[IshaanIan]

The E2O is a nice little car but you're paying a lot of money for what is basically just an Alto 800 competitor with a fancy touchscreen and UI. Let the government make it easier for you to own an electric car first, and then take the plunge; subsidies etc. on electric cars will come in a couple of years and until then I would never buy one here in India.

As for the Brio, if it is going to be used by your wife in the city that much, might I recommend revisiting the Nissan showroom to check out the Micra CVT again? It really is my choice of car in the city being smooth, peppy, spacious, well built and safe. The Brio is brilliant but only if you care for its dynamic capabilities over the Micra. (Don't own either, just extensively driven them and made recommendations to friends )

[jkrishnakj]

Ram - As a brio owner, I can tell you that each time you crank the Brio, you will have a big smile. Not just that, it can also take you on the highway drives, if you want to rest your civic just in case. And it just is quite awesome on the highways. There are times where I keep my safari back home just to enjoy the peppy and sporty drive on my Brio on the highways.

Ofcourse, unless you are particular about environment etc..if not, Brio is what I would recommend.

[madbullram]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Not just that, it can also take you on the highway drives, if you want to rest your civic just in case. And it just is quite awesome on the highways. There are times where I keep my safari back home just to enjoy the peppy and sporty drive on my Brio on the highways..

. If we buy a second car, Civic will be sleeping as I walk to office. So we will look for an opportunity to ride the civic

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

The Brio is brilliant but only if you care for its dynamic capabilities over the Micra. (Don't own either, just extensively driven them and made recommendations to friends )

Even I liked Micra more than Brio, and agree to your points but she liked Brio more. Her take was styling and driving ease she felt with the car.That's why Brio got the vote.

Coming to E2O, its definitely not Alto space or feature wise its there with Brio and Micra but the 2-door is a problem for senior citizen but my case will be only 2 kids at most. Also, she is a sedate driver who wont push more than 60 not that Chennai roads during peak time gives that luxury.

[SchumiFan]

I would go for the e2o, If it is run only in the city. The fuel prices are bound to increase as time goes by. The e2o may not fetch the price you have quoted when you re-sell it. But should be worth while when you are using it.

But issues with the behavior of the brakes is a concern. I am not worried about the build since it is made of ABS plastic (I suppose) and I saw what it did to a Maruti Zen as posted in another thread.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...ml#post3355574

[madbullram]

Originally Posted by SchumiFan

But issues with the behavior of the brakes is a concern. I am not worried about the build since it is made of ABS plastic (I suppose) and I saw what it did to a Maruti Zen as posted in another thread.

Yes. Actually, its the sudden bite that concerns me a little. Mahindra says they are working on it and if any change happens, buyers will get the upgrade free. Can you refer me to the link?

[GTO]

The e2o is way, way overpriced for what it offers. Blame whatever you want - even government subsidies (or the lack of) - but I don't see why the customer should be paying for that. At 2 lakhs lesser, I'd think about it. At 7.5 lakhs, it's a no-brainer. Walk away.

I'd any day pick a Honda Brio or (I recommend) the Grand i10 instead. These are far more complete hatchbacks in every way. They'll also prove very reliable in the longer term, offer greater practicality (4 doors, highway runs) and fuss-free ownership.

[speedmiester]

Let me give you a perspective from an E2O owner (ownership review pending)

I bought my E2O with an offer from Mahindra which provided a big discount and an onroad price of 4.4L + battery lease of 2599/month.
This is the one with 80Km range + power steering + infotainment system + rear view camera and all the goods.

So far in the past two months, I have driven more than 2000 Kms and I loved every minute of it.
Even with the 80Kms range, I never had any problem in terms of range. I drive an average of 200Kms per week. The power steering is a breeze to drive in city and the AC is a chiller. The car has sufficient power in Forward mode and Boost mode is always there as a standby.
I have always got the 80Kms as indicated and with normal driving you can extend the range by atleast a couple of Kms. I always have a second car as backup for outstation trips. After using E2O for the past two months, my backache has completely receded and I am much calmer when I drive due to ease of driving in mad Bangalore traffic.

The car can seat 4 normal sized adults with ease and yes the lack of rear doors can make it a bit of bother. Keep this in mind, if you are using the car with more than two people frequently. The braking experience is awkward for first time users, but within a few kms you will get used to it and with regenerative braking, the effort on actual braking is less.

The response of Mahindra Reva is exceptional, but this could be because it is in Bangalore. Do check on the service capability of your local Mahindra dealer for E2O.

In your case, the initial cost is high and so you need to make an informed decision between Brio and E2O.

Don't go by general perceptions and opinions of arm chair critics. The E2O has it's own advantages, please take an extended test drive before you plunge in.

My feedback on E2O

Positives:
- Ease of Driving with power steering, small turning radius and dimensions.
- Low fuel and Maintenance cost
- Full fledged infotainment system with bluetooth and rear camera
- Jumping on the green bandwagon (individual perception)
- Ease of access through mobile and web portal
- Remote diagnostics

Negatives:
- Initial cost
- Future Resale???
- Since the body parts are plastic and are assembled by hand, a little rough edges and few squeaks are expected.
- Lack of safety features
- Harsh ride compared to Brio.

In terms of longevity of E2O, I have personally seen the E2O test mules which have racked a lot of Kms and put through all sort of road conditions in very good nick.
Keep in mind that in an E2O, once the battery charge falls below 20%, the car goes into energy saving mode, the acceleration will be restricted. Once the charge falls below 10%, the car will shut down AC to conserve energy. This is not a bother if you drive regularly on a planned route.
I would honestly suggest for you to take a long test drive in varied conditions back to back in both Brio and E2O. This is the only way you can arrive at the right conclusion based on your requirements.

[Shreyans_Jain]

I am not too optimistic about the reasle value of the E2O 4 or 5 years down the line. The body is not metal, there is no engine and the battery itself will be on its last legs by then. Personally, I'll take it as zero. But what nobody has mentioned here is the 80% depreciation benefit you get in the first year itself. That IMO cancels out the resale part. You get it now, rather then later when you sell it, and the amount is not vague or negotiable. Its as good as cash in hand.

[baludharmarajan]

I would any day go with BRIO. If I drove 80 km came home and then have to go out for an emergency, I have to wait for 3-4 hours. If Am stranded in road because my car is our of fuel I have to take battery out get it to a place where it can be recharged, wait for 3 hours and fit it back again(which would be quite heavy).

[srishiva]

If it was for you, E2O would have been fine. I am sure you would have loved it. But a Brio makes more sense for your wife since its a better car.

Just for fuel savings, I dont think it makes sense to buy E2O.

[superbhikari]

It's better to consider Tata Nano Twist for your purpose than e2o or simply go for Brio AT. You can also save some money by going with Hyundai Grand i10 AT if you can neglect safety features as Airbags and ABS (for strictly city rides).

[madbullram]

Originally Posted by GTO

I'd any day pick a Honda Brio or (I recommend) the Grand i10 instead.

We too loved the i10 but lack of Airbag and ABS in top end automatic moved us to Brio

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

That IMO cancels out the resale part. You get it now, rather then later when you sell it, and the amount is not vague or negotiable. Its as good as cash in hand.

Can you help me understand this better pls?

Originally Posted by baludharmarajan

If I drove 80 km came home and then have to go out for an emergency, I have to wait for 3-4 hours. If Am stranded in road because my car is our of fuel I have to take battery out get it to a place where it can be recharged, wait for 3 hours and fit it back again(which would be quite heavy).

I get your point, but that's neither my requirement nor the scenario. I will ever have a situation like that. We have Civic for all other purpose that you have mentioned. Plus being stranded because of no charge is a rare case, given our usage will be 25 kms per day.This a second car for my wife to go to office and be back.

But, charging has to become a habit. I foresee charging once in 3 or 4 days.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by madbullram

Can you help me understand this better pls?

You can claim 80% depreciation on the E2O for the first year if it is registered in your firm's name, instead of the normal 10 or 15% for an IC engined car. Now I am not a CA but I am made to understand that that's a tax saving amounting to 80% of the car's invoiced price when you file your return in the car's first year of ownership.

[madbullram]

Oh thanks. I don't own a business, so won't be applicable for me

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

But what nobody has mentioned here is the 80% depreciation benefit you get in the first year itself. That IMO cancels out the resale part.

Completely disagreed. 'Depreciation benefits' don't cancel out the resale value advantage at all!!

- You need to be a businessman / self-employed to avail of depreciation benefits.

- You need to show profits in your business / self-employment before you can avail of the depreciation benefits.

- Importantly, if I meet the above two conditions, I can avail of depreciation benefits on a Brio / Grand i10 too. The only difference is, it'll come gradually over the years (and not accelerated in the first year like the E2O). Over the entire ownership period, I will receive equal depreciation benefits on ANY car, whether E2O, Grand i10 or Brio.

Therefore, resale value does count, and isn't negated by accelerated depreciation.