“We started four years ago. We are new to this industry. The auto industry in India is very, if I may say so, calm, “Bhavish Agarwal said in an interview with Ola.

Bhavish Aggarwal’s response to Rajiv Bajaj’s “Champions eat oats for breakfast” by saying “I’ll put ice in my drink” didn’t make a splash in the automotive industry, Because the CEO of Ola Electric said he would be willing to debate Rajiv Bajaj on the live streaming platform.

In an interview with ANI, Agarwal said that about four years ago, his new electric vehicle company was not seen as a disruptor, and large companies were dismissive, while the company’s share of the two-wheeled electric vehicle market has grown to nearly 50 percent. He added that their original intention and goal in starting the company was to make India part of the global electric vehicle solution.

“We started Ola Electric with the aim of making India a global hub for electric vehicles or a global hub for new energy. We started four years ago. We are new to this industry. And the auto industry in India is very, if I may say so, dull, “he told ANI.

Agarwal said there are only a handful of players and very little innovation, especially in the two-wheeler space.

“The automatic rickshaw you ride in India, the design is still 60 years old. You feel it when you’re in the back seat and the driver is sitting. It’s a really bad ergonomic design because no one has ever innovated… Innovation is bland and only cares about sales. All of our products were released on August 15th. So on August 15, 2021, we launched our first product. We presented our vision to the world, we launched it, and we plan to deliver it in six months. So I think when we do that, the existing businesses, which are the traditional Indian two-wheeler companies, Bajaj, TVS, Hero, Royal Enfield…… The newcomers had come in, and they didn’t even recognize me as a subversive at the time. They were dismissive, “he further noted.

When Rajiv Bajaj was talking about OATS, he was allegedly referring to the upstarts of electric vehicles at the time – Ola, Ather, Torq and SmartE (OATS). Agarwal said he responded to this months ago.

“Three or four months ago, I was joking that if you eat oats, I’ll have an internal combustion engine in my drink. The internal combustion engine is the internal combustion engine. Old technology. Because electric cars are a completely new paradigm. Our motto at Ola Electric is’ End the Ice Age. ‘ That’s the back story, but in the long run, it’s a forward-looking story, “he added.

I think this is a good opportunity for India. Around the world, Western companies such as Tesla are good at making luxury cars. But in India, the luxury car market is small. India is the epitome of the global South. Whether it’s Indonesia, Latin America or Africa. In all of these countries, which account for 60-70% of the world’s population, you sell two-wheelers, three-wheelers and small cars. So there is no global champion company for these cars.”

Asked if industrialists and entrepreneurs could have a debate like the presidential debate in the United States, Agarwal said he was willing to do so.

“I do. I would like to It is my pleasure to debate Rajiv Bajaj. I’m happy to debate on a live platform, “he said.

In response to queries, Agarwal said he had “acted as a disruptor many times”.

He said there should be more public discussion in India because sometimes people have the traditional mindset of using and adopting technology rather than creating it.

Bhavish Aggarwal also founded Krutrim, an artificial intelligence startup.