Being the market leader in India has been the primary calling card of Ola Electric. Acquiring Etergo and getting the AppScooter to production before the competition could enter the market meant that Ola could gain market leadership. Now, the market is maturing and others are inching ahead.
Are EVs loaded with features that are really smart? Do they create a high-enough barrier to entry? Is there an exclusivity? How long can it stay? What happens after that?
Often what the E2W world calls technology is a smart integration of sensors and rider aids, controlled by software. The ICE world is more mechanical, more metallurgical, more fundamental. What happens when the ICE world figures out software? Can the E2W Technology edge be maintained?
With Ola Electric now publicly traded and Ather Energy soon to follow, Indian E2W startups are raising funds with urgency. The two-wheeler market is divided amongst less than 10 major brands, and the country has space for more high-quality E2W manufacturers.
Ather Energy, another electric two-wheeler manufacturer, files for an IPO. Ather follows Ola Electric which had hit the Indian bourses in August 2024. These are not small SPACs; these are multi-billion market cap IPOs
For all its limitations, air cooling the motor/battery is still the most elegant solution. But are we doing it right or are we still scratching the surface in cooling?