Ola S1 Gen 3 vs Gen 2 Platform: Old vs New

Ola Electric has launched the S1 Gen 3 platform in India and it has made a lot of changes to the lineup. But how different is it when compared to the Ola S1 Gen 2? In this article, we will be going over the changes in detail: 

New Battery Pack

The Ola S1 Gen 2 range features a battery pack which is an independent unit attached to the scooter. This also created some complications, increasing the amount of wiring needed to make the whole thing work. 

Now, Ola Electric has introduced a new battery pack, which is a structural component. This means that the rest of the scooter is built on the battery pack, which sort of forms the basis of the scooter. Another interesting thing about this battery pack is that it will allow the brand to build more models based on it down the line. Compared to the Gen 2, with its banana shaped battery pack, the new one feels a lot more versatile.

Another interesting thing that has to be noted is, the brand has also brought out their most powerful batteries with this upgrade. The Ola S1 Pro+ 5.3kWh variant has a claimed range of 320km, and the battery pack uses indigenously developed Bharat Cells. 

New Motor & Transmission

The second major change the scooter has undergone is the usage of a new motor. This motor features magnetized electrical coil ones instead of permanent magnets. Ola claims that the motor has improved the overall performance of the scooters. The brand has also said that it will also offer better thermal efficiency when compared to the old motor.

This new motor is also a mid-mounted unit with a chain drive transmission. This is a big change from the belt drive transmission which the brand has been using for some time now. The change from a belt to chain drive transmission is mostly done keeping longevity in mind. Chain drive transmissions on average last longer than belt drive systems and are easier to fix.

Simplified Electronics

Another major change that Ola has made with the Gen 3 platform is simplifying the electronics package to a great extent. When comparing the new Gen 3 platform with the Gen 1 and Gen 2, we see that Ola has managed to reduce the amount of ECUs (engine control units). 

The Gen 1 had ten ECUs, Gen 2 had four and now Gen 3 has reduced it down to a single unit, which handles everything from battery control to motor control. All of this is integrated into a single high performance multi-core processor.

The simplified electronics has also helped the brand in reducing the number of parts used. It has also brought down the overall cost as well. So this has helped the brand price the new S1 Gen 3 lineup at a similar rate as the Ola S1 Gen 2 lineup.

Greater Upgrades

The brand had also announced that they will be able to bring a lot more updates to the scooters in the future. The brand claims this platform will be more scalable when compared to the Gen 2 platform. This means they could bring features such as ADAS (advanced driver assistance system).

Currently, the brand has already brought a new brake-by-wire system to the e-scooters in the lineup. This system works by modulating braking input based on a sensor attached near the brake levers. This will help in applying the right amount of braking performance 

Ola Gen 2 Platform’s End?

With the launch of the Ola S1 Gen 3 platform the Ola S1 Gen 2 platform will be sold at discounted prices. Here’s a brief overview:

That said, it is important to note that these prices are only valid till February 7th, 2025.