In 2010 at the Guangzhou Auto Show, Chevrolet – part of General Motors showcased the Chevrolet Sail EV (electric vehicle) concept. A year after the debut, the company sent the car’s design for patent and recently the car spotted while testing in China. The car caught testing somewhere in China and it was the actual production model that will debut at the 2012 Guangzhou Auto Show scheduled in November.
The Sail is the same car that Chevrolet is planning to launch in the Indian market in hatchback and notchback avatar, shortly. Originally the car was developed for the Chinese market but now it will be launched in India also.
Coming back o the Sail EV, the car will hit the production line this November. The car features an electric motor that’s puts out a max power of 87 BHP and peak torque of 220 Nm. The adequately powerful engine helps the car attain a top speed of 130 km/h. Using a standard 220 V outlet, one can charge the car to full in just 7 hours. With one full charge the car can cover 150 km.
The Sail EV showcased at the auto show in 2010 features a slightly different design which is quite better than the normal Sail. In fact Chevrolet should have adopted Sail EV’s designed for Sail U-VA and Sail sedan. While the normal Sail price falls between Rs. 3.5 lakh to Rs. 6.95 lakh INR(in China), the EV version would be priced around 120,000 Yuan which converts to Rs. 10.4 lakh.
Once again coming to the Indian models, Sail U-VA will be powered by a 1.2 litre petrol engine and a 1.3 litre MultiJet diesel engine. Beside the Sail U-VA, the company has planned three more models for the Indian market which it will launch gradually. The Sail, which will be the first of the four new cars to get introduced to our market, is really important for General Motors as it is a car targeted at price conscious buyers and the major has high hopes that it will become a successful car.
Considering that Indian government is not giving any kind if tax incentives on electric cars in India, these cars remain non-mainstream. There is only one car maker, Mahindra Reva, selling electric cars in India. Chevrolet India did showcase the Beat Electric Vehicle in India in 2011, but it does not plan to launch it until it is economically viable and there is enough infrastructure. This will require some initiatives or incentives from government.
Credit – AutoSohu
