Like any other resident of Bengaluru city, getting stuck in traffic for hours was 35-year-old Kalpit Patel’s nightmare.
On his way to the office, he would see four-seater cars carrying one passenger and adding to the traffic on the roads.
“The car would be empty, but occupy so much space on the road,” says Kalpit, who would later on start PMV Electric (Personal Mobility Vehicles).
A curious engineer by profession, previously, Kalpit worked with CITI Bank. It was during this time that Kalpit became a father. “When I saw my baby, it hit me how bad the environment is going to be if we don’t start living sustainably,” he says.
In November 2018, PMV Electric was formalised, and Kalpit threw himself into making the microcar company a success.
The company has launched India’s first electric microcar called EaS-E — a two-seater eco-friendly car that will swiftly navigate city traffic.
EaS-E’s electricity consumption is 50–70 watt hours per km, whereas a regular car’s consumption is 100–120 watt hours per km.
“This reduces the carbon emission to almost half. The transportation industry is a major contributor to increasing pollution and we want to address that issue,” Kalpit explains.
The microcar is only 1,100 mm in width, which ensures easy navigation on the narrowest of roads while occupying less parking space
Kalpit believes that although the general buyers are inclined towards buying SUVs, there are conscious people who would choose microcars, saving space on the roads and benefiting the environment.
True enough, the company has been flooded with pre-orders since its launch, including from cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Delhi, and parts of Europe.