Ola Electric, one of India’s leading electric two-wheeler manufacturers, has officially stepped into the energy storage solutions space with the launch of its residential Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), called Ola Shakti. This marks the company’s first major product outside the vehicle category, expanding its footprint beyond mobility and into home and commercial energy management.
The new venture leverages Ola’s in-house expertise in battery cell technology to address India’s growing demand for reliable, clean energy backup systems. Ola Shakti is built as a portable, on-demand energy storage solution for households, small businesses, and even agricultural setups. The company is aiming to capture a share of India’s rapidly expanding energy storage market, which currently stands at around ₹1 lakh crore and is projected to surpass ₹3 lakh crore by 2030.
Key Takeaways
- Product: Ola Shakti, Ola’s first residential Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
- Core Technology: Powered by Ola’s indigenously developed 4680 Bharat Cells (Lithium-ion NMC chemistry).
- Configurations: Available in 1.5 kWh, 3 kWh, 5.2 kWh, and 9.1 kWh capacities.
- Introductory Pricing: Starts at ₹29,999 for the 1.5 kWh unit (first 10,000 units).
- Manufacturing: To be produced at Ola’s Gigafactory in Tamil Nadu.
- Availability: Reservations open for ₹999, with deliveries starting on Makar Sankranti 2026.
Indigenous Design and Manufacturing
Under the leadership of Chairman and Managing Director Bhavish Aggarwal, Ola Electric has designed, engineered, and manufactured Ola Shakti entirely in India. The system uses the company’s advanced 4680 Bharat Cells, which are already in use in Ola’s electric two-wheelers.
By utilizing its existing battery cell production capabilities at the Ola Gigafactory in Tamil Nadu, the company aims to scale the Shakti project efficiently without requiring heavy new investment in infrastructure or R&D. The Gigafactory, which started producing Bharat Cells in 2025, will now allocate a portion of its production for the BESS segment. Ola expects demand for these storage units to grow significantly, with annual energy cell consumption projected to reach around 5 GWh in the next few years.
Aggarwal noted that India is at the beginning of a massive energy storage opportunity and that Ola Shakti extends the company’s expertise in batteries and cell technology built for electric mobility. He said the product aligns with Ola’s broader goal of enabling energy independence for Indian consumers, empowering them to store and utilize clean energy more efficiently, especially as solar rooftop adoption continues to rise.
Product Features and Configurations
Ola Shakti has been developed keeping Indian households and conditions in mind. It offers up to 98% battery efficiency and an almost instant 0 ms changeover time, which is significantly faster than what traditional inverters can provide. The batteries come with an IP67 rating, ensuring resistance to dust and water—an important feature considering India’s monsoon seasons.
The system also operates on a wide input voltage range of 120V to 290V, helping protect sensitive appliances from sudden power fluctuations.
Here’s a look at the available configurations and introductory prices for the first 10,000 units:
- 1.5 kWh / 1 kW Power: ₹29,999
- 3 kWh / 1 kW Power: ₹55,999 (two 1.5 kWh units stacked)
- 5.2 kWh / 3 kW Power: ₹1,19,999
- 9.1 kWh / 6 kW Power: ₹1,59,999
Ola claims the units can be fully charged in about two hours, providing up to 1.5 hours of backup power at full load. On top of that, Ola Shakti includes smart features like Time-of-Day (ToD) charge and discharge scheduling, remote diagnostics, and Over-The-Air (OTA) software updates, enabling users to monitor and optimize their energy usage through a connected interface.
The modular design also allows users to scale their setup as their energy needs grow. Ola Shakti can comfortably power heavy appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, and water pumps, making it a strong, cleaner alternative to traditional lead-acid battery inverters or diesel generators.
Overall, Ola’s entry into the residential energy storage market seems like a natural progression of its clean energy vision. It’s perhaps an early sign of how the company plans to position itself not just as a vehicle manufacturer, but as a broader energy technology leader in India.
Related FAQs
Q. What is Ola Shakti used for?
A. Ola Shakti is a residential Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) primarily used to provide reliable power backup for homes, small businesses, and farms. It can store energy from the grid or solar setups and run high-load appliances like ACs, refrigerators, and water pumps during power cuts.
Q. What is a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)?
A. A BESS is a system that captures energy from a power source (like the grid or solar panels) and stores it in batteries for later use. This helps in managing energy flow, providing backup power, and using stored renewable energy when the source is not active.
Q. What is the 4680 Bharat Cell used by Ola?
A. The 4680 Bharat Cell is a Lithium-ion NMC (Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt) battery cell developed and manufactured in-house by Ola Electric in India. The “4680” refers to its dimensions: 46mm diameter and 80mm height. It is used in Ola’s electric scooters and now in the Ola Shakti BESS.
Q. How is Ola Shakti different from a regular inverter?
A. Ola Shakti uses advanced Lithium-ion 4680 Bharat Cells, while most regular inverters use older, heavier Lead-Acid batteries. Ola Shakti offers higher efficiency (up to 98%), near-instantaneous power switchover (0 ms), is weatherproof (IP67-rated), has smart features like app control and OTA updates, and is claimed to have zero running or maintenance costs.
