REVA L-ion on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
motor controller to a 3-phase
The REVA''i'', known as G-Wiz in the United Kingdom, is a small micro
The first model, produced from 2001 to 2007, was simply called REVA (G-Wiz in the United Kingdom). Its power flowed through a 400
motor controller to a electric car
An electric car, battery electric car, or all-electric car is an automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors, using only energy stored in batteries. Compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, electric cars are quie ...
, made by the Indian manufacturer Reva Electric Car Company
Mahindra Electric Mobility Limited, formerly known as the Reva Electric Car Company, is an Indian company based in Bangalore, involved in designing and manufacturing of compact electric vehicles. The company's first vehicle was the REVAi electr ...
between 2001 and 2012. By late 2013 Reva had sold about 4,600 vehicles worldwide, in 26 countries. Sales in the United Kingdom, its main market, and was replaced by the Mahindra e2o
The Mahindra e2o, previously Reva NXR, is an urban electric car hatchback manufactured by Mahindra Reva or Reva Electric Vehicles in 2013–2017. The e2o is the successor of the REVAi (or G-Wiz as it was known in the UK) and was developed usi ...
.
In many countries the REVA''i'' does not meet the criteria to qualify as a highway-capable motor vehicle, and fits into other classes, such as neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) in the United States and heavy quadricycle
The quadricycle is a European Union vehicle category for four-wheeled microcars, which allows these vehicles to be designed to less stringent requirements when compared to regular cars. Quadricycles are defined by limitations in terms of weigh ...
in Europe.
The vehicle was originally known as simply the REVA, but was then improved and renamed the REVA''i''.
Design
The REVA''i'' is a small three-door hatchback measuring long, wide and high. The car can accommodate two adults in the front and two children in the rear. The back seats can be folded down to provide cargo space. The maximum passenger and cargo weight is . The REVA''i'' is intended for city trips and commuting, particularly in congested traffic. It is registered in Europe as aheavy quadricycle
The quadricycle is a European Union vehicle category for four-wheeled microcars, which allows these vehicles to be designed to less stringent requirements when compared to regular cars. Quadricycles are defined by limitations in terms of weigh ...
(category L7). It may be exported to the United States, with a speed limiter that limits the speed to twenty five miles per hour, for use as a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV).
Models
First model
The first model, produced from 2001 to 2007, was simply called REVA (G-Wiz in the United Kingdom). Its power flowed through a 400 amp #REDIRECT Amp #REDIRECT Amp
{{Redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous page ...
{{Redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous page ...DC motor
A DC motor is any of a class of rotary electrical motors that converts direct current (DC) electrical energy into mechanical energy. The most common types rely on the forces produced by induced magnetic fields due to flowing current in the coil ...
rated at , with a maximum of . Power came from eight 6 V, 200 Ah, lead-acid batteries located under the front seats and wired in series to create 48 V. This model did not have the strengthened chassis that allows subsequent models to pass a crash test at .
REVAi
In January 2008, a new model was introduced, the REVA''i'' (G-Wiz'' i'' in the United Kingdom). It has an AC drive system, which raises the maximum speed to . The power flows through a 350Amp #REDIRECT Amp #REDIRECT Amp
{{Redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous page ...
{{Redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous page ...AC motor
An AC motor is an electric motor driven by an alternating current (AC). The AC motor commonly consists of two basic parts, an outside stator having coils supplied with alternating current to produce a rotating magnetic field, and an inside rotor ...
rated at peak. Like the REVA, power comes from eight 6 V, 200 A h lead–acid batteries located under the front seats.
It has a "boost" switch that gives 40% extra torque for improved acceleration and hill climbing and increases the top speed to . It weighs , including batteries. The nominal range is , but driving fast or using the heater or air conditioner
Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...
reduces the range. To address the previous safety concerns, and in conjunction with Lotus Engineering
Lotus Cars Limited is a British automotive company headquartered in Norfolk, England which manufactures sports cars and racing cars noted for their light weight and fine handling characteristics.
Lotus was previously involved in Formula One r ...
, several new safety features have been added, such as front disc brakes, a collapsible steering column, and a much revised and reinforced chassis that has been successfully crash tested at by ARAI in India.
REVA L-ion
In January 2009, a new model was launched, the REVA L-ion. It is similar to the REVA''i'', but powered by high performancelithium-ion batteries
A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery which uses the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. It is the predominant battery type used in portable consumer electronics and electric vehicles. It also se ...
, which reduce the car's curb weight to , offer greater acceleration, reduce charging time to six hours, and extend the nominal range to . The performance of these batteries is also less affected by variations in temperature.
An off-board charging station
A charging station, also known as a charge point or electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), is a piece of equipment that supplies electrical power for charging plug-in electric vehicles (including electric cars, electric trucks, electric ...
is available, which requires three phase power and gives a 90% charge in one hour. The REVA L-ion will also have a solar panel
A solar cell panel, solar electric panel, photo-voltaic (PV) module, PV panel or solar panel is an assembly of photovoltaic solar cells mounted in a (usually rectangular) frame, and a neatly organised collection of PV panels is called a photo ...
on the roof for harnessing solar energy
Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar thermal energy (including solar water heating), and solar architecture. It is an essenti ...
.
Comparison of models
Sales and price
The car was available in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jamaica, Malta, Monaco, Nigeria, Nepal, The Netherlands, Norfolk Islands, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Sweden, Ukraine, The United Arab Emirates, The United States, and the United Kingdom. The different versions of the REVA sold about 4,600 vehicles worldwide by late 2013, and India was its main market, accounting for 55% of global sales, of which, 40% were in theBangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
city, where Mahindra Reva
Mahindra Electric Mobility Limited, formerly known as the Reva Electric Car Company, is an Indian company based in Bangalore, involved in designing and manufacturing of compact electric vehicles. The company's first vehicle was the REVAi electr ...
is based. The UK was one of the leading markets, and the REVA G-Wiz (as it was marketed in the country) was the top selling electric car in Britain for several years, particularly in London.
;Pricing
Pricing in the United Kingdom started at approximately for the standard model The G-Wiz qualifies for exemption from the London congestion charge
The London congestion charge is a fee charged on most cars and motor vehicles being driven within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ) in Central London between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm Monday to Friday, and between 12:00 noon and 6:00 pm Saturday an ...
due to being an electrically propelled vehicle. The REVA was also sold in other European countries, including Spain and Norway. In Costa Rica
Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...
, the REVAi was launched in March 2009 and is sold for . In the Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
an market was sold for .
The REVAi was available in the Republic of Ireland at a retail price of for the REVA Standard and for the better specified REVA Li-Ion.
REVA was sold for 350,000 () in India and has a "running cost of just 40 paise
Paisa (also transliterated as ''pice'', ''pesa'', ''poysha'', ''poisha'' and ''baisa'') is a monetary unit in several countries. The word is also a generalised idiom for money and wealth. In India, Nepal, and Pakistan, the ''Paisa'' currently equa ...
/km" (40 paise .08 US centkm), considering the Indian petrol price of /liter.
Safety concerns
The REVA is exempt from most European crash test rules, because its low weight and power registers it in the European "heavy quadricycle
The quadricycle is a European Union vehicle category for four-wheeled microcars, which allows these vehicles to be designed to less stringent requirements when compared to regular cars. Quadricycles are defined by limitations in terms of weigh ...
" category instead of the "car" category.
The UK Department for Transport
The Department for Transport (DfT) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that have not been devolved. The ...
found "serious safety concerns" after crashing a now-discontinued G-Wiz at into a deformable barrier on 24 April 2007, which is part of the normal test for production cars. Likewise, a test commissioned by ''Top Gear Magazine
''Top Gear'' is a British automobile magazine, owned by BBC Worldwide, and published under contract by Immediate Media Company. It is named after the BBC's ''Top Gear'' television show. It was first published in October 1993 and is published m ...
'' that followed the Euro NCAP
The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a European voluntary car safety performance assessment programme (i.e. a New Car Assessment Program) based in Leuven (Belgium) formed in 1996, with the first results released in February ...
crash test
A crash test is a form of destructive testing usually performed in order to ensure safe design standards in crashworthiness and crash compatibility for various modes of transportation (see automobile safety) or related systems and componen ...
specifications found that the occupants would suffer "serious or life-threatening" injuries in a 64 km/h (40 mph) crash.
In October 2010, a fatal accident in London occurred between a G-Wiz and a Škoda Octavia
The Škoda Octavia is a small family car produced by the Czech car manufacturer Škoda Auto since the end of 1996. It shares its name with an earlier model produced between 1959 and 1971. Four generations of the modern-era Octavia model have ...
, with the driver of the G-Wiz, British scientist Judit Nadal, being killed. The coroner Andrew Walker was quoted as saying about the G-Wiz at the inquest: “What concerns me is that this vehicle was destroyed in this collision in a way that I have not seen a vehicle destroyed before” but he did not recommend further action regarding the vehicle's design. Mr Walker said he would be writing to Transport for London about making improvements to the safety of the junction.I think I've made a mistake: Last words of scientist on phone before G-Wiz crash31 August 2011 ''standard.co.uk'', accessed 28 August 2019 Subsequently, the government ordered an investigation into the safety of small electric vehicles. Current REVA''i'' and REVA L-ion models include several new safety features such as front disc brakes, a collapsible steering column, and a much revised and reinforced chassis that has been successfully crash tested in India by
ARAI
Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) is co-operative industrial research association by the automotive industry with the Ministry of Industries, Government Of India The objectives of the Association are Research and Development in auto ...
. A frontal crash test video of the new model is available online.
Reception and criticism
The REVAi has been panned by many critics, including criticisms that it is underpowered, unsafe, and ugly. The BBC programme ''Top Gear
Top Gear may refer to:
* "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission
Television
* ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme
* ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...
'' has consistently and incessantly lambasted the G-Wiz, named it the Worst Car of 2007 and then even blew it up later in the same episode; co-presenter James May
James Daniel May (born 16 January 1963) is an English television presenter and journalist. He is best known as a co-presenter of the motoring programme ''Top Gear (2002 TV series), Top Gear'' alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond from ...
referred to it as "the worst car for this year - and indeed for every other year whilst we have breath in our bodies — it is the most stupid, useless and dangerous car ever to stalk the earth. It is totally terrible, and disgusting."
In July 2004, ''The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' reported Archie Norman
Archibald John Norman (born 1 May 1954) is a British businessman and politician. He is the only person to have been chairman of an FTSE 100 company and a Member of the House of Commons (MP) at the same time. From January 2010 to January 2016, N ...
owned a G-Wiz to commute around London, and outside London, he drove a Volkswagen Golf
The Volkswagen Golf () is a compact car/small family car (C-segment) produced by the German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen since 1974, marketed worldwide across eight generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates ...
.
In October 2013, ''Top Gear Magazine
''Top Gear'' is a British automobile magazine, owned by BBC Worldwide, and published under contract by Immediate Media Company. It is named after the BBC's ''Top Gear'' television show. It was first published in October 1993 and is published m ...
'' placed the G-Wiz on its list of "The 13 worst cars of the last 20 years."
In December 2016, twenty G-Wiz vehicles were destroyed in an episode of ''The Grand Tour
''The Grand Tour'' is a British motoring television series, created by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and Andy Wilman, made for Amazon exclusively for its online streaming service Amazon Prime Video, and premiered on 18 Novembe ...
'' and continuing on the theme of lambasting the car, which the presenters started whilst working together on ''Top Gear
Top Gear may refer to:
* "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission
Television
* ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme
* ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...
''.
See also
*City car
The A-segment is the 1st category in the passenger car classification system defined by the European Commission. It is used for city cars, the smallest category of passenger cars defined.
A-segment sales represent approx. 7-8% of the market in ...
* Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles
Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles have been established around the world to support policy-driven adoption of plug-in electric vehicles. These incentives mainly take the form of purchase rebates, tax exemptions and tax credits, ...
* Kei car
Kei car (or , kanji: , "light automobile", ), known variously outside Japan as Japanese city car or Japanese microcar, is the Japanese vehicle category for the smallest highway-legal passenger cars with restricted dimensions and engine capacit ...
* List of modern production plug-in electric vehicles
This is a list of battery electric vehicles that are mass-produced, formerly produced, and planned. It includes only vehicles exclusively using chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs, with no secondary source of propulsion (e.g ...
* List of production battery electric vehicles
This is a list of battery electric vehicles that are mass-produced, formerly produced, and planned. It includes only vehicles exclusively using chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs, with no secondary source of propulsion ( ...
* Neighborhood electric vehicle
* Mahindra e2o
The Mahindra e2o, previously Reva NXR, is an urban electric car hatchback manufactured by Mahindra Reva or Reva Electric Vehicles in 2013–2017. The e2o is the successor of the REVAi (or G-Wiz as it was known in the UK) and was developed usi ...
* Zero-emissions vehicle
A zero-emission vehicle, or ZEV, is a vehicle that does not emit exhaust gas or other pollutants from the onboard source of power. The California definition also adds that this includes under any and all possible operational modes and conditions ...
References
{{reflist, 2External links
REVA Electric Car Club
Production electric cars Electric city cars Cars of India Car brands Cars introduced in 2001