Ola Electric was once the most popular electric two-wheeler brand in the country, but lately, things have not been so great for the company. We have come across several cases where customers have raised issues with the product and service provided by the brand. One such customer took the matter to the consumer court and came back with an order in his favour. The incident is from Thane, where the consumer court has directed Ola Electric to either replace the defective scooter or refund the amount.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Thane directed Ola Electric Technologies to replace the defective scooter sold to the customer. If the company cannot replace the scooter, it will have to refund the complete amount paid by the customer.
The complainant was a Navi Mumbai-based advocate. He had bought the Ola electric scooter back in July 2024 for Rs 96,997. Two days after he bought the scooter, the customer started facing issues. This happened during a major ride, where the customer experienced lag in acceleration and multiple breakdowns in traffic.
The customer also mentioned that during one of his rides in August 2024, the battery percentage of the scooter suddenly dropped from 21 percent to 3 percent. This happened within a distance of just 500 metres, after which the scooter stopped working. As the scooter stopped suddenly, the customer claimed this was an extremely dangerous situation that could have resulted in a fatal accident.
The customer took his scooter to an authorised service centre and also got in touch with the concerned personnel multiple times. Despite repeated communication, the issue was not resolved. At this point, the customer decided to approach the consumer court, alleging deficiency in service.
The consumer court noted that Ola ignored the issue despite the customer sending multiple emails and messages on WhatsApp. It was only after the issue was posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Ola responded.
The court also noted that after the scooter was picked up for service, the customer’s insurance provider informed him that the scooter had not been reported to the designated garage. When the scooter was returned to the customer after the so-called repairs, the vehicle was in an unclean condition with multiple scratches and dents.
After analysing the case, the court stated that the recurring battery percentage drop and other issues were clear signs that the scooter was defective. It also observed that the brand’s failure to update the customer about the vehicle’s status showed a deficiency in service and unfair trade practices.
The commission ordered Ola Electric to either replace the defective scooter with a new one or, if replacement is not possible, refund the complete amount along with 6 percent interest to the customer.
Apart from this, the court also ordered compensation of Rs 20,000 for mental agony and an additional Rs 15,000 as litigation charges. Ola did not appear or file a written statement, and the case was decided ex parte.
Via PTI
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