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Mahindra Reva e2o to go 120 kms per charge, power steering added!

The concept of electric cars for urban use already begun and such cars can be seen frequently on the streets.

In almost all developed countries, the concept of electric cars for urban use has already begun and such cars can be seen frequently on the streets. They are usually light, nimble, differently shaped and it?s usually easy to spot them. In India, one of the very few car manufacturers who have taken the initiative to work on electric cars is Mahindra Reva Electrical Pvt. Ltd, with their special electric car called ?e2o? to which a new version has been added recently. ?

Taking a look at the car as a whole, the lines are smooth and help the car look like it has some muscle. From the front the car looks smart and a big grille helps it look like it has a massive engine underneath the bonnet, which belittles the fact that this is purely an electric car. The bonnet is at a steep angle, which gives the headlights of the car a sharp looking profile. The wheel arches are huge and due to the angle bending nature, they add a certain space age character that electric cars are perhaps the only vehicles capable of pulling off.??

The car is essentially a two door hatchback which has space to seat four adults. The powerhouse of this car is run by a 48 Volt Lithium Ion battery that is claimed to be maintenance free, and the motor produces 14.8 Kilo Watts which amounts to about 20 horse power at 3000 RPM and 53.9 Nm of torque (0 ? 2000 RPM) for the base ?T01? model. And 19 Kilo Watts, amounting to about 25.4 horse power at 3750 RPM for the higher spec T2 premium version, along with the same amount of torque (53.9 NM). Such figures are helpful when we consider the Indian traffic conditions and the need we feel for some pulling power when overtaking is required. It?s not lightning fast, but that?s not the point of this car anyway.??

At a length of just over 3.2 meters, the car is significantly easy to park than the other cars that are basically trying to fall under the 4 meter mark, by just a few millimeters. The e2o is easy to park, has an amazing turning circle radius of about 3.9 Meters, which makes changing direction very easy, especially when the car has to be turned from standstill.?

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The base model of the car will go to a top speed of 75 KM/ Hour and will cover a total distance of about 80 kilometers before running out of juice. It takes about 4 hours for a full charge to get that range, but more importantly, a 1 hour charge time for trips less than 25 Kilometers. Range was an issue for most of the people, so with the release of this new model, the top end T2 Premium model will go to a maximum speed of 81 Kilometers per hour and will travel for a much better 120 Kilometers before running out of juice, which is a 50% improvement. This is a staggering achievement in the country considering that the technology is purely electric.?

It was a noted piece of feedback that Mahindra Reva received from its customers, that the car sometimes feels very heavy to steer and a power steering was required. Catering to the very feedback, the company has heard and implemented, as the new version now comes with a power steering unit that takes the driving of the e2o to the next level. Other impressive features of the car include Hill-hold control that prevents the car from rolling back in case of a climb, and an automatic gearbox that makes the vehicle even easier to drive. ?There is even a reserve system that can kick in after being controlled by a mobile app, which will allow traveling an emergency journey for another 8 kilo meters in case the battery runs out. All these small nuances about the car would make urban travel much more easier and provide a better experience overall.?

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First published on: 29-08-2014 at 12:02 IST
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