Electric carmaker Mahindra Electric will focus on sale of vehicles to fleet operators such as Zoomcar, Ola and Uber to drive growth. The move comes even as the sale of electric vehicles in the passenger segment is yet to pick up pace.

Mahindra Electric is a part of the diversified $20.7-billion Mahindra Group.

According to Mahesh Babu, CEO, Mahindra Electric, the company will look to “at least double” the electric vehicle sales this year. In FY17, it had sold close to 1,300 vehicles. Its current fleet size stands at over 4,000.

“We intend to at least double sale of EVs this year,” he told reporters here on Wednesday. At least 50 electric vehicles (the e2oPlus targeted for city driving) will be offered in Kolkata for self-drive and subscription model of Zoomcar.

According to Babu, the growth in EV sales is being led by commercial vehicles and sale to fleet operators. “The passenger car sales are yet to pick up. So the focus, at present, will be sale to fleet operators,” he said.

Apart from Zoomcar, Ola and Uber, some of the other fleet operators who Mahindra Electric have a tie-up with include Lithium Cabs and others.

Mahindra Electric marked its foray into the electric vehicle segment with the acquisition of Reva. It currently has four electric vehicle variants that include the flagship ‘e2oPlus’ – a hatchback; an electric version of ‘Verito’ in the sedan segment; the ‘eSupro’ – an electric cargo and passenger van; and the ‘e-Alfa’, an electric auto rickshaw.

New launches

The company has lined up at least three new launches in the electric vehicle segment. The vehicles, Babu said, are expected to be launched “soon”.

Amongst those on the cards is the company’s 16-seater vehicle ‘eCosmo’, apart from an electric variant of the ‘KUV 100’.

The third launch planned includes the ‘e-Treo’, an electric three-wheeler (auto-rickshaw).

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