What role did the Reva E2O play in the development of future EVs in India?
Although the Reva E2O failed to make big commercial waves, it was a milestone in India's electric vehicle market. It brought connected car features and home charging to Indian consumers way before the concepts became mainstream. The E2O's challenges, like range limitations and high costs, likely taught future EV developers in the country some lessons. That being said, it remains to be seen if the E2O really inspired current crop of EVs, or if Tata and MG began from scratch with their electric offerings. Was the E2O a learning experience for the Indian auto industry, or was the technology just too distant from current EV technology to have a meaningful impact?
The E2O was the Wright brothers' plane, not practical, but it proved the concept. The EVs proved to Indian companies that it was possible to make and sell EVs here. The E2O helped in bringing companies like Tata on board to invest in EV tech.
I don't believe it had a lot of direct impact. Take Nexon EV or ZS EV, they are a completely different set of beasts. Modern EVs compared to the E2O were so basic that I doubt much was learned technically by manufacturers.
The consumer side was the biggest influence of the E2O. What it did was get people talking about EVs and that they can work for daily commutes. It got the market thinking about the idea of electric cars.
The E2O had some connected car features which were ahead of their time. I bet this helped other manufacturers to focus on tech and connectivity in their EVs. Every EV now boasts of its smart features.
The E2O taught us one big lesson: a normal form factor is important. Do you notice how all successful EVs now look just like their petrol counterparts? That's likely the E2O's polarizing design talking.
While the tech may not have been influenced by the E2O, business strategies certainly were. Its failure proved that you can't do EVs alone, and that's why existing manufacturers are leading the EV race now.
I believe the biggest influence the E2O had was on Mahindra itself. It taught them a lot, and that’s why they’re now concentrating on bigger, more practical EVs such as the XUV400 rather than smaller city cars.
Comment
Discussions and Questions What Role Did The Reva E2o Play In The Development Of Future Evs In India
What role did the Reva E2O play in the development of future EVs in India?
31 December 2024 10:36
Ask a Question