Soon, for Rs 25,000, you too can rent an e-Sedan

After government officers, electrically-run sedans may soon be available for hire for common people at Rs 25,000 per month. The plan to introduce electric vehicles for public is in the pipeline – the Union Ministry of Power has asked the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to set up charging stations in Lutyen's Delhi, sources said.

NDMC and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) recently procured electric sedans for its officers, scrapping old Ambassadors. The move was part of the union ministry's ambitious project of phasing out 40 per cent of petrol and diesel-run vehicles in the country by 2030.

"E-sedans will be available to people at Rs 25,000 monthly. It will be a major boost to reducing air pollution as well as the number of private petrol and diesel-run cars on the road. NDMC has been asked to set up around 15 charging stations by next year," sources said.

NDMC plans to build 10 charging stations by the end of this year at locations such as Pancharipuri, Gole Market, Connaught Place and Khan Market, among others. The south civic body plans to build around 10 charging stations.
Of the planned 80 e-Sedans, NDMC has allotted 32 to officers; SDMC too has 32 electric cars on road. SDMC plans to procure 75 electric cars this year.

"We are waiting to scrap other cars so that we can procure more electric sedans. There is a huge difference in the cost – an electric car's operation cost is around 87 paise per kilometre, while a petrol car runs at Rs 9 per kilometre," the officer said.

According to scrapping norms, the vehicle should be 10 years old and have covered 1.50 lakh kms. E-sedans can run up to 140 kms at a time, at a speed of 100 kmph.