Ola to develop electric auto-rickshaws for India, looks at partnerships

Ride-hailing firm Ola has roped in a former executive of Bajaj Auto to lead a team that will design and develop electric vehicles (EVs), including cars and auto-rickshaws, as it pursues the dream of its largest investor Softbank’s Masayoshi Son to have over one million EVs on Indian roads.

Chinam Netaji Patro, who drove the research and development (R&D) of electrical and electronics at Bajaj Auto, joined Ola last month as its senior director for EVs. Patro was earlier with the country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki for nearly two decades.

While Patro’s brief includes focus on the larger EV ecosystem, the immediate