India’s electric car pioneer Chetan Maini has joined the board of Lithium Urban Technologies and will play a pivotal role in enhancing the technology offering of the electric car fleet startup.

Ashwin Mahesh, cofounder of Lithium and an urban expert feels that Chetan’s technology expertise will help in maximising the ‘electric miles’. “Building the cars to maximise the electric miles is the new goal. I think this transformation will require expertise with production, people who understand battery and can get the maximum miles, literally, out of the battery,” he said. Maini who built India’s first electric car Reva comes with over 20 years of experience in the electric vehicle space.

“What I saw in Lithum was a vision and a great team, what I saw for myself is a way to help in the technology front that could really be a differentiator in this space,” said Maini. Lithium provides an integrated transportation solution for corporates — a fleet of connected cars enabled by a fleet management technology platform.

At the user level all employees have Lithium app and also an ‘in-car’ technology that ensures route optimisation in real time and security for travellers.

“There is a play for us in working with the first mile, last mile areas and the metros and shared mobility services, such that the net effect is to bring in efficiency and reduce cost to consumers and do it in a green way and reduce congestion in the city centres,” said Maini. Lithium is planning to expand to other cities in the near future. “Delhi-NCR is a prime candidate. Over the next 12 months, you will see us in a few more cities in India for sure and maybe a city or two outside,” said Sanjay Krishnan, CEO of Lithium. The startup has also got investment from Robin Chase, cofounder of Zipcar.

Source: The Economic Times