Ola Electric All-Set to Enter the Three-Wheeler Market with 'Raahi'

Here's what to expect from the Ola Raahi. 

Ola Electric’s next move is to make a foray into the three-wheeler segment. Leaked design images suggest that the brand wants to expand its portfolio, plus it seems it will enter the market with an E-rickshaw, dubbed Ola Raahi.

E-rickshaws follow a simple design language and just like many conventional E-rickshaws, this Ola EV gets square headlights, a big windshield glass, and A-pillar mounted ORVMs. The people-carrier variant of the Raahi is likely to get a closed cabin layout to protect the passengers from dust, sun and rain. The brand might even give it half-size doors which cover the lower half, just like Bajaj gives on their Maxima RE three-wheeler.

The other variant will be a luggage carrier so it’ll get a loading bed instead of the passenger compartment at the rear. Many players in this market have offered that configuration, so the Ola Raahi is also expected to have three doors which can be opened to lower the loading lip height. Further, the brand might offer various customisation options for the luggage compartment.

The brand is all set to launch its IPO (Initial Public Offering) and this electric three-wheeler venture shows that the brand wants to diversify its product portfolio before going public. OLA has been performing well in the electric two-wheeler segment and has a 41% market share, making this indigenous brand a segment leader in the country.

According to the Parivahan 5,80,000 electric three-wheelers were sold last year. That's a huge number and an electric vehicle manufacturer like OLA seems to grab a market share in that segment, too. 

The electric three-wheeler market is already filled with established players like Mahindra, Piaggio, Bajaj, and more. So, entering and creating an image in this segment is going to be a tough nut to crack, and we expect OLA has prepared the strategies to encounter that

Market Positioning

The electric three-wheelers currently on sale in the Indian market start from around Rs 2 lakh and touch around Rs 4.5 lakh. It also needs to be very cautious with the pricing of its Ola electric three-wheeler, the ‘Raahi’.

Source