Ola Electric to open sales, service network to dealer partners in strategic retail shift
New Delhi, August 6
Ola Electric will open its sales and service network to dealer partners across India, marking a strategic shift in its retail model after operating through company-owned stores since the launch of its first products five years ago, Founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal announced on Thursday.
Sharing the development on social media platform X, Aggarwal said the company would gradually transition its company-owned stores to focus on brand and product experience, while dealer partners would drive local sales, service and expansion over the coming months.
"We're opening our sales and service network to dealer partners across India today," Aggarwal said.
He said the company had initially adopted a company-owned retail model to build awareness about electric vehicles, establish the brand and create what he described as India's largest electric two-wheeler customer base of more than 10 lakh.
According to Aggarwal, the company decided to change its approach as the electric vehicle market has matured and customer acceptance has increased.
"Auto retail has a lot of local nuances and as the industry has matured and EV acceptance has risen, we are now evolving our approach," he said.
Aggarwal added that the company had spent the past month engaging with dealers across the country and said the response indicated strong interest in partnering for sales and service operations. He also said the company expects to build meaningful on-ground scale over the next few months ahead of the festive season.
As part of the transition, Aggarwal announced that BVR Subbu, former President of Hyundai India and an earlier member of Ola Electric's board, will rejoin the company as a senior advisor to support the execution of the new retail strategy.
The company said its dealer network will support sales and after-sales services for its product portfolio, which includes electric scooters, motorcycles and energy products.
The shift marks a change in Ola Electric's distribution strategy, with the company moving towards a dealer-led sales and service model while retaining company-owned outlets for customer engagement and product experience.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Bhavish Aggarwal is learning from the market feedback, and that's good leadership. But I hope the dealer partners are trained well on EV servicing. EVs are not like regular petrol scooters - they need proper handling. The company should ensure quality control at every dealership, otherwise it could backfire.
Smart strategy just before festive season. Ola has over 10 lakh customers now - that's a solid base. Expanding through dealers will help them penetrate deeper into Indian markets where people still prefer buying from trusted local dealers. But they must ensure the dealer experience matches the direct-to-customer standard they had. 🤔
Local nuances matter a lot in India - every region has different customer behavior and expectations. I've lived in three different states and can tell you that what works in Pune might not work in Patna or Kochi. Good to see Ola acknowledging this. With BVR Subbu's experience, they have strong guidance ahead.
Interesting pivot - I've seen similar shifts in EV companies globally. Direct-to-consumer works for brand building but scaling requires local partnerships in a country as diverse as India. The rural-urban divide is huge, and dealers bring that local trust factor. Smart move, honestly.
I hope this means better spare parts availability and faster service. My S1 Pro took 3 weeks for a simple battery check at the service center. If dealers can speed this up, it'll be a big win for all EV riders. Also, with festive season coming, good timing to expand reach for their new models too. 👍
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.