In Ola’s battery efforts, a shift in Indian innovation
Globally, the stakes are rising. Chinese Makers export low-cost EVs at a staggering pace, supported by vertically integrated, State-subsidised supply chains
When I visited Ola Electric’s Battery Innovation Centre in Bengaluru, I expected a modest setup, a typical R&D lab focused on incremental improvements. What I encountered instead was a full-scale effort to reimagine and industrialise one of the most complex and strategically important technologies of our time — the lithium-ion cell. Nearly 500 researchers were at work, many with experience in labs and companies across South Korea, Japan, Germany, and the US. They weren’t tweaking specs on imported components; they were building a new type of battery from the ground up.
At the centre of this effort is the 4,680-format cylindrical cell, a design originally popularised by Tesla. This format is known for higher energy density, improved thermal management, and structural integration in electric vehicles (EVs). But Ola has taken a riskier path by developing its own version using dry electrode manufacturing, a technique that avoids the toxic solvents and energy-hungry ovens of conventional production. Rather than coating materials in wet slurry, Ola’s method presses a dry mix directly onto the current collector. It is faster, cleaner, and more energy-efficient, eliminating solvent recovery systems, improving consistency, and lowering costs.
The company says it has spent three years building this capability from scratch and has achieved consistent, high-volume production for both cathodes and anodes. While companies in China, Korea, and the US are still struggling to scale this technology, Ola claims it has already made it work at volume.
The performance specs are bold: Over 275 Wh/kg energy density, more than 2,000 charge-discharge cycles, and strong thermal stability. Most striking is the charging speed, from 20% to 80% in just 15 minutes — enough for a 60% top-up during a short break. These cells are already being produced at pilot scale and are now being transferred to Ola’s Gigafactory in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu. The first 5 GWh phase is operational, with plans to scale to 20 GWh and eventually 100 GWh. That would put Ola among the largest battery manufacturers in the world.
Particularly impressive is Ola’s goal to own the full stack of intellectual property. Most Indian firms rely on Chinese licences and imported tools. Ola is doing the opposite by developing its own cell chemistries, production equipment, and control software. This is part of a broader strategy it calls “India Inside,” a push to reduce dependency while creating export-ready innovation. That is easier said than done, but the company has filed over 250 patents and is running rapid development loops between its R&D lab and factory floor. The tight integration allows breakthroughs to move quickly from prototype to real-world deployment.
Bhavish Aggarwal, Ola’s founder, has drawn plenty of criticism. The company’s electric scooters have faced reliability issues, and Aggarwal’s online persona has often added fuel to the fire. Customers have complained about buggy software, missed deliveries, and inadequate service. These are real challenges, but also common ones for startups racing to scale frontier tech.
I remember the early days of Tesla. I was one of the first buyers of the Model S. The car looked like the future, but the door handles failed, the software was faulty, the service network was overwhelmed, and Elon Musk consistently over-promised. My Tesla even crashed into my garage while on autopilot. Yet behind all the drama, real innovation was underway in battery chemistry, manufacturing, and software. Today, Tesla leads the global EV market.
What Ola is attempting is no less ambitious, despite the constraints. It is building not just a vehicle company, but a battery-technology platform inside an ecosystem that has historically lacked the infrastructure and incentives to support deep tech. That alone deserves recognition.
Globally, the stakes are rising. While the West is still focused on Tesla, the scale story now lies in China. Chinese companies produce over 90% of the world’s lithium-ion cells and export low-cost EVs at a staggering pace, supported by vertically integrated, State-subsidised supply chains. But safety concerns are endemic. Recalls are common, batteries often underperform in real-world conditions, and reports of fires — from scooters to buses — have become routine. The aggressive drive for volume has left quality an afterthought, with deadly consequences.
This creates an opportunity for India, if it can deliver products that combine affordability with reliability and safety. Ola’s battery programme is a promising first step. What is unfolding in Bangalore is serious engineering work aimed at solving a global problem in a distinctly Indian way.
If Ola succeeds, the impact will go well beyond scooters or cars. These batteries could power grid storage systems, industrial equipment, drones, and even electric aircraft. India could become a serious player in global energy storage, an industry central to everything from climate resilience to national security. That kind of platform power is rare, and it is worth pursuing.
India has long led in software and services, but its record in industrial technology and applied science has lagged. That is beginning to shift. A wave of deep tech ambition is rising, focused on leapfrogging rather than imitation. Companies like Ola, powered by Indian talent but thinking globally, are showing that India is poised not just to join the energy revolution, but to lead it — and to set safety, reliability, and innovation standards that China has repeatedly failed to meet.
Vivek Wadhwa is CEO, Vionix Biosciences. The views expressed are personal
