We are living in a world of transportation transformation, and the founder of Ola Cabs and Ola Electric, Bhavish Aggarwal, has led the movement. His path from a Microsoft technical internship to reinventing India’s mobility industry is as inspiring as it is ambitious. Bhavish is not merely creating companies; he wants to change the way Indians move. With Ola Electric, he’s tackling a monumental but necessary challenge: democratising electric cars (EVs).
In this post, let’s explore Bhavish Aggarwal’s life journey, how he comes up with the concept of Ola Electric, and how he is driving India’s EV revolution.
Early Days and the Birth of Ola Cabs
Bhavish Aggarwal was born on 28 August 1985, in Ludhiana, Punjab. He studied Computer Science at IIT Bombay as most tech entrepreneurs do. Bhavish joined Microsoft as a researcher, filing patents and papers after graduating. But his corporate job didn’t do the trick.
This all changed in 2010 when Bhavish went on a road trip that ended in disappointment when a cab broke down and the driver didn’t do what he promised. This incident brought the notion up: why not establish a trust-worthy, 24/7 ride-hailing system in India? That’s how Ola Cabs came into existence. Bhavish co-founded Ola Cabs in 2010 with co-founder Ankit Bhati. It was just too good an opportunity. When smartphones became available and internet connectivity improved in India, Ola quickly became the most used app for urban commuters.
Today, Ola has a presence in more than 250 cities in India and has expanded to global markets. The business provides services ranging from car hire and autos to bike taxis. This didn’t satisfy Bhavish, though. Already his imagination was flitting towards the next revolution, electric transport.
The Evolution of Electric – Ola Electric
India’s pollution crisis and dependence on fossil fuels demanded an all-out overhaul. Bhavish recognised the chance to both solve these problems and capitalise on the escalating demand for electric cars. In 2017, he established Ola Electric as an Ola Cabs company, initially developing EV infrastructure such as charging stations and battery-swapping grids. But soon, Bhavish saw a bigger dream: he would make India’s Tesla from two-wheelers.
Why Two-Wheelers?
The roads of India are dominated with bikes. Bikes and scooters form the transportation system for millions of people in the cities as well as in the countryside. Bhavish knew if he could sell electric two-wheelers at a reasonable cost, make them useable, and put a little style into them, the ripples would be huge.
Ola Electric launched its first electric scooter, the Ola S1, in 2021. The scooter was a smash hit because of its sleek look, sophisticated capabilities, and affordable price. It wasn’t a launch of a product; it was a declaration. Bhavish wanted to prove India was not in the business of outsourcing the electric car revolution to foreign firms, it could design its own.
The Mission – 1 Million EVs by 2025
Bhavish’s vision for Ola Electric is to bring 1 million electric two-wheelers on the Indian roads by 2025. This may sound bold, but Bhavish never shied away from big issues. He calls it “Mission Electric” and it’s not about selling scooters, but promoting a movement towards sustainable mobility in India.
Business Strategy and Partnerships
Bhavish’s knack for creating strategic alliances is one of the many reasons he’s been successful in his endeavors. Ola Electric has also drawn large investments from SoftBank, Hyundai and Tiger Global. Ola Electric raised $250 million in 2020 in a funding round led by SoftBank (who also funded Ola Cabs).
These collaborations have helped Bhavish to quickly expand Ola Electric both in terms of production capacity and infrastructure. The main focus of this expansion is the FutureFactory in Tamil Nadu. It is the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturing facility, producing 10 million bikes a year.
What’s more, the FutureFactory’s staff are all women, which is unprecedented in India. This belief in the power of women in the workplace has been celebrated by Bhavish, and adds another layer of realism to his approach.
Taking Risks, Calculating Rewards
Bhavish Aggarwal is a person who never stops thinking, never gives up. Whether it’s disrupting Uber in the US, or making impossible-to-miss EV sales goals, he has never shied away from doing things differently. But they’re not irrational bets—Bhavish can spot market trends before anyone else does.
He has a similar managerial hands-on approach. Bhavish has been known to work days in the Ola Electric plant and personally take care of quality control and product development. This kind of commitment is not common among big business CEOs, and it demonstrates his drive to see Ola Electric keep its promises.
Financial Success and Future Plans
Bhavish Aggarwal, who has just turned 38, has a personal fortune estimated at about $500 million. This success speaks not only to Ola’s achievement but to the tremendous opportunity investors see in Ola Electric. The electric vehicle market is roiling across the globe, and Ola Electric is poised to play a vital role in it.
And while most entrepreneurs like to spread their investments across a wide range of industries, Bhavish has remained singularly focused on transportation and technology. He’s reinvested so much of his fortune in research and development, keeping Ola and Ola Electric on the cutting edge of innovation.
Bhavish isn’t just stopping at scooters. He has already earmarked the electric four-wheeler market and is planning to launch an electric car within the next few years. He’s had such success that it wouldn’t be surprising to see Ola Electric take over the car industry as they did the scooter one.
The Human Side of Bhavish Aggarwal
Despite his success, Bhavish maintains a humble and relatable persona. He’s known to interact with Ola drivers and customers directly, often gathering feedback to improve the service. On social media, he shares glimpses of his personal life, and his tweets reflect his commitment to sustainability and innovation.
Bhavish’s leadership style is both approachable and driven. His employees describe him as someone who inspires them to work hard, not through fear, but through his own example. He’s a leader who’s not afraid to get his hands dirty, whether it’s at the factory or in the boardroom.
A Revolutionary in the Making
Bhavish Aggarwal’s journey is far from over. With Ola Electric, he’s not just building a company, he’s creating a movement towards sustainable mobility in India. His bold vision, coupled with his relentless work ethic, has positioned him as one of India’s most important entrepreneurs.
As India grapples with environmental challenges and a growing demand for clean energy, Bhavish’s mission to electrify the country’s roads couldn’t be more timely.
His legacy is still being written, but one thing is clear, Bhavish Aggarwal is driving India’s electric vehicle revolution, and he’s doing it with the same grit and determination that got him here in the first place.
