Ola Electric, the manufacturer of battery-powered scooters, has assembled a new service team to address an escalating wave of customer complaints concerning service-related issues. Insiders familiar with the matter revealed that the Bengaluru-based company receives an average of 80,000 service complaints per month, overwhelming its existing service centers.
During peak periods, complaints surge to between 6,000 and 7,000 daily, leading to extensive wait times, overburdened staff, and growing customer dissatisfaction. The electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, known for its S1 series of scooters, has responded by shifting its focus toward improving service operations, forming a new dedicated team with members from various internal departments, such as product management and operations, as outlined in the report.
The rising number of service delays has coincided with a notable slump in sales. In August, Ola Electric registered its worst monthly sales performance of the year, selling 27,506 units, which marks a 34% decrease compared to July. This sharp drop also contributed to a decline in the company’s market share in the electric two-wheeler space, which fell from 39% to 31%.
Meanwhile, competitors like Bajaj Auto Ltd and TVS Motor Company Ltd have maintained stable sales, continuing their upward trend in the electric scooter market. Since its establishment, Ola Electric has sold more than 680,000 scooters, and it currently operates 430 service centers across India, according to its official website.
Despite this infrastructure, customers have increasingly voiced frustrations regarding the difficulty of securing timely service appointments. This issue is particularly problematic for customers subscribed to Ola Care Plus, a paid service offering perks such as home pick-up and drop-off. Many customers reported waiting anywhere from 30 to 45 days for repairs, and several have taken to social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), to air their grievances.
The Mint report highlights a specific case where a customer’s scooter was left at a service center for up to three months, despite numerous attempts to reach the company. The customer’s vehicle initially had a stand sensor issue that took three months to resolve. Even after this repair, he continued to face ongoing problems, including battery malfunctions, range limitations, and wheel lock-ups.
He further noted that the Ola Electric service center in Nagpur appeared overwhelmed, with around 1,000 scooters awaiting repairs. He expressed disappointment, saying, “the product isn’t as durable as petrol scooters.” Another disgruntled customer shared his experience, revealing that his scooter had been out of service for over a month and a half due to an unresolved issue with the handle lock.
Despite filing repeated complaints, he said he only received a response after turning to Twitter to make his frustrations public. In New Delhi, a service center on Najafgarh Road has been informally labeled a “graveyard of scooters” by locals due to the sheer number of malfunctioning Ola Electric vehicles awaiting service.
The Moti Nagar center, which formerly housed a Ford showroom, is now filled with an estimated 500-600 faulty scooters on both the basement and ground floors. According to a service center employee, the site is severely understaffed, with just four technicians managing repairs—work that would normally require a team of 10.
The employee also reported that the authorized service signage had been removed, leading to confusion among customers about when their scooters would be fixed. The situation has worsened since a nearby service center shut down, leaving many customers with nowhere to turn for repairs. In some cases, customers, frustrated by the prolonged delays—up to six weeks—have sought help from local authorities, including the police, to expedite the repair of their scooters.
The growing service challenges Ola Electric is facing come at a crucial time for the company, which aims to maintain its position as a leader in the rapidly expanding electric two-wheeler market in India. However, unless the company can find ways to address both its operational and customer service difficulties more effectively, its market share could continue to erode in the face of rising competition.
Ola Electric is a leading Indian electric vehicle manufacturer, known for producing battery-powered scooters like the popular S1 series. Founded with a vision to revolutionize urban mobility, Ola Electric focuses on sustainable transportation solutions. The company operates over 430 service centers nationwide and has sold more than 680,000 electric scooters since its inception.
