Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. kicks off the "Mahindra Reva Goodness Drive - Kashmir to Kanyakumari," India's first all-electric car expedition.
Arvind Mathew, the CEO of Mahindra Reva, flagged the drive in the presence of Sri Lankan Aravinda da Silva, a former cricket player. Mathew says that the e2o is Mahindra's attempt at offering an economical, clean and smart solution to personal mobility.
"To create awareness of the benefits of electric mobility through Mahindra e2o, we are pleased to flag off the Goodness Drive," says Mathew. "As a pioneer of electric vehicles and integrated mobility solutions in India, it is our effort to make EVs more accessible in order to build a cleaner tomorrow."
The key aim of the Goodness Drive is to make customers understand that electric vehicles (EV) such as the e2o can also effectively manage difficult terrains in various parts of India.
The Goodness Drive includes three zero emission and all-electric Mahindra e2o cars. The three cars will be driven from Kashmir in Northern India to Kanyakumari in Southern India. The drive will cover the entire length of India in just about a month, covering a distance of more than 5000 kilometers, or just over 3100 miles, and will pass through 52 locations in India.
EVs have many advantages especially to the environment, but many people are not convinced to buy EVs due to some of the associated limitations.
The price of EVs can be expensive in comparison to gas and diesel cars in the same segment. The price of a Mahindra e2o in India is about Rs. 500,000, or around $7,600, which is steep when compared to many other cars found in India in the same segment.
Moreover, EVs can only run for a specific distance and need their battery to be recharged. Recharging stations are not easily available and owners may not plan long-distance journeys. However, some customers may find EVs ideal for city driving.
Very few customers are convinced about EVs, which makes it difficult for Mahindra to sell its existing cars.
The Goodness Drive is a good way of promoting EVs in India but it may take time before more and more customers opt for all-electric cars in the country.
