Mahindra Electric partners CSC to boost EV adoption in rural India

Mahindra Electric Mobility Ltd (MEML) has collaborated with a government organisation called Common Service Centres (CSC) in order to promote the adoption of electric vehicles in rural India. This association will offer a range of electric vehicles like the Treo and Alfa to customers in the rural market.

To begin this process, the CSC will appoint Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) who will help in facilitating a smoother operation. They will form the connection between the customers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The team will also help in spreading the awareness of the government initiatives in the villages.

Mahindra Electric conveyed currently, there are more than 4.7 lakh VLEs across India while the number of CSCs is about 4.5 lakh. The rural e-mobility programme kickstarted last year by CSC to promote the adoption of electric vehicles and EV charging infrastructure.

The Chief Executive Officer of MEML Suman Mishra shared opportunities as such will help in providing employment in this section as well. “This tie-up will help us to penetrate rural markets and propagate the use of electric vehicles, thereby helping India achieve its EV mission quicker," Mishra added. The earning ability with the company's three-wheelers is quite high while the maintenance is the lowest when compared to conventional fuel vehicles and the benefit to the environment is significant, she added.

Last month, the company launched its electric three-wheeler Treo in Maharashtra for a price of 2.09 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). It is based on the NEMO Mobility platform that helps to remotely monitor vehicle range, geo-fence, track speed and location. It is powered by an advanced lithium-ion battery pack that is IP65-rated and can generate power of 8 kW and the highest torque of 42 Nm. It offers the user with Direct Drive transmission and is gearless, clutch-less and vibration-free.

(With inputs from PTI)