Rumour: 4-door Mahindra E2O in the works

Earlier this month, we had reported that Mahindra Reva is gearing up to launch the E2O with power steering. Now it is rumoured that the company is working on a 4-door version of the electric car as well.

The addition of the two extra doors will give the E2O some much needed practicality. At present though the rear seat of the car is usable, getting into the rear can be tricky. The front seat has to be folded and slid forward. This makes ingress and egress a cumbersome process. With the rear doors in place, this problem will be solved.

Mahindra Reva has struggled to sell the E2O due to the limitations associated with battery-powered vehicles such as low speed and restricted range. Additionally, the non-availability of direct government subsidies on the car has meant that it is significantly pricier than similarly sized petrol and diesel-powered hatchbacks sold in India. The company has tried to make owning the E2O a little easier by offering schemes like "Goodbye Fuel, Hello Electric", but without much success.

Now however, the car could have a brighter future. The Government is planning to offer subsidies on electric cars under the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP). If things go to plan, this scheme could be implemented as early as next month. This would make buying the E2O cheaper and the addition of the power steering and two doors will certainly help in making the car more appealing.

Source: Autocar India