Ola S1 Pro MoveOS 3 review: Frills and fun, with generous dose of convenience
- Ola S1 and S1 Pro electric scooters now support a wide range of much-touted features.
Ola S1 range of electric scooter models have finally received the much-awaited MoveOS3 software update which brings to life several key promises that Ola Electric has been making for quite some time now. While a number of the new updates put the focus on the fun aspect of the electric scooter model, there are also several key convenience options, the biggest being the Hypercharger network now available for quick power ups.
The Ola MoveOS 3 software update was rolled out late last week, just before Christmas, and to the S1 and S1 Pro models. And there's much to look forward to.
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Here's a quick review of the feature updates brought about by MoveOS 3 on the Ola S1 and S1 Pro models:
Watch: Ola Move OS 3: Key feature updates
Hypercharging
This is the biggest highlight of MoveOS 3 and the claim of lightining quick charging is now available for testing. Although the network of Ola Hyperchargers are still limited - there are just three in Delhi at the time of this test ride, does it make sense to go around hunting for one?
Ola claims that just 15 minutes of charging can add around 50 kms to the range of the S1 electric scooters. We took our test unit to one such installation at a BPCL fuel station in Delhi's Connaught Place.
For now, hypercharging is free of cost and is on a plug-and-charge basis. We plugged it in with the range left at 80 kms and after 20 minutes, had bumped the figure up to 100 kms. We observed that charging is faster when the charge left is lower than 70% and as such, it can be a great option during emergency-based requirements.
Proximity Lock and Unlock
Ola electric scooters do not have a physical key. This can be both good and bad depending on the situation. You cannot lose a key that does not exist but consequently, you would have had to physically punch in the numeric code every time you wanted to start or interact with the electric scooter. Not anymore.
The Ola S1 Pro unlocks itself automatically each time you get close to it, locking itself as you walk away. You can also do this by clicking a button on the Ola Electric app. For all who asked what happens if the trunk is locked with the charger and the scooter runs out of charge - here's your answer.
Hill Hold Assist
Ola electric scooters have a dedicated button for reverse mode but Hill Hold Assist has long been requested for as well. Activate the feature from the settings tab on the scooter's screen and follow the on-screen instructions to turn it on or off.
The feature though is still in Beta stage and on our review unit, while we could activate it on screen, it wasn't available on the move.
Regenerative braking
Regenerative braking is rather common on electric cars and is also offered with multiple levels of intensity. The idea is to slow the EV when there is no throttle input and send the kinetic energy to charge the battery.
Science aside, it works well on the S1 Pro model and also helps reduce finger fatigue on long rides. It is still, however, recommended that one is always attentive and ready to physically pull the brake lever if and when required.
Party Mode
Now this is where we had differing views. The extroverts in the team thought this is a cool highlight but the introverts almost begged to differ. Ola scooters come with built-in speakers but the MoveOS 3 adds a feature which allows the lights of the scooters to blink to the beats of the music being played.
Does it work? Sure. Should it? Depends entirely on you.
There are some other great feature highlights too like multiple moods which are essentially themes for the screen, Vacation Mode that allows for the electric scooter to be left parked for up to 200 days without much battery drain, call notifications on the screen and digital document storage on the scooter itself.
