Automobile major Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) to provide end-to-end last mile mobility solutions, which include deployment of Treo electric three-wheelers and e-Supro, an electric mass passenger carrier in Thane.
In the initial phase, Mahindra will deploy 100 electric vehicles and the partnership would be active for five years. Supported by the Eco-Cities Program of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Mahindra and TMC will work toward building sustainable transportation with a clear focus on building a full-fledged ecosystem around sustainable mobility.
Dr. Pawan Goenka, managing director, M&M said, “As the pioneers of electric vehicles and the EV mobility ecosystem catalyst in India, we are delighted to contribute to the sustainable development of Thane by deploying electric vehicles for a greener, smarter future.”
He added, “I would like to applaud the Thane Municipal Corporation for this novel initiative of encouraging the large-scale adoption of electric vehicles. I am confident that together we will enable a major shift in the way the people of Thane commute and transition toward smart mobility and smart cities.”
Integrated platform
As per the MoU, Mahindra will scale up the first and last mile services through the deployment of its vehicles and daily vehicle and driver management services for an integrated smart mobility platform in Thane. It will bring different vehicle types onto one platform, available for citizens to access through bookings. The Thane Municipal Corporation will provide support in enabling the ecosystem, building infrastructure and space for installation of charging stations.
As part of the MoU, the TMC will also provide parking space for the electric vehicles in close proximity to the charging locations proposed by Mahindra. The TMC will also coordinate with other ecosystem players such as the power utility companies and other regulators to ensure low electricity tariff for electric vehicle charging and a seamless execution of the project.
