The recent spat between Ola Electric CEO Bhavish Aggarwal and comedian Kunal Kamra on Twitter has raised important questions for investors. Given Ola Electric’s rocky history and increasing challenges, this could be the final warning signal for shareholders. Here’s why selling your shares might be the smartest decision right now:
1. Sell Immediately
For those still holding onto their Ola Electric shares, the immediate advice is simple: sell now. Bhavish Aggarwal’s impulsive leadership style has already cost the company ₹3,500 crore in one day, all due to a reckless Twitter exchange. Such unpredictability at the leadership level shows a lack of professionalism and accountability, which should raise serious concerns for any investor. In today’s market, poor decisions made by the CEO can wipe out millions in minutes, and Bhavish’s track record suggests this is not an isolated incident but part of a worrying pattern.
2. History of Arrogance and Ignorance
Over the past eight years, Bhavish Aggarwal has demonstrated an unwillingness to learn from his mistakes. Whether it’s Ola Cabs, Krutrim AI, or Ola Electric, Aggarwal’s ventures have been plagued by poor decision-making and an inability to adapt. His leadership is marked by arrogance, and his unwillingness to address customer and operational issues has led to the decline of once-promising businesses.
Take Ola Cabs as an example. The company was once at the forefront of India’s ride-hailing market but has since lost considerable ground to competitors like Uber. This downfall stems from Aggarwal’s lack of focus on improving service quality and managing driver dissatisfaction. Now, a similar pattern is emerging with Ola Electric.
Aggarwal’s history of arrogance doesn’t just affect the company’s image; it directly impacts its ability to grow and retain customers. Investors should take note of the fact that Bhavish has consistently ignored feedback and failed to acknowledge his shortcomings. With such a history, there is little reason to believe that Ola Electric will suddenly turn things around.
3. Too Many Ventures, Not Enough Focus
Aggarwal has launched multiple ventures in a short span, from Ola Cabs to Krutrim AI and Ola Electric, none of which are performing well. His divided attention is a key problem. He has spread himself too thin, trying to expand too fast without establishing a solid foundation for any one business. In the tech and automotive industries, innovation and sustained focus are critical. Unfortunately, Aggarwal’s lack of strategic depth has resulted in an increasingly fragile portfolio.
Instead of ensuring that Ola Electric’s products were ready for the market, the company rushed its launch, resulting in 80,000 complaints per month. This massive volume of complaints highlights how ill-prepared the company was to address customer concerns. A CEO focused on the long term would have delayed the product’s release to ensure quality and safety. Yet, Aggarwal’s rush to dominate the market without proper planning has cost the company dearly in customer trust and market valuation.
4. Protests and Safety Concerns
The real kicker for Ola Electric is the string of protests and accidents tied to their electric scooters. Reports of battery fires and other malfunctions have not only scared off potential customers but have also resulted in fatalities. In a market where customer safety should be the highest priority, Aggarwal’s inability to address these life-threatening issues is a glaring failure. The ongoing protests by consumers against Ola Electric scooters reveal the extent of dissatisfaction with the company’s products.
The company has failed to issue adequate recalls or safety measures, leaving customers exposed to risks. These safety concerns will likely lead to increased regulatory scrutiny, which could cripple Ola Electric’s already shaky reputation. A brand synonymous with safety failures is doomed to lose market share, and in such a scenario, investors should consider jumping ship before the company’s stock value plummets further.
5. Competition is Eating Ola Electric Alive
Ola Electric is not operating in a vacuum. It faces intense competition from companies like Bajaj EV, Ather, and Hero Electric, all of which are more established, customer-friendly, and innovative. These companies have taken a more methodical approach to product development and customer service, resulting in higher levels of satisfaction and brand loyalty. In contrast, Ola Electric’s rash entry into the market, combined with its poor-quality products and lack of innovation, puts it far behind the competition.
Ather and Bajaj EV, for instance, have invested significantly in research and development, producing EV scooters that are far more reliable than Ola’s offerings. Customers are now gravitating toward these brands, leaving Ola Electric struggling to keep up. This trend is only likely to continue, further eroding Ola Electric’s market position.
6. Influencers Paid to Cover Up Failures
One of the most shocking revelations about Bhavish Aggarwal’s leadership is the allegation that Ola Electric paid influencers to tweet positive reviews about its products. This underhanded tactic indicates a lack of faith in the company’s own products. If the CEO doesn’t trust his own brand, why should investors? Paying influencers to create a façade of success is not a sustainable business strategy. The truth will eventually come out, and when it does, the company’s reputation will suffer even more.
Rather than investing in actual product improvements and customer satisfaction, Aggarwal seems more concerned with controlling the narrative through paid promotions. This kind of manipulation might work in the short term, but it’s a ticking time bomb for the company’s long-term future.
Conclusion: Sell Before It’s Too Late
Bhavish Aggarwal’s leadership has proven to be toxic for both Ola Electric and its investors. His arrogance, inability to learn from mistakes, poor product quality, and complete disregard for customer safety have driven the company to the edge. With 80,000 complaints per month, intense competition, and a CEO more focused on public spats than problem-solving, Ola Electric’s future looks grim.
If you’re holding Ola Electric shares, now is the time to sell. With the stock already plummeting and more bad news likely on the horizon, there’s no reason to believe the company’s value will recover anytime soon. Sell your shares before they crash to the ground—because this is just the beginning of Ola Electric’s downfall.