Former senior principal correspondent at Forbes (India). Since 2008, I have been writing on corporate strategy in the automobiles, clean technology and supply chain space. Before I got onto this assignment, I was part of the team that covered feature articles at The Economic Times. I actually started out as a trainee journalist on the ET desk in 2006. I graduated in commerce from Shri Ram College of Commerce in New Delhi and now live in Mumbai. I love automobiles and spend hours reading up on them and then devote painfully long hours to work on old cars that attract my fancy. Right now I own four cars (my colleagues call them fancy, junk or whatever) and a bicycle which outside my work hours get most of my attention. Apollo's Cooper Blunder: A Deal Gone Horribly Wrong Four years in the making and still nothing: The Apollo-Cooper Tire mess Is Formula 1 a sport? The Datsun Go is here. Now begins the tough part Earlier this week, Vikram S Mehta, chairman of Brookings India, wrote in a column in The Indian Express that “governmental support is essential to create an enabling eco-system for electric vehicles (EVs)”.
His main points can be summed up thus: - EVs offer substantial savings in terms of running costs when compared to internal combustion engine vehicles - EVs offer a sustainable answer to the challenge of energy and environment - EVs should be incentivised by the government of India because we may find a solution to our energy and environment crisis While one appreciates Mehta’s perspective, here’s what I have picked up from my own earlier research on EVs. I will focus on cost of ownership, understanding the subsidy burden if the government were to incentivise EVs, the clean car image and practical issues with owning an EV. First, at Rs 8 lakh (estimated) price in Mumbai, the Mahindra Reva e2o is just too expensive for any sort of mass adoption. A major chunk of this cost is made up of the lithium ion battery (expected to be around Rs 2.5-3 lakh). Let’s assume that an average person drives 10, 000 km a year. And the e2o can be benchmarked against, let’s say, the Wagon R from Maruti Suzuki which costs Rs 5 lakh.
In terms of charging, the e2o should cost Rs 50 per 100 km. That means a yearly running cost of Rs 5,000. The Wagon R, at a conservative fuel efficiency of 10 km to a litre, and price of petrol at Rs 75 would have a running cost of Rs 75, 000. So effectively a customer would save Rs 70, 000 every year. Except that in the total cost of ownership equation, this doesn’t work out very well. A buyer of the e2o will take more than four years to recover the additional upfront money (Rs 3, 00, 000) that he paid for the vehicle. And let’s not forget that in the 5th year, the lithium ion battery needs replacement. At the battery’s current cost is not expected to go down drastically in the future, this completely alters the cost of ownership economics against the e2o. “This is not at a price yet which can lead to a volume build up. And without that OEMs are not going to invest in manufacturing capacity,” says Suvojoy Sengupta, managing director of Booz & Co India. From a buyer’s point of view, a Wagon R CNG makes far better economic and practical sense.
The lithium ion battery is just too expensive. Second, what is the quantum of subsidy burden we are talking about? Taking forward the earlier example, the government intends to bear about 40 percent of the difference in price between the e2o and the Wagon R. So that’s easily Rs 1 lakh or more for every EV sold. While I still don’t have an exact figure on the total amount, a good indicator would be what other countries spend. The US, for instance, has a proposed investment of just under $5 billion, China is about $20 billion, Japan at about $1.7 billion and France at about $ 3.5 billion. A source who has been involved in these negotiations and discussions says that this is a big cheque to write. “I wasn’t surprised that the FM didn’t make any announcement in his budget speech. They have taken the proposal to the Planning Commission and finance ministry, but considering the public finance situation, this is a big cheque to write. And ultimately the Department of Expenditure will go through it with a fine toothcomb,” he said.
Third, with more than 90 percent of our energy coming from non-renewable sources, EVs don’t and cannot have a ‘clean car’ image. According to the US Energy Information Administration, India’s largest energy source is coal, followed by petroleum and traditional biomass (e.g., burning firewood and waste). Lastly, EVs cannot take off unless there is some basic level of charging infrastructure available. Range anxiety is the biggest fear of an EV buyer. I mean nobody wants to be left stranded with a Rs 8 lakh vehicle. Don’t you think that instead of incentivizing EV purchase, the government would do better to incentivise charging infrastructure? And let the manufacturers do their job of manufacturing and selling EVs.Please include the Posting ID located in the header of each ad. > > Used MITSUBISHI PAJERO for Sale Used MITSUBISHI PAJERO (MONTERO / SHOGUN) for Sale List of used MITSUBISHI PAJERO (MONTERO / SHOGUN) MITSUBISHI PAJERO: Which Version Do You Like for Used Car?
===== CARIBBEAN SEA ===== ST. KITTS AND NEVIS ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES ===== ALL COUNTRY A to Z ===== BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY HEARD AND MCDONALD ISLANDS SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON SVALBARD AND JAN MAYEN ISLANDS TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS UNITED STATES MINOR OUTLYING ISLANDS UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WALLIS AND FUTUNA ISLANDS Display 1 - 17 / Year New to Old Year Old to New Mileage Low to High Mileage High to Low Engine Size Low to High Engine Size High to Low Trans AT to MT Trans MT to AT Fuel Petrol to Diesel Fuel Diesel to Petrol Seats Low to High Seats High to Low Listed New to Old Listed Old to New Discounted day New to Old Discounted day Old to New Discounted day Old to NewThe Fiat 500 is a subcompact hatch responsible for reviving the Italian automaker's name in the U.S. market a quarter-century after the brand's withdrawal from the U.S.
The 500 model line—which includes Turbo, Abarth, and electric models, as well as a convertible-esque 500C body style—has recently been joined by additional models. First was the unrelated, less popular 500L hatchback, which is larger and has four passenger doors. For 2016, one more model will arrive at U.S. Fiat dealers: a crossover 500X companion, which is unrelated mechanically, but shares the basic styling touches of the smallest retro-themed model. MORE: Read our 2017 Fiat 500 review The Fiat 500 that went on sale in the 2012 model year was the first vehicle from the combined global maker now known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. It is built in Mexico, using small 4-cylinder engines manufactured in Michigan. Like the Mini Cooper it competes with almost model-for-model, the Fiat 500 hearkens back to a beloved national automotive icon from the 1960s. In this case, it’s the Fiat 500 that was built from 1957 to 1975. And like the Mini Cooper, the new model is larger, faster, far better equipped, and immeasurably safer.
The Fiat 500 is not, in other words, a competitor for econobox models like the Hyundai Accent or Toyota Yaris; it’s a lifestyle choice, a style accessory that also happens to be fun to drive and easy to park in crowded urban areas. All gas-powered 500 models use 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engines that Fiat now builds in North America; they're shared with a growing array of new models from Dodge and Jeep. Fuel economy figures land at 31 mpg city, 40 mpg highway—similar to those for the Mini Cooper. In early drives of the 500, we found the steering to be particularly enjoyable and lively, although straight-line performance was lackluster in the base model and a cramped interior plus big doses of engine and road noise dulled enthusiasm somewhat. Driver ergonomics are particularly peculiar in this car, with few able to get completely comfortable with the oddly placed pedals and steering column. The three-door hatchback was later joined by more variants. The Cabrio, a convertible of sorts with a roll-back cloth roof, retains the sides of the hatchback.
An Abarth hot-rod can be had in either hatch or Cabrio form. To please those in the middle, Fiat also added a 500T model, which uses a toned-down turbocharged engine that's not as nutty as the Abarth, but offers better acceleration than the standard 500. As it did years ago, the Abarth model represents the hot-hatch option in the Fiat 500 lineup. Positioned to keep up with the Mini Cooper S, the Abarth offers a turbocharged 4-cylinder making 160 hp, as well as frequency-selective Koni dampers and 16-inch wheels and other dynamic upgrades. There are also styling differences for the most potent 500, including extra air inlets, scorpion badging, and several available stripe packages. The Abarth is characterized by a throaty exhaust and tight, nimble driving behavior, making it fun on a back road or just ripping through traffic. For buyers who want Abarth performance in a more subtle package—no dressy body add-ons or scorpion badges—the 500T model uses a 135-hp version of its turbocharged engine in an incognito wrapper.
The Turbo is given away by a small opening in the front fascia, almost like a slit for a cartoon car's mouth, which feeds air to the intercooler. 500 Turbos ride better than the Abarth, and are altogether more relaxed in their handling, but still offer adequate power to charge on-ramps. You can get a few more features in the Fiat 500 than you'll find in most other small cars, like leather heated seats and rear parking sensors, and there are some 500,000 different build combinations thanks to plenty of possibilities for trims, colors, and accessories. The basic Fiat 500 three-door hatchback is available in five trim levels: Pop, Easy, Sport, Lounge, and Gucci; Convertible models are only offered in Pop, Easy, and Lounge trims. As of 2013, there's also the Fiat 500e electric car. It's sold only in small numbers—and only in California and Oregon. That's because it's a "compliance car" required for Fiat Chrysler to meet California's zero-emission vehicle regulations. That's a shame, because it's fun to drive and perhaps the best-handling of all the electric car conversions produced by major automakers.