Mahindra e-Verito not good enough? Govt may soon include the Rs. 23.71 lakh Hyundai Kona in its fleet

The government of India has reportedly placed orders for the Hyundai Kona as a part of its electric vehicle (EV) procurement programme undertaken through Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL). This comes at the expense of domestic manufacturers like Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M), which have similar offerings in the market.

The Hyundai Kona is fitted with a 39.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and boasts of a range of 400km on a single charge. It was initially launched in July 2019, and has garnered significant consumer interest. Despite its Rs. 23.71-lakh price tag, the Kona has been sold out for 2019, having received in excess of 300 bookings since its launch.

The Kona expected to join the government’s fleet of cars in the near future, but it is by no means the only EV that has been acquired by EESL. Tata Motors’ Tigor and M&M’s e-Verito have been procured by EESL in the past. The induction of the Kona into the EESL fleet has raised eyebrows, given the vast price differential between it and models from domestic manufacturers.


The Mahindra e-Verito is available in three variants and is priced between Rs. 13.17 lakh and Rs. 13.53 lakh. It can travel 140km on a single charge, which is significantly less than the Kona’s range. The Tata Tigor is available in two variants, and is priced competitively between Rs. 9.99 lakh and Rs. 10.09 lakh. It is equipped with a 16.2 kWh battery that can go up to 142km on a single charge.

The EESL has placed much store by its EV scheme, having cumulatively placed orders for 10,000 EVs from M&M and Tata Motors in September 2017. A couple of years down the line, only 1,500 EVs have been delivered – 1,000 e-Veritos and 500 Tigors.



But the economic slowdown – which has pinched the pockets of Big Auto – has forced EESL to scale down its ambitions, capping the final order to around 3,000 cars, as opposed to the earlier target of 10,000 EVs. The Hyundai Kona is expected to complement the government’s 1,500-car fleet of EVs. The target is expected to be met by March 2020.

The decision to procure the Hyundai Kona comes on the back of concerns raised by government officials regarding the quality and performance of the Tigor and e-Verito. The low mileage offered by these cars was also cited as an impediment, ruling out inter-city commutes.

According to a news report, previously procured models failed to run more than 80 km on a single charge when used within city limits. The batteries were also deemed to be noncompliant with global standards. Mint reported that government officials had found fault with Tigor’s pick-up, rate of battery discharge, and slow AC cooling. Tata Motors has refuted these claims.