Recently I got an invite to a Mahindra Reva event where they were showcasing the live screening of Mahindra Racing’s debut in the first ever Formula E (Electronic Car) racing event in the world! This happened at the swanky new Indigo Live Music Bar in Koramangala in Bangalore. I was really curious about the event as I wondered how Electronic cars could take part in a adrenaline pumped racing like Formula championships.
When I went to the event, the cutouts of Indian racing driver Karun Chandhok and Brazilian racing driver Bruno Senna (nephew of legendary Ayrton Senna) were smiling at me as they were the flagship drivers of Mahindra Racing in the inaugural Formula E racing championship in Beijing, China. There was a selfie corner where people could imagine themselves as the 3rd Mahindra racing driver and pose with Karun and Bruno.
The screening organized by Mahindra Reva to support Mahindra Racing team in Formula E was a big success as there were Reva car owners from across Bangalore who were present with their families and shared their excitement about driving the future rather than worry about destroying fossil fuels. Everybody enjoyed the race with lip smacking food from Indigo Live Music bar which also dished out amazing drinks for a hot afternoon. The cool breeze on the terrace kept everyone going!
The race did start on a bad note for Mahindra Racing though as Bruno Senna was immediately disqualified as he hit the boundary wall in just the first lap. It was disappointing for the Mahindra Racing fans who got together at Indigo Live Music Bar but what kept them going was that Karun Chandhok was in the first 5 or so for most part of the race so there was a great chance for him to have a podium finish!
The inaugural Formula E championship had an anti-climax when the 1st and 2nd driver had an accident in the final seconds of the race just inches away from the finish line. Race leader Nicolas Prost who was driving for e.dams-Renault, crashed into Venturi Grand Prix’s Nick Heidfeld on the last corner of the last lap of the 25-lap race. Thanks to this crash, Indian driver Karun Chandhok finished a respectable fifth in the Mahindra racing car to bring home 10 points from the Beijing ePrix, the first ever FIA Formula E Championship race.
I was fortunate enough to get a ride to the venue and back home in a Mahindra Reva e2o which is being applauded as the future of mobility right now! Though it is quite compact looking, two tall individuals can sit in the front and two average Indian height individuals with a small kid can sit in the back! The air conditioning is amazingly cool and I was floored to look at the features like a completely electronic dashboard which has all the features like Radio, DVD, USB, iPod, Bluetooth and SD Card connectivity.
One more striking feature of Mahindra Reva electric car I liked apart from the fact that it has completely automatic gears, is the advanced Regenerative Braking System. With the advanced Regenerative Braking System, energy gets back into the battery while you slow down or brake. This means that you’re actually saving power and recharging the batteries every time you brake. Hoping to get a test drive of Mahindra e2o really soon and explore all the rest features too!