India’s Booming Electric Scooter Market: Growth Trends & Ola Electric’s Stock Performance Amid Regulatory Challenges
Business and Industry Overview:
The electric scooter market in India is growing very fast. In 2024, it was worth $1,680.24 billion. By 2025, it may grow to $2,238.95 billion. By 2034, it could reach $29,655.80 billion. The growth rate is 33.25% per year from 2025 to 2034. Many people prefer electric scooters because they save money, need less fuel, and do not cause pollution. The government supports this with tax benefits and subsidies.
Electric scooters use different types of batteries. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are the most popular. They hold 72.47% of the market. These batteries last longer, charge faster, and must not be replaced often. Other battery types include lead acid and nickel metal hydride (NiMH). Scooters come with different voltages and power. The 60-72V category is growing the fastest. It gives a good balance between power and battery life. More people choose this type because it helps them travel longer distances. Better technology, government support, and better charging stations are helping this growth.
There are two main types of motors in electric scooters. Hub motors are more popular than belt-drive motors. They need less maintenance, require hub motors, and give better power to the scooter. There are two types of buyers: private users and commercial fleets. Private users hold 70.65% of the market. More people are buying electric scooters for daily travel. This is because of high gasoline prices, government support, and better charging facilities. Many brands now offer different models for personal use.
Scooters have different travel ranges. The 50-100 km range is the most popular. This range is best for daily travel in cities. It is also affordable and works well with existing charging stations. Scooters are also divided by price. There are budget scooters and premium scooters. Budget scooters sell more because they are cheaper. People prefer them over expensive electric motorcycles. Rising petrol prices, many available models, and government support help the budget scooter market grow.
Many companies are making electric scooters in India. Some top brands are Hero Electric, Ather Energy, Okinawa Autotech, Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor Company, and Ola Electric. These companies compete in price, battery life, features, and service. Some new companies are also entering the market with new ideas and lower prices. Big developments are happening in the market. In August 2023, TVS launched a new electric scooter called TVS X for Rs. 2.50 lakh. In July 2023, Ather 450X became available with 100% financing, meaning buyers can get it with no down payment. In June 2023, TVS partnered with Zomato to supply 10,000 electric scooters for delivery services. In February 2023, Ola Electric announced it would build the world’s largest electric vehicle hub in Tamil Nadu, with an investment of $920 million. The market will keep growing. Companies are working on better batteries, more charging stations, and new technology like battery swapping and smart scooters. Electric scooters are becoming a popular choice for city travel.
Latest Stock News:
Ola Electric is an Indian company that makes electric vehicles (EVs). It started in 2017 and is part of Ola, the ride-hailing company. The company wants to replace petrol vehicles with electric ones to reduce pollution. It makes electric scooters like the Ola S1 Pro, S1 Air, and S1 X. These scooters run on batteries instead of petrol. Ola is also building fast-charging stations across India. The company has a big factory in Tamil Nadu, where only women work. It is also working on better batteries and plans to launch an electric car by 2026. Many big investors, like SoftBank and Hyundai, have funded Ola. The company is worth over $5 billion. It is one of the top EV companies in India. Ola’s goal is to make electric vehicles affordable and easy to use. However, it faces challenges like building more charging stations and improving battery technology. Despite this, Ola is working hard to make clean and green transportation the future of India.
Ola Electric is in trouble because many of its showrooms do not have the certificate required to keep unregistered vehicles. In India, every showroom must have this certificate and display it. Government officials raided many showrooms, shut some down, took vehicles, and sent notices for breaking the rules. Out of 3,400 showrooms, only about 100 had the right certificate. The problem started in 2023, and fresh warnings came in March 2025. Ola said its experience centers are not selling directly, but the government is still checking.
Ola has many other problems, too. Customers have complained about product quality and service. The company lost market share to Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor. Its electric motorcycle launch was late, and in March 2025, it removed over a thousand employees. These problems hurt its stock price. Since its stock started trading in August 2024, the price fell by more than 60% from the highest point. On March 10, 2025, Ola’s stock was ₹54.56, which was 3.50% lower than the previous day.
Recently, Ola’s stock price fell to its lowest in one year because of issues with vehicle registration. The VAHAN portal showed that Ola’s registration numbers were low in February 2025. This happened because Ola is changing agreements with registration agents Rosmerta Digital Services and Shimnit India to reduce costs and make the process better. Ola said its registration numbers may stay low for now, but its sales are still strong. The stock price dropped to ₹58.50 but later recovered by more than 5%, reaching ₹61.59. Ola believes things will get better soon.
Potentials:
Ola Electric has big plans for the future. It wants to add 10,000 sales and service partners by the end of 2025. This will help improve customer support. The company is also building a large battery factory in Tamil Nadu. This factory will make its lithium-ion batteries. It will help reduce costs and improve efficiency. But the government sent a notice to Ola for missing a deadline in setting up this factory.
Ola launched new electric motorcycles in August 2024. The models include “Roadster X” and “Roadster Pro.” These bikes can go up to 200 km on a single charge. Deliveries will start by March 2025. The company is working hard to improve its financial health. In the second quarter of 2024, its revenue grew by 39.1%. Its losses also reduced.
Ola plans to introduce its batteries to save more money. The company has faced problems like customer complaints. It has also lost market share to Bajaj Auto and TVS. But Ola believes it can recover. It plans to expand its network, improve services, and launch new products.
Analyst Insights:
- Market capitalisation: ₹ 23,572 Cr.
- Current Price:₹ 53.4
- 52-Week High/Low: ₹ 158 / 53.4
- Dividend Yield: 0.00 %
- Return on Capital Employed (ROCE): -32.1 %
Ola Electric’s net loss in FY24 was ₹1,584 crores, and its operating profit margin (OPM) is negative (25%), showing it is not making profits yet. The return on capital employed (ROCE) is -32.1%, meaning it is not using its money efficiently. The stock is trading at 3.64 times its book value, making it expensive. The share price has fallen from ₹158 to ₹53.4, a 66% drop. Sales have grown from ₹1 crore in 2021 to ₹5,010 crores in 2024, but expenses are still higher at ₹6,276 crores. The company has high debt (₹5,684 crores) and a low interest coverage ratio, meaning it struggles to pay interest costs. While it is India’s top electric scooter brand, competition from Hero, TVS, and Bajaj is strong. Given its financial struggles, it is better to hold or sell rather than buy now.