Chevrolet Beat ‘Hybrid’ Vehicle Hit Indian Roads Next Month

CHEVROLET BEAT ‘ELECTRIC’ CAR TO HIT INDIAN ROADS NEXT MONTH

2012 Chevrolet Beat EV

General Motors plans to launch an all electric version of the Chevrolet Beat hatchback in India. The plans have been in place for sometime now but with the Indian Government giving a nod to hybrids and electric vehicles in the country, GM is all set to launch the car as early as next month.

The government announced full exemption from customs duty, special additional duty and countervailing duty on some specified parts of hybrid vehicles such as battery pack and chargers as also for spare battery packs for electric vehicles. Excise duty has also been halved for hybrid kits and their parts.

“We are glad that the government has woken up to the need to encourage alternate fuel and electric vehicles,” said Karl Slym, president and managing director, GM India. “We will showcase an electric version of our mini car next month. Though we have not decided whether to launch it here or not, if the government follows up the budget with more incentives, it will only help us decide.”

Earlier, GM had announced plans about an all electric Chevrolet Spark. The company had collaborated with Reva the only electric car manufacturer in the country for this project. Since, Reva was taken over by Mahindra & Mahindra, developments on the project met an untimely end. Now, the company will be back with an electric Beat.

Posted in: Automobile Review