OLA S1 Pro Plus Vs Ather 450 Apex: The Ultimate EV Showdown

The Indian electric scooter market has never been this exciting and now the race between the latest scooters is becoming more intense than MotoGP motorcycles. Two of the biggest names, OLA and Ather are back with their latest and most powerful iterations. 

OLA has long dominated the Indian EV scooter market with over 50 per cent market share but this dominance has been declining due to poor service. The brand has also found itself surrounded in controversies many times. As a result, other brands like Honda, TVS, Bajaj and Ather have been gaining prominence. 

In the premium segment, Ather launched the 450 Apex, which quickly became one of the most trending scooters. However, OLA has now joined the game with the third-generation OLA S1 Pro Plus, boasting the highest claimed range. 

Both machines represent multiple shades of performance, range and smart technology, redefining what it means to ride electric. But which one truly holds the crown? OLA always plays with the boldest on-paper specifications and high-tech features. The new Gen 3 OLA S1 Pro Plus comes with an improved battery management system, better range and enhanced handling. On the other hand, Ather’s 450 Apex is a celebration of engineering finesse, offering top-notch acceleration, superior handling and a Warp Plus mode that takes speed to the next level (at least on paper). 

Fuel costs are rising day by day and governments in different states are drafting new rules to improve emission norms. In this case, electric two-wheelers are no longer just a futuristic concept, they are practical and are becoming a necessity for everyday city commuters.

While both scooters are trying to become the masters of the segment, their target audience remains the same. Even after everything, the question remains: Which one offers the best mix of power, comfort, performance and value for money? 

In this electrifying comparison, we will break down their on-paper performance, features and value proposition to help you decide which of these futuristic scooters deserves a spot in your garage.

OLA S1 Pro Plus Key Highlights

OLA has launched the third generation of its electric scooters, with the S1 Pro Plus being the top model in the S1 lineup. The brand has introduced two battery pack options for the Pro Plus model: 4kWh and 5kWh. The OLA S1 Pro Plus is available in six different colour tones.

This time, the brand has used a mid-drive IPM motor to increase the range by 4 per cent. Additionally, the scooter has a maximum claimed range of 320 km and a top speed of 141 km/h.

OLA has also launched the third generation of the OLA S1 Pro, OLA S1 X and OLA S1 X Plus scooters. The OLA S1 Pro will perform better with Move OS 5.

Ather 450 Apex Key Highlights

Ather’s new 450 Apex is on another level with multi-mode traction control and the advanced Warp Plus feature. Ather claims that it will provide zero lag when accelerating the scooter.

The main highlight of the scooter is its Magic Throttle, which allows you to increase and decrease the speed using the same throttle. The brand has also designed the scooter with a clean and seamless body, avoiding unsightly joints and messy wires to enhance its appearance.

The Ather 450 Apex is powered by the Snapdragon 212 Quad-core 1.3 GHz processor and comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Ather has kept everything simple by launching the scooter in just one variant.

OLA S1 Pro Plus Vs Ather 450 Apex ( Specification based comparison)

Performance

The top model of the OLA S1 Pro Plus comes with a 5.3kWh battery and OLA claims a top speed of 141 km/h with an ARAI-certified range of 320 km. The OLA S1 Pro Plus generates 13kW of peak power and a massive 58Nm of peak torque. These figures that are significantly higher than many ICE motorcycles in this segment.

In reality, these numbers are far greater than those of the Ather 450 Apex. The Apex features a 3.7kWh battery, with a top speed of just 100 km/h and a claimed maximum range of 157 km. The power output and peak torque of the Ather 450 Apex are much lower than those of the OLA S1 Pro Plus as it produces only 7kW of peak power and just 26Nm of peak torque.

However, while the torque figures of the 450 Apex are impressive compared to many motorcycles, they still fall significantly short of the OLA S1 Pro Plus.

OLA has made a scooter that can outperform almost every other two-wheeler in this price range, even in terms of acceleration. The scooter can go from 0 to 40 km/h in just 2.1 seconds and from 0 to 60 km/h in just 3.4 seconds. The Ather 450 Apex, on the other hand, takes 2.9 seconds to reach 40 km/h.

Ride Quality and Features

The OLA S1 Pro comes with Eco, Sports and Hyper modes, which represent different levels of acceleration, while the Ather 450 Apex offers five different modes, including Smart Eco, Eco, Ride, Sports and Warp+.

The Ather uses a belt drive to transmit power from the motor to the wheel, whereas OLA has now shifted to a chain drive transmission for better performance and durability.

Not only this but OLA is also using telescopic suspension at the front and a mono-shock suspension at the rear. The Ather 450 Apex features telescopic suspension at the front and a symmetrically mounted progressive suspension at the rear, meaning riders will experience a similar ride quality on both scooters. However, one thing Ather has done well is reducing the body weight of the vehicle—it weighs approximately 111 kg, which is 7 kg lighter than the OLA S1 Pro Plus.

The seat height of the Ather is 78 cm, with 17 cm of ground clearance, which is almost similar to the OLA S1 Pro Plus, that has a seat height of 79.1 cm and 16 cm of ground clearance. However, in terms of tackling speed breakers and uneven roads, the Ather will be slightly better than the OLA S1 Pro Plus.

OLA also offers a larger 34-litre boot space compared to the 22-litre boot space of the Ather 450 Apex.

Charging Time

The 5.3kWh battery version of the OLA S1 Pro Plus takes approximately 8 hours and 40 minutes to charge from 0 to 100 per cent at home, whereas the Ather 450 Apex takes 5 hours and 40 minutes for a full charge at home. Both OLA and Ather also have their charging stations.

Pricing

OLA has always marketed its top variant and the ex-showroom price of the third-generation OLA S1 Pro Plus is INR 1,94,999. However, the brand is offering the scooter at a discounted price of just INR 1,69,999, while the Ather 450 Apex is priced at an ex-showroom cost of INR 1,99,999.

Value for Money

Based on the on-paper specifications, the OLA S1 Pro Plus is far ahead of the Ather 450 Apex. However, Ather features a cool and unique design but a scooter is meant for use on the roads, not to be displayed in showrooms. Moreover, the price of the OLA S1 Pro Plus is more affordable than the Ather 450 Apex. The only downside of the OLA S1 Pro Plus is the poor service support from the company but if OLA can resolve this issue, there is no scooter that can beat the OLA S1 Pro Plus. On the other hand, Ather has not faced such issues.

So, based on paper figures, the OLA S1 Pro Plus is the winner. However, in terms of reliability, Ather may be a better choice for riders who consider paying almost 35 per cent more for the brand image to be worthwhile.

Also Read: Ola’s First Electric Bike to Launch by FY26 in India