Hub of alternative vehicle technology

Fresh Charge
Business Today

Bangalore seems to be slowly turning into a hub of alternative vehicle technology. After the Reva electric car comes the Cosmic electric scooter, devised by the city-based Eko-Cosmic. The battery-operated two-wheeler, Eko claims, can run 50 kms on a single charge, the cost of which is a mere Rs 3. Priced at Rs 25,000, the scooterette runs on a gel battery that requires no maintenance (but needs replacement every four years), says Anil Ananthakrishnan (below), CEO of Eko-Cosmic, which earlier launched the ill-fated Vidyut 150. The vehicle comes with a charger that plugs into domestic points and does the job in four hours. Armed with tax breaks from the local government, Eko plans to make Cosmic a popular city vehicle. Also in the pipeline: a Maruti Omni-like electric car for Rs 1.5 lakh and an electric three-wheeler.