Ola S1 Pro v/s Simple One: Which one is better?
What's the story
Ola Electric has recently opened the online booking window for the S1 Pro scooter in India and also hiked its prices by Rs. 10,000.
Rivaling Ola is another homegrown start-up Simple Energy which is set to introduce its first electric scooter, the One, across 13 cities.
Both the e-scooters offer futuristic looks and make tall performance claims. But which one should you buy?
Context
Why does this story matter?
Ola S1 Pro became India's highest-selling electric scooter in the month of April. It also crossed the 50,000 production milestone.
However, the EV has been plagued with fire-related issues, software glitches, and build quality concerns since its deliveries began.
Simple Energy plans to take over the top position with its first all-electric two-wheeler, the One, by offering a more reliable product.
Design
Ola S1 Pro features a smiley-shaped, dual-pod headlight
The Ola S1 Pro sits on a tubular frame and has a smiley-shaped headlight, a flat footboard, a single-piece seat, an all-LED lighting setup, 12.0-inch aluminium wheels, and a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity.
The Simple One flaunts an angular design with an underbone chassis, an apron-mounted LED headlight, flared body panels, a 7.0-inch digital console, and 12.0-inch alloy wheels.
Performance
Simple One has a claimed range of 236km
Ola S1 Pro is powered by a 3.97kWh battery pack linked to an 8.5kW electric motor. The setup promises a range of 181km on a single charge and sprints from 0-40km/h in three seconds.
Simple One gets a 4.8kWh battery pack with an 8.5kW motor. It claims to deliver a range of 236km and can do 0-40km/h in 2.95 seconds.
Safety
The e-scooters feature disc brakes on both the wheels
For the safety of the rider, the Ola S1 Pro and Simple One are equipped with disc brakes on both the front and rear wheels, along with a combined braking system for better performance.
A single fork handles the suspension duties on the front for the former while the latter features telescopic forks. Both get a mono-shock unit at the rear end.
Our verdict
Ola S1 Pro v/s Simple One: Which is better?
In India, the Ola S1 Pro is now priced at Rs. 1.39 lakh, after the recent price-hike, while Simple Energy One starts at Rs. 1.09 lakh and goes up to Rs. 1.45 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).
Our vote goes in favor of the Simple One for its more modern styling, better performance figures, and a traditional chassis setup suited for Indian road conditions.