Electric Cars By Mahindra : Verito & Maxximo - Launch in 2016
Mahindra will launch 2 electric cars in 2016 -
Mahindra Verito & Mahindra Maxximo
With pollution levels in metropolitan cities in India on the rise, the 2016 Delhi Auto Expo is likely to see the addition of yet another electric vehicle (EV) offering in the form of the Mahindra Verito Electric Vehicle. The Indian utility vehicle specialist will be one of the worst affected companies by the recently announced ban on sales of diesel cars in the National Capital Region (NCR) with engine capacities more than 2,000cc.
Mahindra, through its electric vehicle subsidiary Reva, has been in the business of making electric vehicles for some time now and was one of the first home-grown companies to offer micro-hybrid technology on its offerings. Next year, the company is expected to add 2 new EVs to its line-up in addition to the Mahindra E2o, in the form of the Mahindra Verito EV and the Mahindra Maxximo Electric Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) both of which were showcased at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo. According to a Business Standard report, both vehicles are due to be launched in February 2016 at the upcoming Delhi Auto Expo.
The electric variant of the Verito is expected to be priced above its diesel variant due to the higher cost of manufacturing battery powered powertrains. The new EV will use a derivative of the E2o's powertrain and will be powered by a battery pack composed of lithium-ion batteries. The Maxximo Electric 8-seater LCV uses a similar powertrain and is currently being tested by being used to ferry tourists around the Taj Mahal in Agra. As reported by Indian Autos Blog, in January this year, 4 test models of the Maxximo were given to the Agra Development Authorities to use as a means to transport people to and from the Taj Mahal. Mahindra also provided service points and relevant spare parts so that the vehicles could be charged and repaired. The entire project was a first of its kind EV pilot project in the country, under the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP).
The Mahindra Verito EV is likely to be targeted at taxi services. The Business Standard report also mentioned that Bengaluru already has a fleet of Mahindra E2o EV taxis operated by Lithium Urban Technologies. Chief Executive of Mahindra REVA Electric Vehicles, Arvind Mathew also confirmed that the company was exploring similar opportunities in other parts of the country. With regards to the high cost of EVs, he mentioned that the only way to drop the cost would be to scale-up production to 40,000 units. Currently, lithium-ion batteries are imported from countries like China which also adds to the cost. As a potential solution, Indian conglomerates Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, and Mahindra have come together to join forces with the Indian government's Faster Adoption and Manufacturing Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) project. The program aims at sourcing and developing a platform of common components and systems for EVs. In April, the government allocated Rs.800 crore towards the improvement of India's electric vehicle environment.