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Ola lights up homes with ‘Shakti’ energy storage system
MUMBAI: Ola has flipped the switch on a new kind of power. With Ola Shakti, the company is charging into the fast-growing Rs 1 lakh crore Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) market, bringing clean, home-grown energy straight to Indian households.
Launched in Bengaluru, Ola Shakti marks Ola Electric’s first step beyond electric mobility into energy storage for homes, farms and small businesses. It uses the company’s indigenous 4680 bharat cells and is fully designed, engineered and manufactured in India.
“India doesn’t face an energy shortage; it faces an energy storage opportunity,” said Ola Electric CMD Bhavish Aggarwal. “With Ola Shakti, we are turning that opportunity into energy independence.”
Available in four configurations of 1.5 kwh, 3 kwh, 5.2 kwh and 9.1 kwh, Ola Shakti starts at an introductory Rs 29,999 for the first 10,000 units. Reservations are open at Rs 999, and deliveries will begin on Makar Sankranti 2026.
Compact, stackable and built to last, Ola Shakti offers efficiency of up to 98 percent and zero maintenance costs. It promises instant power during outages, protection from voltage fluctuations and weatherproof reliability tested for monsoon conditions.
The system can also think for itself. Through real-time insights, intelligent scheduling and remote updates, Ola Shakti helps users manage power smarter, reduce bills and make the switch to clean energy effortless.
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Maharashtra revokes Ola, Uber, Rapido bike taxi licences
Temporary e-bike taxi permits cancelled as firms fail to meet state rules
MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s roads are set to see fewer zipping two-wheelers after the state government pulled the plug on provisional licences granted to bike taxi giants Ola, Uber and Rapido. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced in the Legislative Council on Monday that temporary permissions would be revoked.
“These companies were given permission for just a month and were required to submit certain documents. Since they have not complied, their temporary licences are cancelled. This is to ensure illegal bikes do not operate on our roads,” Sarnaik said.
The move follows the Maharashtra E Bike Taxi Rules 2024, designed to generate employment for local youth and offer commuters a cheaper, greener ride option. The rules, approved in August 2024, allow electric bike taxis in cities with over one lakh residents.
Under the policy, only electric vehicles can ply as taxis, and operators had 30 days to fulfil licensing and compliance requirements. Yet, officials claim many continued operations without meeting these conditions. Sarnaik added that a large number of bike taxis currently running in Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region are illegal.
In a firm enforcement twist, the government has instructed authorities to focus on vehicle owners rather than riders when registering cases. Safety concerns, particularly for women passengers, and accident complaints have also been flagged by the transport department.
Since April 2024, Regional Transport Offices have taken action against 130 non-compliant bike taxis, collecting fines exceeding Rs 33 lakh. Authorities say further measures will follow to ensure services adhere to regulations before returning to city streets.
Maharashtra’s bike taxi saga has been a rollercoaster. Initially banned in January 2023 due to concerns over private vehicles ferrying passengers, the sector was later formalised through an electric bike framework in 2024. Provisional licences were granted in 2025, but the government now warns that any bike taxi operating on city roads without proper permits will be considered illegal.
Adding to the transport shake-up, the government has also halted the issuance of new auto rickshaw permits from March 9 to ease urban traffic pressures and safeguard livelihoods of existing drivers. A fresh standard operating procedure for future permits is set to go before the state cabinet soon.
Maharashtra commuters may have to find alternative rides as the state reins in its two-wheeled taxi revolution, leaving app-based bikers in a legal limbo.
