Ola in talks to supply e-bikes to CESL
BENGALURU/NEW DELHI: The electric vehicle arm of ride-hailing firm Ola is the latest to show interest in supplying electric scooters to state-run Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL) that is running India’s biggest-ever push for green mobility, two people aware of the matter said.
Ola joins Hero Electric, Mahindra Electric Mobility and Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions who are also in talks with CESL to supply electric two and three-wheelers as well as charging infrastructure, as reported by Mint earlier.
Ola is building a factory in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district that will eventually have a capacity to make 10 million e-scooters a year, making it the largest twowheeler maker globally.
“Despite the long lockdown due to the second wave of the pandemic, Ola’s plan (for the new factory) is on track,” one of the two people cited above said, requesting anonymity.
Ola’s EV manufacturing foray is spearheaded by Ola Electric Mobility Pvt. Ltd.
An Ola spokesperson said: “We welcome all government measures that enable faster adoption of EV. The recent FAME-II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) amendments was one such great move that will help make electric twowheelers affordable. Similarly, the CESL procurement for states will help bring electric twowheelers to a large number of consumers. We are discussing with several organizations to bring our EVs to as many consumers as possible.” As part of its plans to supply 200,000 twowheeled EVs and 300,000 threewheeled EVs across India, CESL recently signed an agreement with Goa and Kerala to procure more than 30,000 electric twoand three-wheelers. “No better time than now to match the government’s massive EV boost given that FAME II has been remodelled,” said Mahua Acharya, CESL’s CEO and MD.