Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd has launched the first electric vehicle pilot project, under the aegis of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP).

As part of the project, four battery-powered Maxximoelectric vans were handed over to the Agra Development Authority, for use along the clean, green Taj Zero Emission Corridor, to help reduce vehicular emissions.

Charging stations, technical assistance, spare parts and service support for the project will also be provided.

The vans will initially be used to ferry tourists from Shilpgram to the East Gate of the Taj Mahal and in the future could also be used for transporting tourists to Mehtab Bagh for night viewing of the Taj Mahal.

Developed by its subsidiary Mahindra Reva, the Maxximo electric van is the first such vehicle to be made in India. In a statement, Pawan Goenka, Executive Director, Mahindra & Mahindra said: “We are proud to partner with the Agra Development Authority for the launch of the first EV pilot project under the NEMMP. The Taj Mahal has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site and we at Mahindra are delighted to be playing our part towards its preservation. We are grateful to the Government of Uttar Pradesh for their support during this project, which will go a long way in boosting the usage of EVs within our country."

“Today we are delighted to take the first step towards our long term vision of NEMMP 2020. The government has envisioned the concept of building 100 smart cities with better facilities, better connectivity and most importantly a better environment. Going forward we will develop many such smart transportation and mobility solutions for public and private transportation including last mile connectivity,” Rajan Katoch, Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Government of India, said.

Unveiled in January 2013, the NEMMP lays out a detailed and comprehensive roadmap for the electrification of the road transport sector in India. Expected to be implemented in the coming months, it aims to grow sales of electric vehicles to 6-7 million a year by 2020 and includes direct subsidies for purchase of both four and two-wheeled electric vehicles.

The Maxximo Electric Van is an 8-seater zero-emission mini-van powered by advanced lithium-ion batteries. Capable of covering a distance of 100 kilometers on a single charge, the Maxximo Electric Van is fully-automatic and can hit an electronically limited top-speed of 65 kilometers per hour.

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