Zoomcar brings electric vehicles to Kolkata

Kolkata: Zoomcar, the self-drive car rental firm, would increase the number of electric vehicles (EVs) in its fleet to 2,000 by December this year, a company official said on Wednesday.

Zoomcar on Wednesday started offering EVs on its platform in Kolkata after Mysuru, Hyderabad, Jaipur, New Delhi and Mumbai. Initially, 50 `e2o' vehicles manufactured by Mahindra would be pressed into service by Zoomcar in the metropolis.

"Zoomcar has partnered with Mahindra to provide green mobility solutions in Kolkata. Initially, 50 electric vehicles will be offered on the platform," co-founder of Zoomcar Greg Moran told reporters here.

Moran said, presently there were 4,000 electric vehicles offered on the platform nationally, which would be increased by another 2,000 by the end of the year.

"Presently, the percentage of such vehicles is 10 per cent, which is expected to go up to 25 per cent by 2019, and 50 per cent by 2020," he said.

The electric cars could be used as a personal car by subscribing to the ZAP Subscribe service by paying a monthly fee of Rs 9,999, he said. Persons subscribing to this service would be able to rent out to others when not using by registering on the ZAP app of Zoomcar from where the bookings would generate.

Moran said Zoomcar would share 75 per cent of the revenue with the person renting out the car to others and balance to be retained by it. CEO of Mahindra Electric Mahesh Babu said that so far, 4,500 EVs had been sold by the company. Zoomcar also offers bicycles sharing platform at New Town and Salt Lake near the metropolis.