Ola Electric CEO Busts EV Myths: Electric Scooters Are 90% Cheaper To Run Than ICE 2Ws

Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO of Ola Electric, recently shared a post highlighting the advantages of using electric two-wheelers (EVs) over ICE two-wheelers in India. In his post, he addressed common misconceptions around electric vehicles, particularly regarding their operating costs. According to him, the operating cost of an EV is just ₹0.20 per km, while an ICE two-wheeler costs around ₹2 per km to run.

India is a fast-growing electric two-wheeler market. Electric scooters account for nearly 95% of EV two-wheeler sales, leaving very little space for electric motorcycles. However, when considering overall two-wheeler sales for 2025, ICE motorcycles and scooters continue to dominate the Indian market, significantly outselling electric two-wheelers despite the rapid growth of EV adoption.

Ola Electric CEO Wants To Build Awareness About EVs

Ola CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal, believes the pace of EV adoption is still slower than the market's true potential. He stated that low awareness remains the biggest barrier to India's transition away from ICE two-wheelers.

He pointed out that some of the studies show many consumers believe EV two-wheelers are only 20-30% cheaper to run than ICE vehicles. However, in reality, the operating cost of an EV two-wheeler can be nearly 90% lower than that of an ICE two-wheeler, primarily due to lower energy and maintenance costs.

Another common misconception relates to the driving range. Many consumers assume EV two-wheelers offer a range of just 100-150 km, whereas leading EV manufacturers claim much higher real-world efficiency, with ranges of up to 300-500 km, depending on usage patterns, riding modes, and battery capacity. EVs are also structurally simpler, offer lower running costs, and are generally more reliable due to having fewer moving parts.

Despite this, EV performance and real-world efficiency remain poorly understood, which continues to affect purchase decisions for many buyers. Bhavish Aggarwal further explained the cost comparison with an example. A typical ICE two-wheeler delivers around 50 kmpl, meaning petrol worth ₹100 results in a running cost of roughly ₹2 per km.

In contrast, Ola electric scooters consume 30 Wh/km, translating to roughly 33 km/kWh. With electricity costing around ₹6.5 per unit, the operating cost works out to just ₹0.20 per km, making EVs nearly 90% cheaper to run than ICE two-wheelers. Ola Electric also wants EV manufacturers to address this misinformation and misconceptions regarding EV's across all consumer touchpoints, from advertising and retail experiences to ownership and service communication.

Several issues continue to slow down EV adoption in India. Charging infrastructure remains a big challenge, as the number of public charging stations is limited. There is also concern around charging time, which is often very high and inconvenient, especially during long-distance travel.

Another major barrier is the higher upfront purchase cost of EVs compared to ICE vehicles. Additionally, resale value, battery life, and range anxiety remain key concerns for many buyers, although some manufacturers, such as Ola Electric, offer battery warranties of up to eight years. These are challenges that EV manufacturers and policymakers must address more effectively to accelerate Electric vehicle adoption in India.