Mahindra makes E2O more affordable

Mahindra is making efforts to make their electric micro hatch, the E2O, cheaper to buy, maintain and less of a chore to run. In spite the Indian government failing to implement the electric vehicle subsidies it had promised this April, the manufacturer has found a method to make the E2O more affordable.

Mahindra has initiated a scheme in Pune called the ‘Goodbye Fuel, Hello Electric’ which allows the customer to buy the E2O for a down payment of Rs 4.99 lakh. The battery is ‘loaned’ to the buyer and all its maintenance is taken care of by Mahindra for Rs 2,599 a month for 5 years. This will allow for 800km of travel a month and benefit the buyer by negating inflation costs over 5 years.

Mahindra is looking to make ownership of the E2O relatively hassle free and even beneficial in daily life by launching ‘Quick2Charge’ technology which will enable the electric car to charge faster than normal, utilise solar energy to charge (‘Sun2Car’) and send electricity to appliances and electrical fixtures inside one’s home via ‘Car2Home’ technology.

The Indian manufacturer has entered Bhutan thanks to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with their government to promote the usage of electric vehicles.

The Financial Times has reported that the electric vehicle subsidy proposed by the Indian government is expected sometime soon though has not mentioned a definite date. Once instituted, the subsidy will reduce the price tag of the E2O by almost a lakh wooing more and more buyers.