In a market as small as Nepal’s, jumping onto the “electric vehicle” band­wagon might not even make a dent in the global struggle for environmental wellbe­ing. However, the trend has picked up fast. The surge in the popularity of electric vehi­cles took a major shock when load-shedding hours were high. But now that the nation has been declared free of load-shedding, things are looking good for the segment. As concerns about environ­mental pollution grows, busi­nesses and private buyers will come under increasing pres­sure to adopt some form of e-mobility solutions.Spearheading the campaign for the use of electric vans in Nepal is Agni Energy Pvt Ltd with the Mahindra eSupro.

 

Exterior

 

Although the eSupro isn’t running for any beauty con­test, it does not look bad con­sidering the segment it belongs to. Modern styled headlights flank a simple, slim black grille, indicators are integrated into the headlights. The front end is pretty much dominated by the massive windscreen though.

 

ORVMs are primitive by pas­senger car standards, but for a commercial vehicle they’ll work. The eSupro gets sliding doors on both sides and large windows to look out of. It runs on wheels that are comically small, but that’s part of the van package. The rear incorporates the rear window into a door that opens like a conventional door for easier access.

 

Interiors

 

Keep in mind, this is a com­mercial van; so expecting any­thing extravagant would be a waste of time. Having said that, the exposed steering shaft is unpleasant to look at. We don’t have other complaints though. Since there is no gear shifter, three people can sit in the front, although it does get slightly cramped.

 

The dash is pretty much simple, mostly brown with black on the steering wheel and central console. The glove box remains locked and can only be accessed with the key, but you can keep your wallet and phone on the open com­partment over it. A modern digital speedometer that lights up in blue and has all the tell­tale lights including the bat­tery percentage, Distance to Empty (DTE), Gear Engaged etc. breaks the conventionality.

 

In the rear cabin, there is absolutely nothing to write home about. There are oodles of space in terms of legroom and headroom. Mahindra have said that it’s an eight seater, and we agree. The boot space with the seats in position and spare wheel is minimal, with enough space for a couple of bags.

 

Performance

 

There are two driving modes to choose from, one that has a steady power output while there is another (called Boost mode) that provides additional power to handle steep inclines with ease.

 

The company claims that the range provided by the battery is 112 kms, we’d round it out to about a 100 kms. There is regenerative braking which charges the battery every time its brakes are applied, helping the van literally recover the energy it dispenses.

 

Starting off the line is slow and it does seem to struggle a bit, but once it gets going it’s a breezy experience (breezy because you have no AC so the windows are down). Driving around the city was a calming experience with the silent electric motor and soft suspension smoothly lug­ging us around. But there is no power steering though, so turning from a stop will require some muscular exertion.

 

Verdict

 

Despite being a passenger vehicle, which will serve any family who know the car’s lim­its well, we believe the Mahin­dra eSupro will be a product focused on commercial use.

 

Now, how will an electric vehicle, more specifically an electric van, play a significant role in the commercial sector? To answer that question, we need to look at a few other aspects. With a range of 112 km, it clearly needs to be charged every day. With 9 hours needed for a full charge, it limits the on-road time. People would rather have their UV on road earning them money than at home being charged.

 

Kindergarten schools, or other businesses that make 3-4 trips daily, might fare bet­ter with the charging require­ments. Hotels or services used to shuttling tourists around could also utilize the eSupro.

 

Whatever the use might be, the Mahindra eSupro is a step toward better and environmentally friendlier mobility solutions.