Archive · 22 Jan 2026
Ola Electric CEO's EV Cost Claim Sparks Debate
Ola Electric's CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal, said on social media that electric vehicles (EVs) are 90% cheaper to run than petrol vehicles.
He explained that petrol scooters cost about ₹2 per kilometer, while electric scooters cost only ₹0.2 per kilometer.
Many people agreed that EVs save money on fuel, but others pointed out that EVs cost more to buy initially and that batteries need to be replaced after a few years.
Some people also mentioned safety concerns, like EVs catching fire.
While EVs do save money in the long run, the savings might not be as big as 90% in the first few years.
Bhavish Aggarwal claimed EVs are 90% cheaper to run than petrol vehicles, citing lower energy costs.
Netizens agreed on fuel savings but criticized the claim for ignoring upfront costs and battery replacement.
Concerns were raised about depreciation, battery lifespan, and environmental impact of EV batteries.
Safety issues, such as EV scooters overheating or catching fire, were also highlighted.
While EVs offer long-term savings, the 90% cheaper claim was seen as an oversimplification.
- Who
- Bhavish Aggarwal, founder of Ola and Ola Electric
- What
- Claimed that EVs are 90% cheaper to run than petrol vehicles
- When
- January 21, 2026
- Where
- Social media platform X (formerly Twitter)
- Why
- To highlight the cost savings of electric vehicles over petrol vehicles
- Claim
- EVs are 90% cheaper to run than petrol vehicles
- Petrol Cost
- ₹2 per km for ICE 2W
- Electricity Cost
- ₹0.2 per km for 2W EVs
- Battery Lifespan
- 3-5 years (with replacement costs)
- Upfront Cost
- EV scooters cost significantly more than petrol scooters