Hyderabad

An electric scooter owner got some relief when the District Consumer Commission ordered Ola Electric to refund Rs 1,63,986, along with interest, and pay compensation after the scooter was found to be defective. The electric vehicle was returned to the company for repair and will remain with them.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Ranga Reddy, was hearing a complaint filed by K. Sunil Chowdary, a Hyderabad-based lawyer.

The complainant claimed that he had continuous issues with the electric vehicle, an Ola S1 Pro, since its delivery on June 26, 2022. Despite purchasing an extended warranty and a one-year Ola Care Plan, at an additional cost of ₹6,299 and ₹3,539, the scooter’s charger did not work from the beginning, he alleged.

Additionally, persistent battery problems left the vehicle unusable. He also claimed that Ola Electric had not provided a timely solution despite several complaints and the vehicle remained with the company since August 2023 without any resolution.

After not receiving a satisfactory response, Chowdary sent a legal notice in October 2023. This, he said, remained unanswered. He then proposed to the commission and requested its intervention in the matter. Ola Electronic did not appear or submit a response during the hearings, the commission stated.

In an ex parte order, the commission said Ola had committed deficiencies in service and unfair trade practices by failing to remedy the defects of the vehicle and causing problems to the complainant. The commission observed that the company was negligent in addressing the issues within the warranty period.

Besides ordering the company to repay the entire amount, along with 9% interest from August 2023 until payment is made, the commission ordered that compensation of Rs 10,000 be paid. If the order is not complied with within 45 days, the commission stated that the interest rate would increase to 12% per annum.