Ride-hailing platform Ola will invest Rs24bn ($326.3mn) to set up an electric scooter factory at Hosur in Tamil Nadu, India.
The company claims that this factory will be the ‘world’s largest scooter manufacturing facility’ with the initial annual capacity of 2mn units.
Ola’s factory will cater to customers not only in India but in Europe, Asia, Latin America and others, said a company statement.
Ola Electric, the electric vehicle (EV) arm of Ola, is gearing up to launch the first of its range of electric scooters in the coming months. This new manufacturing plant is expected to be operational in a year’s time.
The company said this move will help in reduction of India’s import dependence in a key future sector like EVs, boost local manufacturing, create jobs and improve the technical expertise in the country.
Recently, the company roped in General Motor Veteran Jose Pinheiro to head its global manufacturing and operations for its electric business.
Early this year, Ola Electric acquired Etergo BV, an Amsterdam-based electric scooter original equipment manufacturer.
Earlier this month, Ola had said it will launch its electric two-wheeler range in New Zealand to help support the government’s goal of bringing on road 64,000 new electric vehicles by the end of 2021.