Are you ready to convert to electric car driving? Introducing REVA produced by REVA Electric Car Company Pte Ltd (RECC), based in Bangalore, India. RECC was established in 1994 as a joint venture between Maini Group India and AEV LLC, California USA. REVA is the brainchild of Chetan Maini, scion of the Maini Group. The company positions itself as a manufacturer of environment-friendly and cost-effective electric vehicles. After years of research and development, RECC commercialised India’s first zero polluting electric vehicle for city mobility.

Although with the support of the Maini Group, the commercialisation of REVA at affordable prices did not work out well in India as the cost of a REVA is 25 percent more than a entry-level car. Adding to the situation, people in India prefer low-end cars. So the company began exporting the REVA to overseas market to the United Kingdom and Europe where they are sold as quadricycles.

Besides the United Kingdom where it is branded as G-Wiz, REVA is now also sold in Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Norway, Spain and Sri Lanka. REVA is also being test marketed for applications such as mail trucks in Australia, Austria, Germany and the United States.

“We look for countries that offer incentives for electric vehicles, or those that are tightening regulations, or where consumer awareness is high,” said Maini.

The current models of REVA can travel at a top speed of 65km/h and for a range of 80km, thus they are ideally suited for city mobility. The REVA is easy to drive and most ideal for “stop-start” traffic conditions without a clutch and gear. It has a small turning radius making it easy to maneuver and park.

The most probable concern of potential buyers would be the insufficient battery charge to sustain their journeys. Fortunately, the REVA has an onboard charger to facilitate east charging that can be done by plugging into any 15 amp socket at home or at work. Also, the REVA has an intelligent ‘low battery’ warning light and a fuel gauge that enables easy estimation of driving range. With this fuel gauge in place, the driver will be ensured that he or she is not stranded.

Customers can customise the design of their car by choosing from 2000 shades.

The REVAi has also been launched. The ‘i’ represents improved. It has an improvement in both speed and range over the REVA. The new REVAi has a higher top speed and more than 140km of driving range.

RECC has been working on fuel cell technologies. They have produced and showcased a fuel cell prototype of REVA in July 2004. However, the fuel cell version is yet to be commercialised.

Source: The StarPhoenix, REVA, The Straits Times