IN preparation for its launch in January 2001, the REVA electric car company, from the Maini group, has appointed 90 dealers country wide, 40 of whom are around Bangalore. The company is meanwhile in talks with Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation (KPTC) to get the necessary clearances. This is to enable recharging of the car at houses and apartment blocks. ``We are also in talks with Bangalore City Corporation (BCC) to install recharging points at airports and shopping complexes,'' Mr. Chetan Maini, Managing Director, told Business Line.

But will REVA, which has been four years in the making, catch customer attention, especially in a market already crowded with several new models? And the car is now going to be priced at Rs 2 lakh, a lakh more than what was being considered when the Maini group announced its prototype. The company, however, is quite upbeat about its prospects and hopes to hold its own by catering to a niche market, aimed at those graduating from two-wheelers to four-wheelers, housewives, retired persons, college-goers and corporate users.

``I should be worried if I am looking at large volumes; all I am looking at is 2,000 cars in the first year and 4,000 in the second,'' Mr. Maini said. He is also confident that the company would be able to bring the price down as indigensation goes up. ``Right now, we have only 50 per cent indigenisation; we import about 10 parts -- the motor controller, tyres and electronic parts.'' But the company hopes to indigenise up to 90 per cent, with local components and assemblies.

The running chassis, integrated power system, energy management system and climate control seats have been imported.

The Prestolite batteries, forming the power pack developed in the US, will now be manufactured through Tudor India, an Exide subsidiary.

The charger has been developed in conjunction with Modular Power System of the US and the controller is manufactured by Curtis.

The EC has also an in-built stabiliser to handle any voltage fluctuations in power transmission. It has two on-board computer to enable efficient energy management.

REVA has completed 400,000 km of testing at AREI, Pune. The company has a capacity of 6,000 cars, which it hopes to raise to 12,000 by the fourth year of production. With the project cost at Rs 80 crore, the company is approaching ICICI for part-funding, while the rest will be put up by the promoters.

The REVA project has been designed and developed by the Maini group in collaboration with American Electric Vehicle Technologies, US. .

- Janaki Murali