Its been quite a while since electric vehicles made their debut in the Indian auto market, but till now these models have not gathered the attention of buyers. Keeping this thing in mind, India's largest cab company, Carzonrent has tied up with Mahindra Reva in order to offer its electric vehicle e2o on rent. As planned by both the companies, the customers will now be allowed to hire and drive the electric vehicle so as to experience its affordability and fuel efficiency.
Speaking on behalf of the company, Chetan Maini, Chief Executive Officer for Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles was quoted as saying, "A 10-minute test drive is not sufficient for customers to experience the convenience and benefits of an electric car. Hence, this new association will allow customers to use the e2o for a few hours or days and get an insight into this new and exciting next-generation, hassle-free mobility solution." On the other hand Carzonrent, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Rajiv K Vij said, “At one third the cost compared to other self-drive cars, the e2o will be a game changer in the self-drive business model and will provide a complete new experience to the city commuters.”
Mahindra Reva e2o happens to be a four seater two-door electric car, which can easily accommodate 4 people. The car has a 3-phase induction motor that generates a power of 25 bhp alongside the 53 Nm of torque, which further powers the car to a top speed of 81 kmph. The car can travel up to 100 km in a single charge, which needs at least 5 hours. Interestingly, Carzonrent is offering the self-drive options for e2o in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. In the initial stages, five electric cars would be made available in each of these metropolitan cities and the same can be booked via either Internet or a simple phone call, like in case of booking cabs. e2o shall only be available in a self-driven option and the customers using the service of the vehicle will have to leave the car at the place chosen by the company. In terms of fare, the basic charges would be around Rs. 100 per hour while for the whole day, an amount of Rs. 800 will be charged.
In the meanwhile, Carzonrent told that it is planning to develop 100 charging stations in these cities so as to offer convenience to customers using the e2o. To avail the service, customers need to carry their driving licence, identity card or a credit card. According to industry experts, with the introduction of e2o in the cab fleet, both the companies are anticipated to reap huge benefits as the untapped potential of this market has never been utilised in such manner.
