INDIAN automaker Mahindra & Mahindra is stepping up its commitment to electric vehicles, showing off its new Formula E racing car and a concept for an electric sports car at this week’s 2014 Delhi Auto Expo, along with a fleet of battery-powered cars and light vans.
Mahindra, which is best known for its tractors, sports utility vehicles, four-wheel drives and heavy-duty trucks and buses, took the plunge into electric vehicles in 2010 when it acquired the Bangalore-based Reva Electric Car company, maker of a battered-powered small car.
Since then, Mahindra has embarked on an ambitious technological, engineering and design upgrade for the Reva brand, culminating in its inauguration in 2012 of a new plant in Bangalore able to build 30,000 vehicles a year.
Early last year it unveiled its newest version of the Reva brand, a smart-looking small sedan called the e2o, which has a range of about 100km and sells in India for about 670,000 rupees (about $12,000).
At this week’s Auto Expo it is showing a variation on the e2o theme: a concept for an electric two-seater sports car called the Halo which may go into production in about three years.
Last November, Mahindra also agreed to take part in the global Formula E electric racing car series scheduled to begin in China in September this year.
Mahindra is the only Indian maker in the FIA-sponsored series, which initially will see 10 teams, each with two cars, competing in 10 races around the world in Putrajaya (Malaysia), London, Berlin, Los Angeles, Miami, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Monte Carlo, Buenos Aires and Punta del Estes in Uruguay.
The first Formula E cars, known as the Spark-Renault SRT 01E, are built by the French Spark Racing Technology group on a chassis produced by Italy’s Dallara, with Renault handling the systems integration of powertrains, transmissions and other parts from F1 makers Williams and McLaren.
But Mahindra and other teams eventually aim to produce their own electric cars to run in the series. For example, China Racing, which became the second team to sign up for Formula E in late 2012, said at the time it aimed to be a constructor in its own right within three years, with support from Chinese EV makers.
In addition to the interest shown by India and China, the Formula E concept has drawn some high-profile entrants, including Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Racing team, and Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio as a co-owner of the Monaco-based Venturi GP team.
DiCaprio is partnering with Venturi Automobiles, which makes luxury sports car EVs. A car made by Venturi in collaboration with Ohio State University holds the world land speed record of 495km/h for an electric car, set in 2010 in the US. DiCaprio also was an investor in the US plug-in hybrid car maker Fisker, which filed for bankruptcy last November.
While electric cars are seen by some proponents as the answer to the motor industry’s energy and pollution concerns because of their zero emissions and low running costs, their high initial purchase price, their limited driving range and a lack of charging infrastructure so far has kept them in the niche category.
Even on the most optimistic outlook, they are likely stay that way, with pure EVs running a distant fourth behind conventional petrol or diesel engines, hybrids (conventional engines that also use an electric motor) and vehicles running on compressed or liquefied natural gas. Industry analyst Navigant Research estimated recently that by the mid 2020s, there could be about 35 million electric vehicles and hybrids in use globally, another 30 million natural gas vehicles and about 1 million using fuel cells. But the overwhelming majority of the world’s 1.5 billion vehicles in 2025 will run on petrol, diesel, or some form of flex-fuel (ethanol or biodiesel).
The main drawback for EVs is the lack of charging infrastructure and the “range anxiety” that drivers feel. In India, for example, Mahindra’s Reva brand has only 300 charging points, with most of them either in its home town of Bangalore or the national capital, New Delhi. So far, Mahindra Reva has put 1800 EVs on the road in Europe and 1700 in Asia and Central and South America. That is a minuscule figure compared with the 4 million-plus conventionally-powered cars and trucks made in India every year.
The global auto industry produces 85 million conventionally powered vehicles annually, with China alone accounting for more than 20 million of those. Despite the Chinese government’s hefty backing for EVs and other alternative energy vehicles, only a relative handful have won consumer acceptance.
BYD, the Chinese battery and EV maker backed by US investor Warren Buffett, sold about 2000 buses and 8000 cars in China in 2013, and is starting to see some interest internationally for its electric buses. It has set up a plant in California to make buses for transit operators in Los Angeles and potentially, New York.
The most high-profile EV in the United States is the Tesla Model S sports car created by technology entrepreneur Elon Musk. It sells for about $100,000 and has become something of a cult car because of its performance and slinky looks. Global sales passed the 25,000 mark at the end of 2013, of which about 20,000 were in the United States. Tesla is aiming to sell its cars in China in the first half of 2014.
Mahindra’s battery-powered vehicles are way behind the Tesla Model S in terms of performance or market impact — thanks to Musk’s aggressive promotion — but Mahindra group chairman and motor sports enthusiast Anand Mahindra believes the Reva investment and the commitment to join the Formula E series will help Mahindra’s electric car aspirations.
He said recently that the group was already seeing a fusion of Reva’s specific expertise with Mahindra’s own abilities in electronics, IT, automotive technologies and manufacturing.
“Racing will further accelerate that trend while Formula E is set to raise awareness globally about the benefits of electric vehicles,” he said.
Apart from the e2o small car, Mahindra has released electric versions of its Verito sedan and its popular Maxximo light van.
Geoff Hiscock writes on international business and is the author of “Earth Wars: The Battle for Global Resources,” published by Wiley.
Mahindra, which is best known for its tractors, sports utility vehicles, four-wheel drives and heavy-duty trucks and buses, took the plunge into electric vehicles in 2010 when it acquired the Bangalore-based Reva Electric Car company, maker of a battered-powered small car.
Since then, Mahindra has embarked on an ambitious technological, engineering and design upgrade for the Reva brand, culminating in its inauguration in 2012 of a new plant in Bangalore able to build 30,000 vehicles a year.
Early last year it unveiled its newest version of the Reva brand, a smart-looking small sedan called the e2o, which has a range of about 100km and sells in India for about 670,000 rupees (about $12,000).
At this week’s Auto Expo it is showing a variation on the e2o theme: a concept for an electric two-seater sports car called the Halo which may go into production in about three years.
Last November, Mahindra also agreed to take part in the global Formula E electric racing car series scheduled to begin in China in September this year.
Mahindra is the only Indian maker in the FIA-sponsored series, which initially will see 10 teams, each with two cars, competing in 10 races around the world in Putrajaya (Malaysia), London, Berlin, Los Angeles, Miami, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Monte Carlo, Buenos Aires and Punta del Estes in Uruguay.
The first Formula E cars, known as the Spark-Renault SRT 01E, are built by the French Spark Racing Technology group on a chassis produced by Italy’s Dallara, with Renault handling the systems integration of powertrains, transmissions and other parts from F1 makers Williams and McLaren.
But Mahindra and other teams eventually aim to produce their own electric cars to run in the series. For example, China Racing, which became the second team to sign up for Formula E in late 2012, said at the time it aimed to be a constructor in its own right within three years, with support from Chinese EV makers.
In addition to the interest shown by India and China, the Formula E concept has drawn some high-profile entrants, including Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Racing team, and Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio as a co-owner of the Monaco-based Venturi GP team.
DiCaprio is partnering with Venturi Automobiles, which makes luxury sports car EVs. A car made by Venturi in collaboration with Ohio State University holds the world land speed record of 495km/h for an electric car, set in 2010 in the US. DiCaprio also was an investor in the US plug-in hybrid car maker Fisker, which filed for bankruptcy last November.
While electric cars are seen by some proponents as the answer to the motor industry’s energy and pollution concerns because of their zero emissions and low running costs, their high initial purchase price, their limited driving range and a lack of charging infrastructure so far has kept them in the niche category.
Even on the most optimistic outlook, they are likely stay that way, with pure EVs running a distant fourth behind conventional petrol or diesel engines, hybrids (conventional engines that also use an electric motor) and vehicles running on compressed or liquefied natural gas. Industry analyst Navigant Research estimated recently that by the mid 2020s, there could be about 35 million electric vehicles and hybrids in use globally, another 30 million natural gas vehicles and about 1 million using fuel cells. But the overwhelming majority of the world’s 1.5 billion vehicles in 2025 will run on petrol, diesel, or some form of flex-fuel (ethanol or biodiesel).
The main drawback for EVs is the lack of charging infrastructure and the “range anxiety” that drivers feel. In India, for example, Mahindra’s Reva brand has only 300 charging points, with most of them either in its home town of Bangalore or the national capital, New Delhi. So far, Mahindra Reva has put 1800 EVs on the road in Europe and 1700 in Asia and Central and South America. That is a minuscule figure compared with the 4 million-plus conventionally-powered cars and trucks made in India every year.
The global auto industry produces 85 million conventionally powered vehicles annually, with China alone accounting for more than 20 million of those. Despite the Chinese government’s hefty backing for EVs and other alternative energy vehicles, only a relative handful have won consumer acceptance.
BYD, the Chinese battery and EV maker backed by US investor Warren Buffett, sold about 2000 buses and 8000 cars in China in 2013, and is starting to see some interest internationally for its electric buses. It has set up a plant in California to make buses for transit operators in Los Angeles and potentially, New York.
The most high-profile EV in the United States is the Tesla Model S sports car created by technology entrepreneur Elon Musk. It sells for about $100,000 and has become something of a cult car because of its performance and slinky looks. Global sales passed the 25,000 mark at the end of 2013, of which about 20,000 were in the United States. Tesla is aiming to sell its cars in China in the first half of 2014.
Mahindra’s battery-powered vehicles are way behind the Tesla Model S in terms of performance or market impact — thanks to Musk’s aggressive promotion — but Mahindra group chairman and motor sports enthusiast Anand Mahindra believes the Reva investment and the commitment to join the Formula E series will help Mahindra’s electric car aspirations.
He said recently that the group was already seeing a fusion of Reva’s specific expertise with Mahindra’s own abilities in electronics, IT, automotive technologies and manufacturing.
“Racing will further accelerate that trend while Formula E is set to raise awareness globally about the benefits of electric vehicles,” he said.
Apart from the e2o small car, Mahindra has released electric versions of its Verito sedan and its popular Maxximo light van.
Geoff Hiscock writes on international business and is the author of “Earth Wars: The Battle for Global Resources,” published by Wiley.
Source: Auto News in Hindi
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