Ola Electric will return the full amount of the customer, Consumer Court gave its decision, what is the reason?

New Delhi. Electric vehicles are being considered as the ride of the future, but poor service and technical problems are becoming a big problem for many customers. Especially when vehicles with new technology suddenly stop on the road, it becomes not only a matter of convenience but also of safety. In a similar case, Ola Electric has now suffered a major setback. On the complaint of a customer from Ahmedabad, the Consumer Commission has given its verdict against the company and ordered to return the amount of the scooter and give additional compensation. This decision is also considered important for those customers who have been waiting for the resolution of vehicle related complaints for a long time.

According to a TOI news, Shailesh Bharwad, a resident of Nava Vadaj area of ​​Ahmedabad, had purchased an electric scooter worth about Rs 1.19 lakh from an authorized showroom of Ola in October 2024. After some time the scooter started having technical problems. According to the complaint, while driving in Akhbarnagar area, the scooter suddenly stopped in the middle of the road. After this the customer contacted the service center several times, but there was no permanent solution to the problem.

Repeated complaints, still no solution

The customer said that the scooter had to be restarted again and again. As time passed, the problem worsened and eventually the vehicle had to be towed to the service center. Despite this the scooter was not completely repaired. After facing continuous trouble, the customer approached the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission based in Ahmedabad.

No one from the company attended the hearing

During the hearing of the case, the Consumer Commission had issued a notice to Ola Electric. However, according to the Commission, no representative appeared on behalf of the company. After this, the Commission heard the case ex-parte based on the available documents and the complainant’s side and gave its verdict.

What did the commission say?

The Consumer Commission said in its order that frequent stopping of the vehicle in the middle of the road poses a serious threat to the safety of the driver. The Commission held that if the company could not rectify the defect despite repeated complaints, it points to a manufacturing defect. The Commission also said that in such a situation the possibility of an accident cannot be ruled out and the customer had to face unnecessary trouble.

How much money will have to be returned?

The Commission considered that the customer had used the scooter for some time, hence the current price of the vehicle was fixed at Rs 90,000. According to the decision, Ola Electric will have to return Rs 90,000 to the customer with 7 percent annual interest. Apart from this, an order has also been given to pay Rs 15,000 for mental torture, Rs 2,050 for other expenses and Rs 2,500 as legal expenses.

Why is this decision important?

Sales of electric vehicles have increased rapidly in recent years, but along with it complaints related to service, battery and technical faults have also come to the fore. In such a situation, this decision of the Consumer Commission is being considered an important example in terms of customer rights. Experts believe that this decision also gives a message to the vehicle companies to ensure better quality and faster complaint redressal system.