Mahindra teams up with Vodafone

Mahindra Reva and Vodafone Business Services have announced a strategic partnership that will enable users to access and operate a host of functions on the Reva through an application on their smartphones or tablets. The application will be available across platforms such as Android, iOS and Blackberry.

Navin Chopra, director, Vodafone Business Services, said that this tie-up between an automobile manufacturer and a telecom service provider is the first of its kind in the country and reiterated that the service has been tailor-made for the e2o.

Explaining the various functions, chief of technology and strategy, Mahindra Reva, Chetan Maini, said  that the car could be remotely locked/unlocked, its  air-conditioner switched on to pre-cool the car, locate the nearest charging stations as well as have Mahindra engineers remotely monitor the vehicle for faults. Also, a function to revive the car for another 8-10km has also been added to the application to help you get to the nearest safe spot/charging point after the car has run out of power. 

Since its launch three weeks ago, several test drives have been taken but outright selling has not begun. The company has set up a network of charging stations in Bangalore. Mumbai has 15 outlets and more will be added. At the launch, Reva officials said they hope to sell 6,000 units in the first year and should begin exporting the cars to the UK and Norway by 2014.