Ola Electric has had a wild ride so far. When it first showed up with the S1 electric scooter, it made EVs feel fun, affordable, and even a little futuristic. Big touchscreens, app controls, fast charging—the kind of features you didn’t expect on a budget scooter. For a hot minute, Ola looked like it was going to own the EV two-wheeler market.
But then came the bumps. Broken promises, recalls, sketchy reliability, and a customer service rep that couldn’t keep up—Ola’s shiny image started to fade fast. Add in heavy spending on factories and tech, plus a few too many headlines about unhappy owners, and the company’s credibility took a real beating.
That’s why Ola’s fairly recent move into motorcycles raised eyebrows. Out of nowhere, it rolled out four concept bikes—a cruiser, an ADV, a naked, and the one everyone’s still talking about: the Diamondhead sportbike. Unlike the commuter-friendly S1, this thing looked like it beamed in from the future. It’s sharp, angular, and the front fairing practically eats the handlebars.
And here’s the kicker: Ola says it’s actually building it. The Diamondhead is slated for a 2027 release, and on paper, it’s unlike anything India’s ever produced. It’s supposed to run on Ola’s new 4680 Bharat cell battery pack (developed in-house), paired with a rare-earth-free electric motor. Lightweight construction using aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber is part of the plan. And the performance claims? A 0 to 60-mile-per-hour time of just two seconds. That’s not just fast-for-an-electric-bike-fast—that’s right up in superbike territory.
If Ola sticks to that script, the Diamondhead could go head-to-head with heavy hitters like Zero’s SR/S and Energica’s Ego+ RS. But there’s nuance. Energica’s superbike cranks out 171 horsepower, hits 150 mph, and has a battery pushing nearly 22 kWh—enough for about 260 miles in the city.
Zero plays in a different lane, with the SR/S topping out around 124 mph with a 17.3 kWh battery good for about 187 miles. Ola hasn’t published hard numbers yet for power or range, but if it wants to compete, we’re probably looking at 150–170 hp territory and a pack in the 20 kWh range to make those performance claims stick.
Now, will the production Diamondhead really look like the alien spaceship Ola teased? Probably not. Concepts always get watered down once engineers and safety compliance get involved. Expect a little less sci-fi and a little more practicality when the bike finally hits the road. Still, if Ola delivers even half of what it’s promising, the Diamondhead could be India’s first truly world-class electric sportbike.
Of course, this is Ola we’re talking about. The company has big ambitions and a spotty track record. So is the Diamondhead going to be a groundbreaking superbike, or just another hype cycle? We’ll find out in 2027. But either way, it’s a hell of a story to watch.
Sources: VisorDown, Ola Electric
