India-headquartered Ola – one of the leading mobility companies in the world has reportedly commenced the construction of the world’s largest two-wheeler mega-factory on its 500-acre site in Tamil Nadu.
The ride-hailing company entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government for INR 2,400 crore factory in December 2020. Since then, the company has completed the acquisition of the land in January and is likely to begin production at the facility within the next few months.
“Ola’s mega-factory will have an initial capacity of two million units a year in phase 1 and will serve as the company’s global manufacturing hub for its range of electric-powered scooters and two-wheelers across India and international markets including Europe, UK, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand,” Ola said in an official statement.
Expected to create 10,000 jobs, Ola added, the factory will incorporate Industry 4.0 principles and will be powered by Ola’s own proprietary AI Engine and tech stack that will be deeply integrated into all its systems. The mega-factory is expected to be one of the most automated factories in India with about 5,000 robots and automated guided vehicles in use once it begins operations in full capacity.
"The company has already brought on board global partners and suppliers as it works towards getting its factory, billed to be the world’s largest scooter factory, operational in the coming months," the company stated.
In May 2020, Ola announced the acquisition of Netherland-based Etergo which marked its entry into the premium electric two-wheeler market both in India and globally.
The company confirmed it is close to launching the first in its range of electric scooters in the coming months in India. The electric scooter is expected to have a removable battery, high performance, and range as well as a host of industry-first technology features. The scooter has already won several prestigious design and innovation awards including the IHS Markit Innovation award at CES and the German Design Award.
- By Shraddha Kakade
Asst. Editor, Emerging Technology News