Starting with the E-Alfa and moving on to the ZOR automobile brands made on Treo platforms, Mahindra and Mahindra has a nice range of electric three-wheelers. Rajesh Rajgor recently obtained the pickup version of the ZOR GRAND DV+ and found that the delivery vehicle is up to par in its segment and second to none
Pickup vehicles would eventually have a flatbed loading deck but the first thing you will notice with ZOR GRAND DV+ is that it comes with a massive compartment at the back. It certainly assures an operator that all his last mile connectivity needs would be taken care of, even on a three-wheeler and that too an electric one. At the time of the launch, Mahindra Electric Mobility Ltd. (MEML) announced that through strategic MOUs with logistic firms like Mahindra Logistics, Magenta EV Solutions, MoEVing, EV Now, Yelo EV, Zyngo and others, the company has 12,000+ reservations for the vehicle. Strong internal capabilities in the areas of battery, motor and telematics supported thorough validation and the experience of placing more than 50,000+ three-wheeler EVs on the road have made given ZOR GRAND a deep trust value.
Sleek yet Powerful
The ZOR GRAND DV+ that I got my hands on is the top model amongst the ZOR portfolio. The fantastic yet sleek-looking vehicle is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor. The electric motor is at a 12 kilowatt peak power providing a range of over 100 km, as claimed by the company. In the front of the ZOR GRAND DV +we get to see halogen headlamps and the indicators with a vibrant colour scheme in white and the blue that is maintained across all their electric wheelers. There are graphics on the door. With a best-in-class gradeability of 11.5 degrees, it makes navigating slopes with a load simpler. With 50 Nm of torque, good pickup and acceleration are promised. In a delivery pickup, I find the clutchless, gearless, noiseless and vibration-free drive to be just amazing. It can go a long way toward providing the rider with a trip free of tiredness.
Inside the Driver’s Cabin
The vehicle being a single compartment, we get to see only a single seat. On closer look, I find the ignition switch on the left of the cabin. As I turned the switch on I saw the fully digital instrument cluster that indicates range speed and also the distance to empty as well. There is also the charging indicator of the battery pack. I noticed that the windows are sliding and also pop out. Below I found the hand brake as well as the pedal brake. There is also place for a jack and a spare tyre. The seat is a well-cushioned, definitely very well-fitted for the space.
There is a bottle-holder just at the right of the seat. Given the type of vehicle it is, the pickup and acceleration are fairly impressive. I was able to reach a speed of 50 km per hour and ascend city flyovers without any difficulty. The experience was made easier by the pedal brakes and the use of the handle with the forward, neutral and reverse options provided on a red button. Other essential features like switches for wiper and lights are quite handy. Even the glove box on the left could be accessed using the keys
Under the Hood and Payload
There is a lot of potential with the motor which is housed under the hood. I could notice the suspension and all the other components too. Close to it is the battery pack and also the motor that will be driving the rear wheels. Just below the tray I saw a combination of LED tail lamps.
Talking about the payload capacity of the ZOR GRAND DV+, what is promised is a capacity of around 400 kg. The OE-fitted 140 | 170 cubic feet delivery box promises to carry more and thus earn more for the operators. Speaking a little more on the ZOR GRAND in terms of customer perspective, Mahindra and Mahindra is offering a five-year warranty – that is a three-year standard warranty plus a two-year external warranty on the battery pack. That will help customers to get the most out of their money. The telematics can help the operator manage their fleet as the vehicle is connected to a smart phone.
Last Words on the Last Mile
The cutting-edge ZOR GRAND DV+ also has the NEMO connected vehicle platform for greater fleet administration and operating efficiency. A cloud-based platform called NEMO (Next-Generation Mobility) offers a new generation of shared, connected and electric services that contribute to transforming urban mobility. In addition to offering better insights into the functioning of the vehicle, NEMO addresses adoption challenges for EVs like range anxiety and battery performance. With the help of features like fleet management, location services, trip planning, maintenance, and others, the platform makes it possible for new business models to be developed around shared mobility.
It also helps fleet operators to manage an electric vehicle fleet in an efficient manner. ZOR GRAND DV+ is positioned to revolutionise the freight market with features including unequalled incremental savings in the category, best-in-industry performance, cutting-edge lithium-ion technology, and more. It takes less than four hours to charge the EV and charging is as easy as a mobile phone. An operator can save up to Rs 600,000 in ownership costs in five years compared with diesel and up to Rs 300,000 compared with CNG cargo three-wheelers. It definitely would serve the dual requirement of cost-effective as well as sustainability goals of the consumers.
