In a step forward in its electric vehicle initiative, Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) is running a pilot project on a battery operated Maxximo passenger vehicle.

With the e2o, M&M already has one electric vehicle in its portfolio, and also showcased the electric Verito at the Auto Expo some time ago.

The Maxximo being currently tested in one corridor of the country has a range of around 100 km on a single charge, Veejay Nakra, senior VP, sales, auto division, M&M said, but declined to disclose the location of the pilot project.

Big Bolero

Nakra was speaking after the launch of Big Bolero, its new pick-up, in Pune. The vehicle that offers two options for payload capacity - 1.25 tonnes and 1.5 tonnes will be available in BS III and BS IV engine variants, coming at a price tag of Rs 6.15 lakh and 6.30 lakh (prices ex-showroom Pune) respectively.

The Big Bolero pick up builds on the success of the Bolero brand which Nakra says sold 1.2 lakh vehicles last year, making it the highest selling vehicle in the CV industry and giving M&M a 70% share in this segment of the LCVs in India. It also played a role in M&M posting 7% growth in commercial vehicle sales though the overall LCV segment declined by 3% last year.

Amongst the strategies that have helped its sales grow is a concerted focus on 3000 of 6000 tehsils across the country. “Currently 40% of our (total) business comes from rural areas, and we will continue to focus on these 3000 tehsils,” Nakra said adding that expected the overall LCV industry to grow between 7-10% this fiscal.

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