Ola Electric’s Ashish Thakur Joins TVS Motor Amid Service Challenges!

Ashish Thakur, the former Global Service Head at Ola Electric, has left the company to join TVS Motor Company as the Associate Vice President of Service & Customer Care for its Electric Vehicle (EV) business. With 26 years of experience in the automotive sector, Thakur was instrumental in establishing Ola Electric’s service framework and its direct-to-consumer (D2C) business model. Before his role at Ola, he spent over two decades at Maruti Suzuki, where he held various service leadership positions.

Thakur’s departure comes at a critical juncture for Ola Electric, which has been facing increasing competition from established players like TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto. In addition, the company has been grappling with operational issues, including a sharp decline in market share and mounting customer complaints. Ola Electric has received around 80,000 service-related complaints each month, particularly concerning long wait times and overburdened service staff.

The company, known for its S1 series of electric scooters, has faced public criticism, including from comedian Kunal Kamra, which escalated when CEO Bhavish Aggarwal addressed the issues publicly. Further complicating matters, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued a show-cause notice for alleged unfair trade practices in October, leading to an ongoing investigation.

As the electric two-wheeler market in India continues to grow, manufacturers are intensifying efforts to capture a larger share of the expanding consumer base, making Ola’s operational and service challenges particularly timely.