Electric two-wheeler major Ola Electric on Friday announced its entry into the electric sports scooter category with the all-new S1 Pro Sport at an introductory price of ₹1,49,999. The automaker also unveiled an indigenous ferrite motor that uses no rare-earth magnets, while it showcased the working prototype of its Moonshot Project – Diamondhead.
“We are expanding our product portfolio with the S1 Pro Sport and the S1 Pro+ & Roadster X+ with our own cells. This, alongside our Moonshot project, the Diamondhead, builds on our efforts to EndICEAge and make India a global hub for clean energy and EVs,” Ola Electric founder, Chairman and MD Bhavish Aggarwal said.
Currently, Ola Electric’s portfolio includes two models – S1 (scooter) and Roadster (motorcycle) – with multiple variants. The company boasts that the new S1 Pro Sport, a high-performance variant of the S1 scooter, has been designed for a more dynamic ride. The deliveries of S1 Pro Sport are expected to start in January 2026.
The new model is powered by a 16kW motor and a 5.2 kWh battery using the company’s indigenous 4680 Bharat Cell. The company boasts a top speed of 152 kmph and can accelerate from 0 to 40 kmph in just 2.0 seconds. On a single charge, it has an impressive range of up to 320 km (IDC).
Ola Electric said the model features a gas-charged rear suspension and re-tuned front forks for improved handling, as well as 14-inch wheels with wider tires for enhanced rideability, comfort, and stability. The scooter also comes with a traction control system that includes Rain, Urban, and Track modes, giving riders exceptional grip in all weather conditions.
Meanwhile, the company also unveiled an indigenously developed ferrite motor that uses no rare-earth magnets in a bid to create supply chain independence. The motor is planned to be deployed in its vehicle from the October-December quarter of this year in a phased manner.
With geopolitical risks impacting the global supply of magnets for the automotive industry, commercializing this rare-earth-free technology could be a crucial step in reducing the dependence on China.
Rare-earth magnets, due to their smaller sizes and higher efficiencies, are widely used in EV powertrains and in digital systems across the auto industry, and China has managed to monopolize the supply chain of rare earths – producing 60% of the world’s rare earth elements and controlling around 90% of the global refining capacity.
In April, China implemented stricter rules on exporting rare-earth elements and related magnets, requiring import permits, impacting global automotive supply chains and other industries. The magnet supply choke has already started disrupting the production of electric two-wheelers.
Several auto component makers in India and globally are actively developing and researching on alternatives to replace rare-earth magnets in the long term. Auto component companies like Mahle, Valeo, Sterling Gtake, Sona Comstar, Greaves Cotton, Chara Technologies and Attron Automotive are all working on an alternative to rare-earth magnet motors or other systems.
While magnet-free motors or rare-earth-free magnets offer a path to reducing dependence on critical materials, many industry experts say these technologies come with their own set of challenges for mainstream adoption, especially in high-performance applications like electric vehicles.
Issues like lower power density, lower efficiency, and increased size and weight of motors are the major concerns, and those alternative technologies are yet to see any large-scale commercial usage.