Ola Shuts Down Q-commerce Platform Ola Dash, Winds Up Used Car Business

Ride-hailing platform Ola has shut down its used vehicle business Ola Cars as well as Ola Dash, its quick-commerce business.

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Ride-hailing platform Ola has shut down its used vehicle business Ola Cars as well as Ola Dash, its quick-commerce business, at a time when rivals are pouring money into the 10-15 minute grocery delivery market.

The company shut Ola Cars within one year of its launch, as it shifts focus on its electric two-wheeler and car verticals. Ola has so far shut down Ola Cafe, food panda, Ola Foods, and now Ola Dash.

"Ola has reassessed its priorities and decided to shut down Ola Dash - its quick commerce business. Ola will also be reorienting its Ola Cars business to focus more on strengthening the go-to-market strategy for Ola Electric," the company said in a statement.

It added that Ola Cars' infra, technology and capabilities will be "repurposed towards growing Ola Electric's sales and service network."

Ola now aims to invest more towards its electric vehicle, cell manufacturing, and financial services businesses.

Q Commerce Rivals Target Explosive Growth

Ola Dash shuts down at a time when India's quick commerce market is all set to witness 15 times growth by 2025, reaching a market size of nearly $5.5 billion.

The total addressable market for quick commerce in India stands at $45 billion, and urban areas are driving this market on the back of mid to high-income households.

Zomato on Friday poured Rs 4,447 crore into acquiring quick-commerce grocery delivery platform Blinkit. In December 2021, Swiggy announced to pour $700 million into Instamart.

Last month, 10-minute delivery platform Zepto raised $200 million, taking its valuation to around $900 million.

Ola Electric is also facing scrutiny over faulty batteries in its electric two-wheelers, among other EV players like Okinawa Autotech, Pure EV, Jitendra Electric Vehicles, and Boom Motors, by the government.

The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS), which comes under the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry, has published the "performance standards for electronic vehicle batteries" in a bid to keep a strict control over the manufacturing of EV batteries.

(Published in an arrangement with IANS.)