"Though I have been studying about electric vehicles for quite some time I could only own one now. From now on, I plan to buy only electric vehicles," says Kerala's ace film director Jeethu Joseph. He is enjoying the thrill of buying not one but two electric vehicles. The two EVs that are now part of his garage are MG's electric SUV ZS and TVS electric scooter iQube.
Contribution to nature
"The purchase of these vehicles can be counted as my contribution to reducing pollution caused by using fossil fuels. Till now, we were using a Nissan Micra for short runs near our house. Now this will shift to electric mode. Moreover, I will be using the electric SUV for work travel within Kerala," says Jeethu.
The vehicle will be used only for to and fro journeys that could be completed within its battery range. However, if recharging facilities improve, then the length of the journeys could also be increased. The electric scooter is meant for the driver and small trips near the house.
Happy with performance
Jeethu is happy with the performance of the electric vehicle. "In future too I plan to buy only electric vehicles. Given the range constraints of electric vehicles, there is no other option but to use my BMW 6 Series GT diesel sedan for long journeys. If an electric vehicle offers longer range, I would definitely buy it," says Jeethu.
Solar energy for house
If electric vehicles are to be used in an eco-friendly way, then the house needs to be run on solar energy. Jeethu is planning to use solar energy for his house too.
MG ZS
Jeethu has bought the top variant of MG ZS. It is powered by a 44.5 kWh battery that provides a range of 419 km in a single full charge. The electric motor generates 143 bhp of power and 353 Nm of torque. Through super-fast DC chargers, the EV will reach 80% battery capacity within 50 minutes while AC fast chargers will take around six to nine hours for a full charge. MG also provides the option of a portable charger. The MG ZS was the first internet electric SUV to be launched in India, featuring an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment head-unit with i-Smart EV 2.0 system. Other features include dual pane panoramic sunroof, rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, auto headlamps, and push start-stop system, among others.
TVS iQube
The iQube is the electric scooter from TVS. Powered by a 4.4 kW electric motor, it features TVS SmartXonnect platform with Bluetooth connectivity, advanced TFT instrument console, geo-fencing, battery charge status, navigation, and last park location. The motor generates 140 Nm of torque. The top speed is 78 kmph. In eco mode, the battery has a range of 75 km and in sports mode 55 km. The battery can be fully charged in five hours.
