[nukkad] Electric car to hit the road

[Harshal Chhaya <>]

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Photo of the car at
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/p/nm/20010531/wl/imdf31052001062159a.html

The description says that the car can be charged at home by plugging it
in a 220 V, 15 amp outlet. I am pretty sure that house wiring is not
rated for 15 amps. Maybe petrol pumps will start having charging outlets
for these cars.

Why are they targetting people who are looking for a second car? Is this
one not reliable enough to be used as a primary vehicle? 

Instead of an all-electric car which has not been successful elsewhere,
they should have gone for a hybrid design. 
The Toyota Prius (http://prius.toyota.com/) and the Honda Insight
(http://www.honda2001.com/models/insight/index.html?honda=intro) are
great examples of hybrid cars. These don't need any external
power supply for re-charging. The gasoline engine charges the battery.

I would really like to know why the Reva folks did not choose a
hybrid design.



Here is an article on the car:


India's first electric car to hit roads by end June
BANGALORE: India's first electric car, Reva, will take to the roads at the end
of June following its commercial launch in the technology capital, Bangalore,
officials of the car maker said on Monday. 

The car has been made by Reva Electric Car Company with core technology from
U.S.-based AEVT. The technology was adapted for Indian conditions. 

AEVT, which holds 33 percent in the joint venture, is an affiliate of Amerigon
Inc, and deploys materials and technology used in the aerospace industry to
make electrical cars. 

The environmentally-friendly Reva, which is being targeted at those looking for
a second vehicle, had 95 percent of its nearly 1,000 components made in India,
the company, in which India's Maini group holds a majority, said in a
statement. 

Reva plans to roll out 1,500 cars in the first year, going to up to 12,000 in
three years. 

Priced at 249,500 rupees ($5,308), the car was designed with Indian conditions
in mind, especially commuters in congested urban centres, company officials
told a news conference. The company is also eyeing tax breaks from the
government. 

Global car makers like General Motors Corp, Ford Motor Company and Toyota have
also been developing electrical vehicles. 

Reva officials said the majors were looking at markets where higher speed and
more space were critical for customers, whereas in India 's congested urban
centres, cost effective and environmentally-friendly commuting were more
important. 

``This technology is going to grow. This technology is ideal for India,''
company managing director Chetan Maini said. 

Reva, named after group chairman Sudarshan Maini's wife, is esimated to have a
running cost of 0.40 rupees (0.85 U.S. cents) per km, with a power pack which
would have a life of about 40,000 km or three to four years, the statement
said. 

Compared with this, smaller cars running on petrol would cost 2.50 rupees per
km, it said. The car has a top speed of 65 km (40.6 miles) per hour and a city
driving range of 80 km, after which its batteries would need to be recharged. 

Company officials said they were receiving export enquiries to buy the car at
around $7,000, while the cheapest comparable cars made elsewhere cost at least
$22,000. 

India, China and Brazil are considered the most attractive potential markets
for electric vehicles, the company said. 




- 'shal


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