Mahindra e2o review, test drive and video

We comprehensively road test Mahindra's all-electric e2o

Published on May 17, 2013 04:50:00 PM

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Mahindra e2o review, test drive and video

The e2o is powered by a three-phase induction motor, which produces 25.5bhp at 3750rpm. Making 5.40kgm of torque from the word go, we weren’t expecting punchy performance, and driving the car didn’t throw up any surprises either. It is responsive, offering enough of a surge to not let you feel exposed when mixing with faster traffic, but this comes at the expense of the car’s range, and after the initial punch, rapidly tapers off.

Our performance tests were done in B (boost) mode, which is what you end up using because F (forward) doesn’t give you the sense of urgency you want in everyday driving. It’s only when we came perilously close to running out of juice that we switched to F as a fuel-saving measure.

When we put normal family hatchbacks through the paces, they normally manage times of around 6.5 seconds to 60kph. The Mahindra e2o does the same sprint in 12.87sec, so there is no question about it being anywhere close to the performance level of internal combustion cars. The top speed is just 81kph, which wouldn’t work on a highway, but in town, the e2o offers a usable and safe level of performance.

In fact, the reality of having the full 5.40kgm of torque going to the rear wheels from zero revs to 3400rpm gives a real urgency to the power delivery that an equivalent combustion engine can’t deliver. In peak, rush-hour, stop-go traffic, the ultra-responsive e2o, with its seamless and jerk-free power delivery, actually feels more comfortable to drive than a conventional car.

Not so seamless are the regenerative brakes, which have sufficient stopping power, but come with an inconsistent feel and a disconcerting sudden bite at the end of the braking action, which is difficult to get used to. The electrically actuated (as opposed to internal combustion-generated vacuum) servo assistance is the culprit for the e2o’s grabby brakes and is something that needs to be sorted out by M&M.