Mahindra first OEM to plug into National Electric Mobility Mission Plan

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) today announced the launch of the first electric vehicle pilot project under the government of India’s ambitious National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP).

As part of the project, four battery-powered Maxximo Electric Vans were handed over to the Agra Development Authority, which will be used along the clean, green Taj Zero Emission Corridor, to help reduce vehicular emissions.

The electric vehicle pilot project was flagged off by Rajan Katoch, secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, government of India, in the presence of Chetan Maini, CEO, Mahindra Reva. The vehicles were handed over to the Agra Development Authority in the presence of other senior government dignitaries.

This initiative is the first such project under the central government’s NEMMP. Developed by Mahindra Reva, a subsidiary of the Mahindra Group and a pioneer of electric vehicle (EV) technologies, the Maxximo Electric Van is the first such vehicle to be made in India.

The four Maximmo Electric Vans, which will initially be used to ferry tourists from Shilpgram to the East Gate of the Taj Mahal, will in future could also be used for transporting tourists to Mehtab Bagh for night viewing of the Taj. M&M says it will also provide charging stations, technical assistance, spare parts and additional service support for this project.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Dr Pawan Goenka, executive director, M&M, said: “We are proud to partner with the Agra Development Authority for the launch of the first EV pilot project under the NEMMP. The Taj Mahal has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site and we at Mahindra are delighted to be playing our part towards its preservation.”

Rajan Katoch, secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, said, “We are delighted to take the first step towards our long-term vision of NEMMP 2020. I congratulate Mahindra for supporting and jointly working with the government in its endeavour towards a cleaner, greener tomorrow and being the first OEM in the country to successfully roll out the electric vehicle pilot for public mobility in Agra. The government has envisioned the concept of building 100 smart cities with better facilities, better connectivity and most importantly a better environment. Going forward we will develop many such smart transportation and mobility solutions for public and private transportation including last mile connectivity”.

Unveiled in January 2013, the NEMMP lays out a detailed and comprehensive roadmap for the electrification of the road transport sector in India. Expected to be implemented in the coming months, it aims to grow sales of electric vehicles to 6-7 million units a year by 2020 and includes direct subsidies for purchase of both four- and two-wheeled electric vehicles.

The Maxximo Electric Van is an 8-seater, zero-emission, mini-van powered by advanced lithium-ion batteries. Capable of covering 100 kilometres on a single charge, the Maxximo Electric Van is fully automatic and has an electronically limited top speed of 65kph.

M&M says the vehicle is suitable for all weather conditions and is built to high standards of safety and reliability. Expected to be production-ready by FY-2016, the company says the Maxximo Electric Van can be a preferred option for first- and last-mile connectivity for Metro rail and BRTS systems, school vans, corporate employee commuting solutions and also campus commuting.