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REVA ELECTRIC Car Company is doing a research project
on drive systems in an electric vehicle (EV) for General Motors,
the world's largest car maker. The drive system is equivalent to
an engine in a regular car.
While confirming that a joint project is underway,
the Bangalore-based REVA's Managing Director Chetan Maini refused
to give any details. Incidentally, GM has already come out with
at least three generations of environmentally friendly EVs, and
is said to be working on more initiatives now.
A recent next-generation EV, developed with Suzuki
Motor of Japan called Chevrolet Triax, has introduced the third
generation of electric drive and controls. It goes a step further
and offers three propulsion options - a four-wheel drive electric,
four-wheel drive hybrid electric, and two-wheel drive internal combustion.
Meanwhile, India's smallest little electric car,
REVA, is likely to hit the European and Asian roads around January
2002.
The car, which is now available in a whopping 2,000
colour options, is undergoing certain modifications like inclusion
of a defroster, heater etc. required for European certification.
At last month's Berlin conference on EVs, several players from Europe,
Asia and Africa are reported to have shown interest on participating
in some form in the REVA programme.
These companies will be taking a closer look at
the EV at its Bangalore plant shortly.
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REVA itself is open to alliances/partners for
marketing the car in overseas markets, Mr. Maini said. About 115
REVA cars have been sold in Bangalore since its launch in July.
The numbers could have been larger but for problems faced by the
company in importing certain electronic systems from the US during
September-October.
However, the company has received enough orders
to keep the production wheels moving till December-January. The
production capacity, currently pegged at 50 a month, will be rapidly
ramped up to 150, in order to get more cars on the road.
Mr. Maini admitted that while the future of the
car lies in the domestic market in the long run, exports will bring
more revenues initially. EVs from Ford and Honda typically retail
for $25,000 to $40,000, while the REVA could be priced between $7,000
and $10,000, giving the car a sharp price advantage.
The two-door hatchback Rs. 2.5 lakh car - on the
road in Bangalore - which has a range of 80 km and top speed of
65 km, will be introduced in markets outside Bangalore towards February
next year.
The car company is in the process of putting the
dealer and service network in place before taking the REVA countrywide.
The company will work on possible variants of the car after the
Euro launch.
- Girish Rao
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