Launching the brand new electric car in Bermuda yesterday at the Auto Solutions showroom, Chetan Maini, CEO of the Indian firm Mahindra Reva, said: "You can have an app on your smartphone to access information on what your car needs, whether it needs to be charged, you've walked away and you want to check that you have locked your car, or you want to pre-cool the car, everything is accessible at the touch of a button on your phone."
This technology also allows for real time feedback of all the vehicle's functions. The monitoring can provide information about how efficient your driving is as well as give tips on how to improve the efficiency of your driving. A daily "heart beat" check of the vital systems also sends out alerts to the user and a central computer in Bangalore, which automatically monitors each vehicle if anything needs to be fixed. Just like a computer, updates can be sent to the car, and Mr Maini said that often times issues can be fixed before the user is even aware.
Auto Solutions is currently bringing in the class A car, which is priced at $22,995. It comes in a range of colours, including silver, blue, green, white, red and yellow. Along with the ability to cool the car down before you get in, the car also features power front windows, touch screen infotainment system, radio/CD/DVD/USB/AUX/iPod connectivity, JBL Speakers, Bluetooth and reverse camera.
The car has a 100km (62 mile) range on about five hours of fully charging in any 220v, 15A power socket.
Partnering with Bermuda Engineering, means the car can also be provided with its own "fuel" if solar panels are installed at home for the charging station.
Alan Burland, president of Bermuda Engineering, who attended the launch, said: "The car can pay for itself. You're not paying for fuel and it requires very little maintenance. It is the leading edge of design made from good quality, corrosion resistant material.
Excited
"We're very excited that Bermuda is the Western world's pilot for this car."
The future vision for island mobility is for cars that 'run on the sun' so islands would reduce their dependence on fossil fuels replacing it with clean and renewable energy.
Currently there are two charging station locations on the island, one at HSBC Harbourview and the other at KEMH, but the hope is that charging stations will be standard across the island. "The Mahindra e2o incorporates the latest developments in electric vehicle traction, battery technology, energy recovery, telematics and IT –– a unique synthesis we believe will help us shape and co-create, with our customers, the future of personal and commercial mobility systems," said Mr Maini.
"We are certain that the cutting-edge technological innovation that has gone into the Mahindra e2o will help Bermuda discover a novel, cost and energy efficient alternative to conventional cars that protect the economy and ecology of the island."
