The First Electric Car That Ola’s Bhavish Aggarwal Wanted To Introduce Was A Tata! (Video)
We are all aware that Ola Electric has scrapped its plans for producing an electric car for India, right? But did you know that Ola already has its electric car? Well, if you are unaware, we are talking about the Jayem Neo electric car that was produced for Ola Electric through the collaboration of Jayem Automotives and Tata Motors. This particular car was the reason why Ola Electric was formed, and it was also the dream of the late Sir Ratan Tata.
The video providing the detailed history of the Jayem Neo and its push for electric mobility in India has been shared on Instagram by Car Crazy Guy on their page. In this short video, the host explains that before the pandemic, Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal and Tata were working together on a project to build an electric car.
As a result of this partnership, the Jayem Neo, a small electric hatchback based on the Tata Nano, was born. The host mentions that this dream of making an electric Nano was envisioned by the late Sir Ratan Tata. However, as things got delayed, this car could not become a reality until the pandemic.
Ola Electric’s 400 Jayem Neo Electric Cars
The host explains that Ola Cabs wanted 400 electric Nanos for its fleet in Bangalore and Hyderabad. This order was then fulfilled by Jayem Automotives, a Coimbatore-based company. Back in 2017, Tata Motors supplied Jayem Automotives with 400 Tata Nano body shells, following which the company added an electric drivetrain. As a result of this, the Jayem Neo electric hatchback was born.
These 400 Jayem Neos were then delivered to Ola Cabs. Later in 2019, Ola Cabs secured funding of Rs 40 crore from Tata Motors Finance and added additional units of the Jayem Neo to increase its electric fleet.
Jayem Neo: Details
The Jayem Neo, as mentioned, was based on the Tata Nano hatchback. Jayem Automotives fitted this vehicle with a 17.7 kWh battery pack, which offered an ARAI-claimed range of 203 km on a single full charge. As for its real-world range, it came to around 140 km. It was equipped with a 48-volt electric motor capable of producing 23 bhp.
It could reach a top speed of 85 kmph and weighed around 800 kg. The Jayem Neo is currently available for sale on Indiamart, and it is priced at around Rs 3.5 lakh. This car is suitable for small city commutes and can seat five people with ease.
Ola Electric Scrapped Its Plans to Make a Car
The Jayem Neo became one of the reasons behind the inception of Ola Electric, currently the largest electric two-wheeler maker in India. Although it produces a number of electric two-wheelers, it does not produce an electric car. There were plans to produce one. However, recently, Ola Electric CEO Bhavish Aggarwal announced that they have scrapped the plans to launch their electric car.
He explained that the company is currently committed to making products that are more relevant to the Indian market. It was emphasized that, at this point, making an electric car does not make sense.