Mahindra to cut British dealers out of EV sales
Indian car manufacturer Mahindra will cut UK car dealerships out of the selling process for its forthcoming e2o electric car. British customers will be able to buy the EV from the brand’s web-site and track orders on-line from next month, with servicing carried out by mobile technicians and test drive opportunities available exclusively through the brand’s UK headquarters in West London. Prices for the base model will start at around £13,000. The e2o promises the possibility of reducing fuel costs to under £10-a-month for owners who charge at home at night.

Mahindra set to champion air quality in UK cities with mass-market electric city car The all-electric Mahindra e2o promises to close the price gap between diesel and electric cars while reducing fuel costs to under £10 per month* Connected cars are sold online with mobile aftersales support Telephone and face-to-face assistance will be available seven … Continued

Mahindra set to champion air quality in UK cities with mass-market electric city car

The all-electric Mahindra e2o promises to close the price gap between diesel and electric cars while reducing fuel costs to under £10 per month*

Connected cars are sold online with mobile aftersales support

Telephone and face-to-face assistance will be available seven days a week

Mahindra & Mahindra Limited [M&M Ltd], a part of the US $16.9 billion multinational Mahindra Group based in Mumbai, India, today announced that its electric vehicle (EV), the Mahindra e2o, will be launched in the UK in April 2016. Mahindra is set to champion the cause of air quality in UK cities with the introduction of a zero-emission electric city car.

The connected car technologies in the Mahindra e2o promise to improve the driving and ownership experience, while the all-new UK specification has been optimised for city usage. The e2o is also set to reduce fuel costs to under £10 per month*, making it the ideal second car for the estimated over 2.5 million multi-car households with a driveway or garage suitable for home charging.

According to Pravin Shah, President & Chief Executive (Automotive), M&M Ltd, “In the face of issues such as environmental degradation, pollution-related concerns, climate change and energy security, all of which plague communities globally, the e2o is a smart choice for the UK’s urban multi-car households. As a pioneer of electric vehicles, it is our aim to make EVs more accessible in order to build a clean and green tomorrow, while remaining connected.”

Speaking about the forthcoming launch, Arvind Mathew, who leads Mahindra’s Electric Vehicle Division said, “The Mahindra e2o is a savvy electric car that redefines sustainable urban driving. We designed the e2o, as well as our complete sales and service model, to be more convenient and flexible in keeping with the way our UK customers live and work. The e2o is indeed a drive for a better tomorrow. We shall be announcing the price of the e2o at next month’s official launch in London.”

The Mahindra e2o will be available to buy directly through online channels, rather than through a traditional dealer network. Customers will soon be able to visit mahindrauk.com to compare models, book a test drive, place an order, pay their deposit and track the status of their order, all from the convenience of their home or mobile device. A team of customer consultants operating from Mahindra’s UK headquarters in Chiswick, West London, will provide expert advice and support seven days a week. The Chiswick HQ will also serve as a walk-in space where customers will be able to see and test drive the e2o.

After-sales support will be provided by a mobile service team, for customer convenience. All annual servicing and the majority of warranty work can be conducted by mobile technicians, facilitated by the e2o’s innovative telematics system – similar to the one that the Mahindra Racing team uses on its Formula E electric racing car – that enables Mahindra technicians to analyse vehicle data.

A pioneer of electric vehicle technologies, Mahindra is also one of the founding teams in the global Formula E electric car racing series and is dedicated to the development of innovative electric mobility technologies for the future.

* For owners that drive the UK average of 7,900 miles per year (Source RAC Mobility Study 2014) and who charge at home at night on an Economy 7 tariff using the e2o Remote Charge Scheduler.