E2O Driving Statistics

Oh, its been an awesome month driving in the rains... and at the end of the month we even get statistical report from the company about our drive and its footprint on Earth.

Experience with driving an electric car and keeping in touch with the company on a regular basis in this manner is an unusual experience. They have been very forthcoming about any concerns we may have as far as E2O workings are concerned. With Maruti (the car I owned), I didn't experience the same.

I have realised that its very difficult to earn Eco-Points in a place like Mumbai, coz the moment you are on the road, you have to deal with a lot of pollution and heat. So air-conditioning has become a basic requirement, irrespective of the weather, which leads to more battery power consumption and less earning of Eco-points (check the link to my earlier post)... though people all around are doing a good job of earning the same.

Regen is a boon. We have many times gained back energy in terms of battery power on our rides to South Mumbai. Check the stats below...

Strange experience with Money

Today we were out in the city and at various junctions had very strange experiences with people who wanted money from us for some or the other reason. :)

We reach Cafe Coffee Day for a sharing session at Bandra Kurla Complex. After not finding a shade to park under, we just parked the e2o along with the other parked cars. This security guy came up to us out of no where and asked for some chai pani. He was threatening us that it will be our loss if we don't pay, and the municipal tow car will come and take away the vehicle. I was convinced and willing to pay him the little buck that he was expecting from us but these guys was firm enough to not pay. No rules were broken nor was the car parked in a wrong way. After a brief exchange of words and re-threatening him, we moved on without paying. I was left thinking how the world can twist you a certain way if we ourselves are not sure of our actions.

It reminded us of an incident that happened with us in the pay and park at Colaba where I argued with the guy for charging me 100 Rs instead of 20Rs which was printed in the receipt. He took 20Rs but did something to the car's functioning that left me stranded for quite sometime on the road in the night, just a few inches away from the car park.

After a good round of coffee, we headed towards Juhu Beach for the evening walk. These days, a new business of photography has started on the beach. Vendor guys come up with their SLR cameras and they click instant pictures for a price. We had our own camera, so we asked the guy to just click a picture for us.. Having done the same earlier, we knew these guys don't mind clicking digital pics. Its easy money for them. He did a good job. We paid him well but he wasn't satisfied. Wanting to guilt us, he just threw the money on the sand and walked away. We didn't pick it up nor did we turn to see if he did.

Its a strange world and money has strangely taken over all of us. Come to think of it, this piece of paper drives people's moods and emotions, may be even lives. What say?

Eco Points

"The secret to living healthy is consistency" they say. Driving in the fast lane all the time is not only unhealthy for us but also for the car.

Gone are the days when I want to slam the accelerator and race with another vehicle coz by driving sensibly I am not only saving my battery life in the longer run but also earns me eco points. Each time when we drive with an efficiency of 90 WH/KM or less, we earn an eco point. Mahindra says, as we accumulate eco points we should stay tuned for some surprises from them coz its their way of affirming that nice drivers win always.. ;) Check out the website screen capture below.

We have earned eco points by travelling both short distances and long. So it takes an average of the entire days ride. Speed range has been upto 70 kms as well, so it doesn't mean we have to drive slow. It just takes a little extra effort to know the e2o better. E20 owners can check the tips and tricks on their personal logins.

Mumbai is the perfect place to drive this vehicle thanks to the amazing flyovers. So when we go downhill it regenerates.. The traffic jams are no longer a terror coz each time I brake it goes to "regen". hahahaha! We have at times travelled 32kms and consumed only 26% of battery as a result of this amazing feature of regeneration of power. Its amazing how this car has changed our perspective about travelling on Mumbai roads.

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I look up to this e2o user - Mr Kamlesh Mallick from Pune. His e2o -"Eva" is 6 months old and has travelled more than 5000 kms.. It helps to know one who experiments like we do. He has earned a remarkable 79 points from his drive so far. An eco-friendly, consistent driver...

Exploring Mumbai

One of our dreams has been to explore Mumbai by the map. Travel to the unknown destinations, meet different people and get acquainted by their cultures that binds them close to their faiths. Its this faith that helps maintain the quintessential equilibrium.

Our need to have a bead curtain in our Entertainment room made us travel to Bhuleshwar in South mumbai; a place where ancient customs fight for space with modernity. This famous whole-seller's market, known for its temples, is visited by thousands throughout the day. The lanes are narrow and extremely crowded during the day where you will find a variety of interesting people doing odd professions.

A great way to reach Bhuleshwar is by train to MumbaiCentral station and then a bus 234 to the destination. The Bus passes through must-visit places like Sarvi -known for its Arabian Seekh near Nagpada police station, City Mall-Mumbai Central, MohammedAli Road, Paydoni. Old mumbai has a flavor of its own.

Its a place for the creative minds. A place where you can get the costliest and the cheapest options. A place where each shop owner has a smile on his face and is every ready to help you with your requirements even if it means directing you to the neighborhood shop. From Glass, Acrylic, Crystal to Plastic all kinds, shapes, sizes and colours are available in the beads market.

I believe we only experienced 1/3rd of Bhuleshwar that day. After sun set we moved on from this neo-gothic vicinity that had so much to offer, , not without pondering over the myriad shades that makes Mumbai a highly vibrant city.

As I conclude this thought and tick mark one of the many places I plan to visit and explore in Mumbai, I wonder about the people who travel to this place everyday for their businesses… What a life!