Mahindra e2o to be sold abroad from next year

Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Private Limited, a part of the $ 15 billion Mahindra Group, will start exporting its first electric vehicle in the hatch back segment, e2o, starting early next year. The flagship model, which hit New Delhi earlier in March, was launched in Bangalore on Wednesday. The vehicle is priced at about Rs 7 lakhs (on road) in the city, a few thousand more than that in the capital due to the absence of subsidies on electric cars in the state. 

"We are definitely looking at the global market. But, this will only happen by early 2014," said Chetan Maini, Chief of Strategy & Technology, Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Pvt. Ltd, at the launch event. The domestic sales of the flagship model have been disappointing so far. Dr Pawan Goneka, President (Automotive and Farm Equipment Sectors), Mahindra & Mahindra had earlier said that the company would be happy if the e2o managed to sell 300-400 units monthly. 

Maini, meanwhile, brushed aside any possibilities of the car's lithium batteries burning out like that of the Boeing Dreamliners' which led many countries to ground their fleet earlier this year. "The lithium iron phosphate batteries used by us have been tested for 7 years now and are the safest," said Maini. "e2o also has an active cooling system in place. There are also about 50 censors on the battery box which will prevent such incidents," he added. 

Charge points at petrol pumps 

Senior Mahindra Reva officials on Wednesday said that talks are currently at advanced stages with public sector oil companies to incorporate charging points for electric vehicles at petrol pumps across the city. "This is expected to materialise in the next six months," said Mahindra Reva's chief of Operations R Chandramouli at the sidelines of the launch. "We are also looking for more tie ups to expand the charging points for its electric cars in future," he added. Currently there are about 100 charging points across the city, many of which are located at malls.