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Uber’s Indian rival Ola wants to put 10,000 electric vehicles on the road in a year

And one million by 2021 as part of Mission: Electric.
And one million by 2021 as part of Mission: Electric. And one million by 2021 as part of Mission: Electric.

India’s ride-hailing app Ola has committed to putting 10,000 electric vehicles on the road in 12 months as it unveiled its Mission: Electric.

Ola, which is larger than Uber in India, is following up an electric vehicle (EV) pilot from 2017 with the rollout, which will include e-rickshaws and electric auto-rickshaws.

It is the first step in Ola’s commitment to put one million EVs on the road by 2021, and sits with larger efforts to reduce traffic pollution in India’s biggest cities.

“Three-wheelers are a vital means of transportation and a source of livelihood for millions of people every day.

“It also represents an immediate opportunity to improve outcomes for all stakeholders while reducing pollution across towns and cities,” said Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and chief executive officer of Ola.

“Less than a year ago, we launched India’s first multi-modal electric pilot in Nagpur. After more than four million electric kilometres travelled and many lessons learned, we are significantly expanding our commitment to electrify mobility in India.”

Aggarwal said the move reinforces that Ola “leads by example”.

Last year’s pilot project took place in Nagpur. It included electric cabs, electric auto rickshaws, electric buses, rooftop solar installations, charging stations, and battery-swapping experiments.

Ola and Uber are reported to control about 90% of the online ride-hailing market in India, with Ola taking the largest share.