Kerala postmen to ride electric cars

Wednesday, 28 March 2007, 17:30 IST
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Bangalore: Kerala's postman is all set for a makeover. Come April, he will switch from his usual mode of service - walking and cycling - to riding an electric car for speed post delivery. The Kerala Postal Service (KPS) has tied up with Bangalore-based Reva Electric Car Company (RECC) Ltd to use the indigenous car in Thiruvananthapuram. Three customised electric cars were delivered to KPS. Painted in the post office red colour, the cars will cover 60 km daily and carry 70 kg of load (articles) with a driver and postman in tow. "The Indian Postal Service (IPS) is the most widely distributed post office system in the world. The emission free battery operated vehicles will enable the postman to improve the quality of service and become efficient," Reva chairman S.K. Maini said on the sidelines of a national conference of postal circles here Wednesday. Kerala postal circle chief postmaster general Uday Balakrishnan said the Reva cars were suitable for Thiruvananthapuram and suburbs where only small cars can negotiate the lanes and by-lanes. The cars will later be used to ferry postal articles from Kozhikode to Thiruvananthapuram, covering 450 km, with charging points at post offices en route. Reva's small turning radius and swifter 0-30 second pickup gives it greater manoeuvrability. The 13-year-old Reva firm is a joint of the Maini group and the US-based AEV LLC to manufacture eco-friendly and cost-effective electric vehicles. The zero polluting electric vehicle was commercialised in 2001. Reva car is exported to Britain, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Sri Lanka. It is currently being test marketed in the US, Norway and Spain.
Source: IANS