Reference Auto

e2O (ee-too-oh), a partially electric car (four-seater) that can run on the sun’s power, is set to hit the roads in India in about a couple of months, courtesy the Mahindra Group.

e2O, the latest offering from the Mahindra stable, would be a unique car in India and revolutionise car fuel technology not only in the country but also globally, as this technology is still in its nascent stages.

The e2O will meet the ‘5-Cs’ framework of clean, convenient, connective, clever and cost effective.

The four-seater electric vehicle has already got its stamp of approval as a road-worthy car.

Some striking features of the e2O include a 48-Volt 29 KW electric motor, maximum power of 39.4 bhp, top speed of 105 km per hour, wheel arches and super styling with aerodynamic cues.

The electric car is likely to be priced around Rs 5 lakh, which will be a steal for a four-seater electric car in India.

The ‘e’ in Mahindra’s e2O depicts energy of the sun, which is not only limitless but also clean. The ‘2’ reads ‘to’ and signifies the connected technologies in the car, where as the ‘O’ depicts ‘oxygen’, which sustains our existence on earth.

The car has a range of 100 km and is not so impressive compared to American electric cars, which can belt out at least double the range. But this 100-km range is good enough for city driving.

The e2O can be charged through a 15 ampere outlet, or by use of the ‘Sun2Car,’ whereby the car has to be parked under a series of solar panels that generate electricity, which is transferred to the car’s lithium ion batteries.

According to the auto giant, this (the e2O production) is the first step towards creating an entire electric vehicle value chain and ecosystem by the Mahindras.

So, if a car buff wants to remain within the confines of the city, this car may seem suitable but for the adventurous types who opt for long-distance jaunts, it would be unsuitable.

Mahindra has the REVAi (a two-seater) electric car in its stable but the e2O is the first four-seater electric vehicle in India.

The price of petrol is going up by leaps and bounds, and with the government planning to impose a duty on non-commercial diesel cars, electric vehicles could be the only way out.

But high pricing (if any) along with lack of awareness could be the two factors hindering the growth of electric vehicles in India.

The e2O will be built at a Bangalore unit and Mahindra plans to make 30,000 cars annually. So, can Mahindra cash in on the (new) concept of the sun’s clean energy to drive sales of the e2O?