Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles which is part of the India automobile manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has inaugurated the new manufacturing plant at Bommasandra near Bangalore on August 22, 2012. The new facility has the installed production capacity of 30,000 vehicles a year and will initially manufacture 6,000 units annually commencing in September 2012.
The plant will manufacture the company’s new four-seater electric car which is due to be launched in the festival season in 2012. According to Mr. Anand Mahindra CMD of Mahindra Group, the new plant is the greenest facility owned by the automaker and has been awarded the platinum rating from the Indian Green Building Council. It is also the first automobile manufacturing facility to get this certification.
Mr. Mahindra stated that the electric cars are priced higher than normal cars due to the import of battery and other equipment from overseas. He added that such costs are now being reduced and primary focus will be given to the cost per kilometer. Currently, the electric vehicle technology offers 50-60 paise per kilometer.