BDO-I2I is looking to bring Indian-made electric cars onto the Israeli market. REVA Electric Car Company and consulting firm BDO-I2I are still finalizing the details, but there are reports imports could start before the end of January.The news comes as Shai Agassi’s Project Better Place unveiled a protoype of its battery charging station earlier this week in Israel. The project aims to put electric cars on Israel’s streets en masse, but the project deployment date isn’t until 2010, a full year after REVA could be on the market.
REVA’s car is a fully-automatic battery powered hatchback that can be charged from regular 15 ampere electric outlets. A system of eight battery units form the 30 kg battery that gives the car a range of about 100 kilometers on just a six hour charge. The car is made of lightweight panels on a steel body. The manufacturer’s web site claims the cars are dent and scratch-proof, a claim Green Prophet finds a little suspicious.
In fact, TV show Top Gear filmed a segment mocking the REVA which featured a crash that is blamed for REVA’s UK G-Wiz 2008 sales figures being only about half of last year’s. Autobloggreen.com says REVA only expects to sell 750 cars this year, but hopes to introduce new larger models over the coming three to four years and boost sales to 30,000 units annually.
Currently the car is most readily available in India, but the vehicles are also available in Athens, Barcelona, London, Madrid and Oslo.
Prices for the Israeli market aren’t yet available, but the REVA G-Wiz sells for £7,995 in the UK.
REVA was started in Bangalore in 2001 after 7 years of research, and now has annual revenues of about $100 million.
Reva is a success before someone doubts.they are selling more in India and Britain.These cars are really great I test drove one last year in bangalore,India.Let Electric cars rises in numbers!Fuel cell tech is impossible for atleast a decade.while battery technology improves as in fast recharging and long mileage/charge means electric cars will replace Internal combustion Engined Vehicles and the reliance on Gulf(and saudi arabia) for Crude Oil.
regards,
Benjo.
It seems to be a problem world-wide. the technology is THERE! the problems come with implementing them.
This is good. Time frame is long though.
I wish they would start selling them in the US.
I am sure that there would be too many restrictions to get them street legal.
I wish REVA good luck and hope it works.
Robert