The much-talked about REVA electric car, being manufactured by the Maini Group of Industries of Bangalore and scheduled to hit the road some time next year, will be the lowest-priced car in India and two-and-a-half times cheaper to operate.

Speaking at a symposium - Bangalore - an ideal city to introduce electric vehicles (EVs) - organised by the CTD-NGO Resource Centre, managing director of REVA Electric Car Company (P) Ltd Chetan Maini said: "We have been working on the reliability aspect of the car for the last two years and conditions like high temperature and humidity have been taken into account.

The car is half as loud as other cars." Mr. Maini urged the government and the community to support the venture both by popular campaigns as well as regulations and policy decisions, "It is time we called Bangalore 'EV City.' The government should encourage the technology by providing free parking and charging at key shopping areas and commercial districts, create charging centres using solar power and identify certain polluted and congested areas in the city," Mr. Maini noted.

President of the World Electric Vehicle Association Prof C.C. Chan said that the EVs were cleaner, sustainable, efficient and more intelligent compared to internal combustion engines.

Talking about the global usage of EVs, he said range (distance travelled) and cost had hindered its popularity and that could be taken care of if dedicated companies came forward to manufacture, maintain and dispose off batteries.

On the feasibility of EVs in Bangalore, chairman of Amerigon Inc., USA Lon Bell said that a study conducted two years ago identified India as the ideal country and Bangalore as a suitable city for introducing EVs.

"The entire city is accessible within 60-80 km range; stop-and-travel pattern helps economise by recharging the battery; congestion favours nimble, small vehicles and operating costs are low," Mr. Bell added.

The hassle-free operation of Evs, with no shifting, no clutch and low maintenance could prove to be the vehicle of the new millennium, he noted. Though Evs hold solution to a lot of pollution and traffic problems, experts however have reservations about the power required for battery in a power-starved city (read country), the disposal of lead acid batteries which could add to lead poisoning.

Replying to these queries, Mr. Maini said that the initial introduction of 5,000 cars would make negligible impact on the power consumption pattern but ultimately the government had to make a choice between importing crude oil and generating more power.

Public Affairs Centre director Samuel Paul, however, drew the attention of the technoligists as well as the industry towards introducing such technology in two and three-wheelers which were the worst polluters.