Maruti Suzuki claims to be committed to providing cleaner modes of transport in the years to come. As a first, they plans to launch the WagonR Electric sometime in 2021.
Automotive engineer and designer Rajshekhar Dass (Instagram @rajshekhar.thedesigner) has created an electric version of the much-loved Maruti 800.
In the good old days of Maruti Udyog (evident from its ‘M’ logo), the 800 was a runaway success as it proved that four-wheeler ownership was not limited to the wealthy. Like the Ford Model T or Volkswagen Beetle in foreign markets.
Maruti 800 (especially second-gen SB308 model) was a car for the common Indian. Rajshekhar believes that India’s EV revolution needs a hero and the Maruti 800 would be the perfect inspiration to make the shift to emission-free commute.
His design is by far one of the best visualisations of the iconic hatchback. With simple and minimal lines over a modern environment, the concept is an honest tribute to yesterday’s Indian motoring while setting a direction for the future.
To stand apart in the trend of large touchscreens, Rajshekhar conceptualised a continuous digital panel (with haptic feedback) floating around the cabin.
In key locations, functions such as window open/close, door lock/unlock and even window-tint adjustment would be added — if the industry is ready to bring all this at an accessible price point.
Rajshekhar believes that the future of automotive interiors would be more about user experience.
In the designer’s perspective, the Maruti 800 EV packs a cost-efficient powertrain promising a real-world range of about 130km.
If the time is right, it could pack features such as fingerprint scanner, facial recognition and various IoT (Internet of Things) systems.
Reference- Rushlane, Autocar, Zigwheels