Key highlights
- Ola Electric has filed a design patent in India for a compact five-door electric car, signalling its return to the four-wheeler segment.
- The design patent reveals a tall-hatch style vehicle built on the Gen 4 modular platform and likely using the company’s in-house 4680 cell technology.
- The compact EV would aim for the sub-INR 10 lakh urban market and compete with models such as the MG Comet EV and Tata Tiago EV.
Ola Electric has quietly re-entered the game for electric cars. After shelving its earlier four-wheeler plans, the company has now filed a patent in India for a compact design that clearly points to a future EV hatchback.
The patent outlines a five-door hatch built on the Gen 4 platform, which Ola says will support scooters, three-wheelers and now cars. According to the drawings, the vehicle has compact proportions, short overhangs and a tall roofline much like the kind of city-focused EV that urban buyers might embrace.
Ola’s decision to patent this design matters for several reasons. Firstly, it signals that Ola is serious about scaling into full-range EVs, not just scooters and two-wheelers. Secondly, the use of the Gen 4 platform and 4680-series cells suggest the company is building for low cost and high production volumes.
What we can tell from the patent
While specifications aren’t confirmed, the design hints give away a few clues:
- The body style is clearly a hatch, with four doors and a spacious rear section.
- It aims for urban utility rather than high performance, which puts it in direct rivalry with cars like the MG Comet EV and Tata Tiago EV.
- The patent also implies the use of Ola’s newly developed 4680 Bharat-cell battery technology which the company has already started using in its scooter range.
- Dimensions and specs are not detailed, but the visuals suggest a footprint that is easy to manoeuvre in city traffic.
Does this matter?
India’s electric passenger vehicle market is heating up. Entry-level EVs under INR 10 lakh are a battleground, and any manufacturer that can crack the formula of affordability, range and after-sales ecosystem stands to gain. Ola’s move into this segment could shake things up, given its experience in EVs and its battery ambitions.
That said, there are challenges. Ola’s history in car manufacturing is limited compared to traditional automakers. After-sales support, service network and long-term reliability will matter just as much as price and launch hype.
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