Electric vehicles in India have come a long way. From the Nexon EV to the Hyundai Kona Electrical, EVs are the new trend. But before the nation got obsessed with the electrical trend, there were only a few electric cars that were indeed the torchbearer of what the electric scene in India looks like. Here’s one of them; the 1993 ECC Lovebird.
The ECC Genesis
The 1993 ECC Genesis was one of the first electric vehicles first showcased at the Delhi Auto. Manufactured by Eddy Current Controls in partnership with Yaskawa Electric Co. from Japan, the ECC Lovebird was locally produced in Tamil Nadu.
Specs-wise, the Lovebird was a two-seater offering that utilized a DC electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery. The battery, however, wasn’t as advanced as it now and was thus a lead-acid unit. Additionally, the vehicle also came with an electronic chopper that helped the vehicle achieve a smoother speed control and a pleasurable drive.
Transmission wise, the Lovebird got a four-speed unit, with even a reverse gear on offer. The Lovebird once charged fully, could run up to 60 km; that was indeed groundbreaking back then. Aimed towards city consumers and small towns, the Lovebird’s charging time was around 8 hours.
The Lovebird’s Farewell
Even though the Lovebird was one of the most promising pieces of consumer automotive tech back then, in terms of sales the Lovebird couldn’t even cross the three-digit mark. Furthermore, since diesel and petrol were the only major runners back then, new power options such as CNG, LPG, and electrics weren’t accepted with open arms. Despite the fact that the Government too gave a green signal to the Lovebird project, it later had to take away the subsidy altogether, marking the end of an era.
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The Currents Scenario
Even though the ECC Lovebird’s run wasn’t a glorious one, it still paved the way for electric vehicles to be introduced and accepted in India. Fast forward to 2020, the Government has accepted and welcomes the electric regime with open arms, with states such as Delhi, even providing for dual subsidies. In fact, the cleaner and greener approach of electrics has also forced key manufacturers to work on R&D to launch electric iterations of their iconic models. With names such as MG, Hyundai, Tata etc. already leading the electric game, the future ahead is surely bright.
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So this was all about the ECC Lovebird; India’s first electric car. Stay pinned to the GoMechanic Blog for everything automotive. This article was based on information shared by rare_cars_india20 on Instagram.
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