Ola Electric Launches the S1 Z with Up to 301 km Range Starting at Rs 79,999

Quick Reads

• Two variants: 3.1 kWh at an introductory ₹79,999 and 5.1 kWh at ₹99,999
• IDC certified range of 179 km on the smaller pack, 301 km on the larger one
• Top speed capped at 70 kmph on both variants
• A 4 kW peak mid drive motor
• Runs on Ola’s in house LFP cell
• Warranty of 3 years or 40,000 km, extendable to 8 years or 70,000 km
• Ships with MoveOS 5, and bookings are open at ₹999, with deliveries only from December 2026

The electric two wheeler segment just received a massive jolt from one of its biggest players. Ola Electric has officially announced a sweeping upgrade for its S1 Z scooter.. While the original S1 Z arrived in late November 2024, built around affordable urban commutes with a pair of removable 1.5 kWh batteries, the newly launched Ola S1 Z today is an efficiency benchmark within the S1 range for the price, with a claimed 301 km of IDC range.

New Ola S1 Z: Price and Key Specs on Offer 

The Ola S1 Z is offered into different configurations, primarily differing in their battery size. The e-scooter has been launched at an introductory price of Rs 79,999 for the 3.1 kWh variant, while the bigger 5.1 kWh variant with a claimed 301 km of range sits at Rs 99,999.

Both variants of the newly launched Ola S1 Z pairs the battery with a mid drive motor rather than the usual hub unit found on most electric scooters in India, including Ola’s own cheaper models. The company says this is its own IPM motor with aluminium winding, producing 4 kW at peak, though top speed stays at 70 kmph on both variants, since Ola has clearly tuned the new motor for range.

While the battery architecture is entirely new, the scooter retains the practical commuter focused design of the S1 Z family. The vehicle features a functional boxy aesthetic with a prominent LED headlight setup. The chassis rides on telescopic front forks and a basic drum brake setup to keep maintenance costs low.

Battery Tech on the Ola S1 Z: Bharat Cell Technology 

Ola Electric has equipped the Ola S1Z with its newly developed 46160 LFP Bharat Cells,  a larger cylindrical format than the 4680 cell Ola had already been shipping in the S1 Pro+ and the S1 X+. These cylindrical cells use Lithium Iron Phosphate chemistry, instead of the c nickel manganese cobalt chemistry on the 4680 cells.

Thanks to this dense energy storage, the new S1 Z claims a staggering Indian Driving Cycle range of 301 kilometers on a single charge. This represents a massive jump over the earlier S1 Z iteration. The original model relied on twin 1.5 kWh removable PowerPod batteries that maxed out at a 146 kilometer range.

Ola describes this LFP cell as its safest and most thermally stable yet, with claims of retaining performance between minus 30 and plus 70 degrees Celsius and a working life stretching past 15 years.

Ola S1 Z Software and Tech

The software runs on MoveOS 5, which Ola bundles across the range regardless of variant. Riders get over the air updates, GPS tracking, ride logs covering range used and charge cycles, cruise control, two riding modes, geo and time fencing for shared or family use, and what the company calls predictive maintenance, essentially flagging service needs before a rider notices anything wrong. 

None of this is new to Ola’s lineup, but having it standard on an entry level model marks a change from the barer feature set the older S1 Z shipped with.

Ola S1 Z Delivery Timelines

Reserving an Ola S1 Z right now costs ₹999, but actual deliveries of the 3.1 kWh variant only begin in December 2026, with the 5.1 kWh version pushed further out to March 2027. Ola has a history of long gaps between booking and delivery, and of adjusting prices once introductory windows close, so the ₹79,999 figure carries an asterisk of its own.

What We Think

Launching a scooter with a 301 kilometer range for just under Rs 80,000 completely disrupts the current pricing ladder. It directly threatens standard internal combustion commuters like the Honda Activa and Hero Splendor by offering lower running costs without the usual range penalty. It also puts intense pressure on rivals like TVS, Bajaj, and Ather to respond with their own long range budget models.

Positioned within Ola’s current range, the S1 Z sits below the S1 X, which starts near ₹89,999 with a claimed 176 km range and a considerably higher top speed of around 115 kmph, and further below the S1 Pro and S1 Pro+ family. The S1 Z is unmistakably the commuter of the lineup, capped at 70 kmph on purpose, aimed at buyers who want range and low running costs over outright performance.

However, Seen against the backdrop of a company that has had a genuinely rocky couple of years, dogged by service complaints, this relaunch reads as part of a broader effort. Ola has been running an End ICE Age campaign through much of 2026, pairing cheaper entry EVs with service guarantees and buyback promises aimed squarely at rebuilding trust with buyers who might have been burned before. 

Whether Indian buyers respond to the new S1 Z the way the brand expects remains an open question, and one that will only be answered once deliveries actually start rolling out toward the end of the year. 

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