New four-door electric car to hit Indian roads

CHENNAI: India's first-ever four-door electric car is all set to be launched by city-based Bavina Industries.

The four-seater steel-bodied hatch-back resembling Hyundai Santro and Daewoo Matiz would zip through Indian roads from April 14, Managing Director of Bavina Industries S Rajasekhar said on Friday

The fully-loaded version of the car costs around Rs.2.5 lakh and boasts of facilities, including AC, power window and centralized locking, like any other small, premium hatch-back.

The fully-charged car would run for 110 km with AC switched on and another 20 kms without AC.

It could give a maximum speed of 55 kmph and was likely to give a tight competition to the two-door fibre-bodied battery car Reva, introduced a few years back in the country.

Initially the company would be assembling the parts at its city facility and by January 2009, the company would set up its own production unit at Marakkanam, about 100 km from  here.

Parts of the vehicle like electric motor, body shell, battery and charger would be imported initially from China.

Later all the parts would be procured indigenously, he said.

Elaborating its marketing strategy, he said dealerships matters would be finalized by the third week of January, 2008.

At first the company would roll out 5,000 cars per year and the numbers would gradually go up, Rajasekhar said.

The cars would ply through South Indian roads initially.

It would also launch the 'eco-fridendly taxi' first in Delhi and Chennai on August 15.

He hoped that by the end of 2009, these taxis could be seen in all the major cities of South India, including, Bangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Hyderabad.

The six lead-acid batteries in the car would last up to 65,000 kms or a minimum of one-and-a-half years, he said. The replacement cost could be around Rs 21,000. This would come down to Rs 12,000 when the company introduces a three-battery version within two years.

Rajasekhar also said the price of the car and the battery could be brought down once the Government announces sops for the battery-car industry.

"I would also make a representation to the Government seeking more incentives to promote this eco-friendly mode of transport in the era of global warming", he said.