With falling EV sales and rising competition, Ola’s in-house battery tech is now available for drones, defence, healthcare, and industrial use.
Ola Electric is opening up its proprietary 4680 Bharat Cell and 1.5 kWh battery pack to enterprise customers across energy, defence, healthcare, and robotics, marking a major strategic shift as the EV maker moves beyond its core two-wheeler market.
The decision reflects Ola’s bid to accelerate domestic battery adoption and reduce India’s reliance on imports in critical sectors—from medical devices and drones to mobility and industrial systems.
“We’re laying a new energy foundation for India,” said CEO Bhavish Aggarwal on X. “Not just for large enterprises but for startups, innovators, and builders.”
From Electric Vehicles to Energy Infrastructure
Until now, Ola’s 4680 Bharat Cell—manufactured in-house at its 2.5 GWh Gigafactory—was used solely in its own vehicles. But amid slowing EV demand, the company is now broadening its addressable market:
- Enterprises can now buy Bharat Cells or Ola’s 1.5 kWh packs to power their own tech, spanning drones, medical equipment, defence tools, and energy storage.
- This opens new B2B revenue streams, especially in sectors demanding high-performance, India-made energy systems.
This move comes as Ola Electric faces headwinds:
- EV registrations down 51% YoY to 1.99 lakh units in 2025
- Market share shrunk to ~15%, from 35.5% in 2024
- Operating revenue fell 43% YoY to ₹690 Cr in Q2 FY26
- Stock down 47% YoY, ending at ₹38.6 on the BSE
Is pivoting to batteries and B2B the reset Ola needs?
Batteries at the Core of Ola’s Diversification Push
Ola’s latest product developments point to a battery-first future:
- S1 Pro+ e-scooter, now integrated with 4680 Bharat Cell, claims 320 km range—the highest in its category
- Roadster X+ motorcycle, launched today, offers a massive 500 km range on a single charge with a 9.1 kWh pack
- Ola Shakti, its residential battery storage system, begins deliveries in Jan–Feb 2026
- 3kW/5.2kWh model: ₹1,49,999
- 6kW/9.1kWh model: ₹2,49,999
The company said Ola Shakti is designed for reliable power backup without complex system management—aimed at households adopting rooftop solar or living with power instability.
Aggarwal also confirmed plans to expand into the commercial energy storage market and scale cell production:
- 5.9 GWh cell capacity by March 2026
- 20 GWh by H2 2027
Betting on Batteries as the Next Growth Engine
By unlocking its Bharat Cell platform for enterprise use, Ola Electric is repositioning itself as not just an EV maker but an energy technology company.
The move also taps into rising demand for India-made battery cells amid global supply chain scrutiny, national security needs, and clean energy adoption.
With battery IP, large-scale manufacturing, and now open distribution—can Ola become India’s Tesla Energy?
As Ola Electric continues to struggle with EV volumes, financial pressure, and after-sales service challenges, its battery platform strategy may offer the margin-rich, diversified play it needs to stay in the game.
TL;DR
Ola Electric opens up its in-house 4680 Bharat Cell and 1.5 kWh battery packs to enterprises across healthcare, defence, energy, and robotics. As EV sales decline, the company is pivoting to B2B battery sales and energy storage, with plans to scale cell capacity to 20 GWh by 2027.
AI summary
- Ola opens battery tech to non-EV sectors: drones, healthcare, defence
- 4680 Bharat Cell & 1.5 kWh packs now available to enterprises & startups
- EV sales dropped 51% YoY; market share fell to ~15%
- Ola Shakti residential storage system rolls out in Jan–Feb 2026
- Battery cell capacity to scale from 2.5 GWh to 20 GWh by 2027
