Mahindra REVA is making consistent efforts to popularize its electric vehicles in India. As part of the initiative, the company will open Experience Centres across the country to create awareness about electric vehicles among car users. These brand centres will educate customers about the benefits of owning an electric vehicle as opposed to a conventional car. The company says that technology and affordability are no longer major hurdles in owning an electric vehicle.
REVA’s recent study found that only 30-35 percent of people are actually aware of EVs and the rest don’t have a clear concept of how an EV operates. The experience centres will come up in different parts of the country and will guide the customers about electric vehicles. REVA explains that if a customer purchases an e2o instead of a petrol powered car, he would save around Rs. 5352/- per month, while compared to a diesel powered car, the savings would be Rs. 7168/- per month for a drive of 50 kms per day.
Mahindra REVA currently sells the e2o in major metros like Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune and New Delhi, which will get the experience centres first. The company has managed to sell a total of 5000 cars including 500 units of the e2o, while it has set-up around 400 charging stations in four cities. The company has also taken up other initiatives like battery rental scheme, wherein the cost of the battery can be paid separately by EMIs, while making the purchase of cost of the car less by Rs. 1.70 lakhs. Mahindra REVA has also set up the new Quick2Charge stations in Bangalore that are capable of charging the car completely in an hour’s time. The company will set up 50 new Quick2Charge stations in the next one year.
Mahindra REVA is also concentrating on commencing exports of the e2o to Europe soon. The export operations commenced with the e2o being shipped to Bhutan and Nepal and the company plans to push the sales further in these countries. The European markets like Norway and the UK will get a more powerful e2o with airbag and ABS to comply with the vehicle norms in those countries. Exports for Europe will commence by the end of this year.
Source – The Hindu
