Ola Electric made a big splash when it first announced the S1 Pro in August 2021. The feature list was overwhelming and the electric scooter promised above and beyond what even the closest competition could deliver. That said, it’s taken a while for Ola to get things right with the S1 Pro. From production delays to quality issues, the model has seen it all. Add to that the features originally promised have been rolled out in a phased manner. But, thank you for over-the-air (OTA) updates because even the early adopters finally get all those features promised on the Ola S1 Pro as part of the Move OS3. So, what exactly does the Move OS3 bring to the e-scooter, and does it change your riding experience? Here’s what we found out.
The Move OS3 software update arrived just in time for Christmas week in December last year and is specifically on the S1 and S1 Pro models. Customers need to update the software on their respective e-scooters and that’s pretty much all you need to do. So what exactly do you get? We tell you the small and big impact featues on offer.
Halo lamp aka, LED DRl can stay on. There is an option for a hazard lamp inside the screen, which should be a button, in the future atleast. Documents can be uploaded from your Ola App and it should reflect on the scooter display. However, our scooter was showcasing documents yet to come. The only two features we wish to see now are TPMS and customizable scooter lock time or an increase from 30 seconds which it is now. Let’s dive into more pronounced features on offer.
Hypercharging, finally!
A big promise on the S1 range was the fast charging feature through the company’s own Hypercharging network. The Move OS3 finally brings that update to the scooter and the model can now connect with any of the company fast-charging points across the country. To be fair, the network is still expanding so it will be a while before you find one closer to your home.
What it does bring is about 50 km of range within just 15 minutes. It works great for a quick top-up and dash, without wasting too much time. Do remember, charging will take place slowly above 70 per cent so it’s smarter to do wait till the battery falls under that figure.
Unfortunately, it isn’t seen in our area so we couldn’t test it. The rest of the features are tested over A/C home charging with 6 charge cycles and 400 kms with the MoveOS3 installed.
Party Mode is here!
The big update is the addition of the ‘Party Mode’ that has been heavily promoted by the company. The rather gimmicky feature allows you to play songs via Bluetooth through the e-scooter’s speaker, while all the lights start blinking in the rhythm to the beat. Mobile disco anyone! That said, the strobe effect may not be comfortable for all.
The Move OS3 update also brings the much-needed vacation mode that lets you conserve battery when the scooter is parked for extended periods. We’ve seen this feature on the Ather 450X as well, and ensures you never run out of charge when restarting the scooter after a long time.
Proximity Lock and Unlock
The proximity lock and unlock feature essentially works in the same way as Tesla does for its cars. You need to pair your phone with the S1 or S1 Pro and the scooter will automatically lock or unlock itself based on how close you are. The feature works well and will automatically lock itself when you walk away. It negates the need for a key, making it a handy feature to have.
New Themes
Lastly, the Move OS3 brings new themes for the digital user interface – Vintage, Bolt and Engage. What’s interesting is that the Vintage mode is the most popular among users and we too, quite like the visual appeal of the same. Each of these themes bring a different look and sound to the screen.
3 Levels of Regen
While most of these features may seem on the gimmicky side, the OTA update also brings handy changes like three levels of regeneration and better acceleration. It’s interesting just how much of the scooter is software control and essentially lets you unlock so much via a simple download. However, we all know, the framework installed earlier is very likely needed to be activated by OTA to put it to good use.
This three-level regenerative braking feature is great to improve range! The regen truly works when you roll off the throttle and go back entirely (as if you are reversing to truly use max regen and bring it to a halt while not even touching the brakes. That’s a massive update in automotive numbers. Ola says they’ve managed to achieve this with the help of optimized torque mapping with a personalized charging algorithm.
Riding
The range also saw an improvement. With 100% charge, we could see 140 kms of range being displayed in normal mode and 160 kms of range in Eco mode with highest regen mode selected. We could easily do 95 km without risking it to reach to the 20% mark. All of this while using Sport and Hyper mode in one single charge. A very good number indeed to enjoy the scooter and use it for everyday ease of use. we really like how the modes work while Sport mode truly feels like an electric scooter of the future. Normal and Eco mode make it feel like they do their job well with minimum horses in use. Brakes continue to be overkill at the rear but the front is spot on in every way.
Enhanced Safety With Hill Hold
Ola has also introduced the hill hold assist feature on the S1, which helps hold the scooter in place on an incline. While the S1 Pro isn’t too heavy, the feature helps and instantly activates hill hold on the slightest of inclines.
Better Acceleration
The acceleration has seen subtle increments across all modes. It’s 20 percent faster in sports mode, 10 percent faster in hyper mode, while the range too is about 2-5 percent higher than before. We saw Eco mode deliver that and sport mode getting sportier. Hyper mode, on the other hand, seemed that it lost a bit of low-end torque but the moment you cross 20 km/hr it shoots ahead in the same way as before. You now get a higher top speed in the Eco mode, which was previously restricted to 40 kph. Also, 0-60 kmph is now achievable in 4.5 seconds, a whole 0.5 seconds faster than before.
Ola S1 Pro Move OS3 Review, Verdict
With the Move OS3 update, the Ola S1 Pro finally feels complete. The company has delivered on its promise and the model feels feature-packed as it was promised. It’s truly the most feature-rich amidst the competition and it will take some wise thinking from the competition to beat the S1 twins on this front. Couple all the aforementioned features, with the competitive pricing now starting at Rs. 84,999 for the S1 Air, Rs. 99,999 for the S1 and Rs. 1.40 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom India) for the S1 Pro, we see why Ola is leading the sales chart month-on-month, it is finally what it was promised and the public has responded and elevated Ola to pole position in the EV two-wheeler space. All Ola needs to keep this momentum going is the scooter with higher quality all around and possibly, a facelift to make things even better.
