Ola Futurefactory to be run entirely by women

The factory in Tamil Nadu will manufacture the S1 and S1 Pro electric scooters

Ola Chairman and Group CEO Bhavish Aggarwal on Monday announced that the Ola Futurefactory in Krishnagiri (Tamil Nadu) will be run entirely by women.

“We welcomed the first batch this week and at full capacity, Futurefactory will employ over 10,000 women, making it the world’s largest women-only factory and the only all-women automotive manufacturing facility globally,” Aggarwal said in a blog.

“This is the first in a series of initiatives we are undertaking at Ola to create a more inclusive workforce and provide economic opportunities for women across the board,” he added.

“We have invested significantly to train and upskill them in core manufacturing skills and they will be responsible for the entire production of every vehicle manufactured at Ola Futurefactory.

“Enabling women with economic opportunities improves not just their lives but that of their families and indeed the whole community. In fact, studies show that just providing women parity in the labour workforce can grow India’s GDP by 27 per cent.

“But this requires active and conscious efforts from all of us, especially in manufacturing where participation remains the lowest at just 12 per cent. For India to be the world’s manufacturing hub, we must prioritise upskilling and generating employment for our women workforce.

“Ola Futurefactory is one step towards our vision of the world’s future – a world with clean mobility, a carbon-negative footprint, and an inclusive workforce. We will continue to take steps that get us closer to achieving each of these across Ola and encourage others to join us so we can accelerate India’s progress,” he added.

The recently-launched Ola S1 scooter has a top speed of 90 Kmph and it can reach 40 Kmph from zero in 3.6 seconds. Its range is 121 Km. It has a peak motor power of 8.5 KW, has a 2.98 KWh battery pack is priced at Rs 99,999 and comes in five colours.

The Ola S1 Pro has a speed of 115 Kmph and can hit the 40 Kmph mark from zero in a mere three seconds. The range is 181 Km and it has a peak motor power of 8.5 KW, 3.97 KWh battery pack is priced at Rs 1,29,999 and comes in 10 colours. The prices are ex-showroom and include FAME II subsidy, but exclude state subsidy.