Ola S1. But it is and that is because of how Ola has tweaked the chassis and the suspension. Fit and finish have improved too. Last but not least, the Ola S1 Air offers a very good price-to-performance ratio and that should be enough to make it a winner.