The Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki will enter their electric vehicle in the Indian market soon after Mahindra Reva e2O. As Indian government plans to execute an ambitious programme that hopes to have 1.5 million electric cars and pickups by 2020.
So, Reva owner Mahindra has already launched electric e2o model in India and plans to bring out an electric version of its people carrier Maxximo. Now the Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki also interested to participate in electric vehicle market. Both Manufacturers will actually showing interest in the Government’s upcoming project to provide last-mile connectivity for Delhi Metro Rail passengers using electric four-wheelers, said Ambuj Sharma, additional secretary, ministry of heavy industries, on the sidelines of a recent Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) conference in Mumbai.
Tata Motors plans to launch an electric version of Magic, the people-carrier on the Ace platform. Maruti also has developed and displayed an electric version of its Eeco.
The electric vehicle subsidy, which was withdrawn in March 2012, is likely to be restored by April 2014. Sharma said that the ministry has conducted an analysis of total ownership costs of electric cars and two-wheelers and arrived at a consensus on subsidies for electric vehicles.
The electric vehicle demand currently is not high in Indian market due to high prices and lack of charging infrastructure facility customer interest.