Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) had showcased 27 new vehicles including passenger cars and commercial vehicles at the 2012 Auto Expo held at New Delhi. Among them one of the vehicle which wasn’t highlighted much was the Mahindra Verito Electric, it was not just a marketing move, they actually showcased their future strategies when it comes to launch of Electric cars in India.
Soon after M&M acquired the Maini Motors (Reva electric car company), the growth & R&D activities have accelerated and M&M is also testing various electric powertrains on its existing models. Mahindra Verito is not the only car which will go electric, Mahindra Reva has also tested the electric power trains on their popular utility vehicles Bolero and Scorpio which are technologically possible. Besides these, they have also developed electric versions of light trucks Maxximo and Gio.
Now according to Hindustan Times, the electric version of Mahindra’s entry level sedan, Verito, will hit the production line in two years from now. Speaking about the same, Chetan Maini, founder of Reva electric company and CTO at Mahindra-Reva presently revealed to media that Mahindra Verito Electric sedan will be launched by 2014 in India as the market for electric car is gradually getting better and there is practically no car in this segment in India as of now.
The Mahindra Verito Electric would come with a fully functional electric drive train, L-Ion battery for fuel reserves, Telematics, Clutch less easy drive, Fast Charging ports which enable the car to be fully charged in 1.5 hours of time, whereas the normal charging time is about 6.5 hours. On a full charge, the Verito EV can take you a distance of 100 km with a top speed of 100 kmph. Adding to the uniqueness of the vehicle, there would be zero engine noise which makes the cabin very much quiet.
In the next couple of months, Mahindra-Reva is expected to launch the Reva NXR electric hatchback, which has a capacity to seat four adults, while having a range of 160 Kms with a very respectable top speed of 105 Kph. Apart from Mahindra, Tata Motors is the other Indian automaker betting on electric vehicles.
What we say? For the city use, we think electric cars make more sense as they are highly economical than petrol or diesel engined vehicle in terms of running costs. The only drawback currently is the high cost and the lack of charging infrastructure, both factors, which are expected to improve in the coming years.
Also see – 2012 Auto Expo – M&M unveils Reva NXR and Verito electric vehicle
Source – HindustanTimes
Image Credit – RiotEngine
