Ola Electric’s Bharat Cell Gets ARAI Certification for 5.2 kWh Bharat Cell

Ola Electric, which has recently launched its in-house lithium-ion better called ‘4680 Bharat Cell’, secured a certification from the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) for its 5.2 kWh configuration variant of the battery cell pack. The EV start-up made this announcement in an exchange filing on Tuesday.

The company also stated that it will soon begin rolling out vehicles equipped with its indigenously developed battery cells. Its new 5.2 kWh battery pack will be featured in the upcoming S1 Pro+, marking the debut of its in-house cell technology in an e-scooter.

The Bharat Cell, developed by Ola Electric, has received certification under AIS-156 Amendment 4 — the regulatory standard outlining stringent safety and performance requirements for EV batteries. These include safeguards against overcharging, thermal runaway, short circuits, water ingress (IPX7), and other electrical safety risks.

The ARAI certification is issued by the road transport and highways ministry, which ensures that the battery compiles with the Indian safety norms and environmental standards for electric powertrains.

"This is expected to significantly enhance range, performance, improve unit economics, and reduce dependence on global supply chains, especially as its upcoming Gigafactory scales production," the filing added.

The ARAI certification for 4680 battery packs was obtained after rigorous testing regimes, covering safety, electrical reliability, and performance across extreme climate and operating conditions, it added.

Key tests successfully cleared include water immersion, vibration durability, and thermal shock resistance, reinforcing Ola's focus on safety and durability, the company said.

Ola Electric has been working for over a year to integrate its indigenously developed battery cells into its e-scooters. During its flagship Ola Sankalp 2025 event held in August, founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal announced that the company plans to begin launching EVs powered by the Bharat Cell technology by the end of 2025.

The company had earlier claimed that its lithium-ion cell packs have five times more energy (275 Wh/kg) than the 2170 form-factor cells. Currently, these cells are being used extensively in automobile applications.

Ola Electric has been steadily ramping up its cell manufacturing capabilities. Earlier this year, its board approved an additional infusion of ₹199 crore into its battery manufacturing arm, Ola Cell Technologies, to meet business requirements.

In October, the company also revised the allocation of its IPO proceeds, increasing R&D expenditure to ₹1,505 crore. It is now seeking to raise an additional ₹1,500 crore through the issuance of securities.