REVA, an automobile company based in Bangalore, India,  is preparing to launch its own plug-in models, except with a twist.  Shown off at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, and scheduled for production early this year, the NXR, a 3-door, four-seater hatchback, will have a range of about 100 miles and a top speed of 65 mph.  The NXG (shown above) will sport a top speed of 80 mph and a range of 125 miles.     Both of these car models will feature REVive, a reserve-charging technology.

According to key experts in the company, REVA will be adding a unique technology to its plug-in cars, which will be designed to combat ‘range anxiety’.  This phenomenon arises when motorists worry that their car will run out of charge mid-way through their journey — or perhaps on their way to a charging station.  The ‘REVive telematics’ feature will operate like an “invisible reserve fuel tank”,  enabling  drivers to get their reserve battery power remotely activated during an electricity crisis on the road.  In such a situation, drivers would need  to call or text-message REVA for an immediate top-up, however, remotely.

This idea might sound gimmicky at first, however it is meant to address a key issue with plug-in vehicles:  the lack of charging infrastructure.  Knowing that there is “spare fuel” in your vehicle might be an incentive to purchase a plug-in.  However, the actual usefulness of this technology will depend on motorists behavior.  The instant they start thinking of this extra charge as part of their normal battery life, its function will be worthless.  Granted, having to text message your auto manufacturer in order to continue to operate your vehicle, and the embarassment it might cause when others are inside, might be enough of a hassle so the technology is not misused.

Prices for the REVA NXR start at €9,995 for the lead-acid battery version and €14,995 for the lithium-ion version.

About Reva:

REVA Electric Car Company is a Bangalore-based car manufacturer. It is a venture of AEV LLC of California and Maini Group of India, which is supported by tUS investors such as Draper Fisher Jurvetson and the Global Environment Fund.

Launching its 1st electric car in 2001, the company is capable of manufacturing around 30,000 cars in a year at its factory in Bangalore.  They are developing a new plant in Bangalore for an  ‘ultra-low carbon’ motor vehicle. This plant will have the capacity to produce an extra 30,000 units per year.

REVA operates in a country with a population that is becoming more affluent and highly invests in clean-energy vehicles.

Late in 2011, Toyota Motor Corp will launch a hybrid sub-compact and broaden its electric car line-up. The vehicle will be available for 1.5 million yen, or $15,760. Government tax breaks, subsidies on cleaner technology, and an increasing demand for gasoline-electric vehicles have promoted EVs in Japan greatly.  Toyota may have future plans to produce the new hybrid model in France as well, to cater to a European market.

According to a Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun, the new hybrid compact by Toyota will use the platform and engine of the Yaris sub-compact, which is likely to be fully remodeled before launch in order to compete with the fuel efficiency and cost competitiveness of the Prius.

Dominant automakers Honda Motor Company and Toyota have reduced prices on their premier hybrid cars recently. The price of Toyota’s Prius has been lowered to 2.05 million yen and that of Honda’s Insight has been lowered to 1.89 million yen.

The month of April listed Honda’s Insight, the first hybrid car, on top of the best selling cars list. However, in May, Toyota’s new Prius replaced the Insight, and became the No.1 hybrid car in the Japanese market.

The Toyota sub-compact hybrid, which is yet to be launched, would be a tough contender to some of the upcoming small hybrid cars like Honda’s Fit Compact and the Honda CR-Z Hybrid.  It has been reported by The Daily that the automaker is likely to raise its daily production target in Japan. This will increase production to about 13,500 units in September and around 13,700 in October.

Why the sub?

Toyota and Honda have introduced sub-compact hybrid models to introduce a fresh alternative to existing hybrid cars (which were mostly SUVs) in the last couple of years. These SUV hybrids are more fuel-efficient (15 to 20 percent more than their counterparts). However, the mpg of these models ranges from the late teens to the early twenties.

The new subcompact hybrids are likely to be marked high in the fuel economy rankings, possibly at the 50 mpg mark or higher. Moreover, their prices are slated to be comparatively lower than the prices of current hybrid cars.

If the past is any predictor, car enthusiasts and organizations such as CalCars will begin upgrading these new hybrids into plug-in models as soon as they are released.  It remains to be seen, however, if and when they are brought to the American market, whether they will be adopted on a mass scale by an increasingly price-conscious and choosy consumer.

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The Renew America Roadtrip, hosted by the Element Hotel Summerlin, has dual functions: It aims to promote electric cars and public awareness in renewable green technologies.  And, in addition, the event has the intention to raise funds for various charities, such as the Autism Society of America.

Touted as America’s first ever electric coast-to-coast trip, the journey initiated from New York City on Wednesday July 15^th and is scheduled to end in San Francisco on the 31^st. With the aim of attracting local press and the YouTube generation of bloggers, the organizers state on their website that it is “NOT about making another geeky cross-country technology trial, but is rather about a real-life road trip, with real people and a real production vehicle – the Tesla Motor’s Roadster.”

The Roadster arrived as part of the procession early on, showing off its $109,000 pristine white body. More than 40 people welcomed the car along with yet another blue roadster that traveled with it through Pennsylvania. You can see the itinerary of the Renew America Roadtrip below. As part of the exhibition, the organizers are also offering rides to the public for a donation.

Michael Craner, owner of Tesla Motors Roadster and co-founder of Renew America Roadtrip said, “We hope that by driving a production electric vehicle, the Tesla Motor’s Roadster, across the country, we can demonstrate by example that green technologies are here today and do not represent a compromise. At the end of our trip, we plan to auction our Tesla Roadster and distribute the money earned to the different charities that have joined with us during our journey, including the American Lung Association, Parkinson’s Association, and local homeless shelters.”

If you’re interested in seeing close-up shots of the Roadster during the roadtrip, wizzardkitten snapped a few photos.

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The exclusive leasing program of BMW’s all-electric vehicles (Mini Es) has created quite a buzz. After all, only 450 models exist. Now, through a draw in a lottery, 4 lucky Californian municipalities, including Glendora, Diamond Bar, West Covina and Azusa, hit the jackpot as they were selected to participate in BMW’s first ever EV pilot program.

Each township will receive two of the two-seater Mini Cooper look-alikes. Moreover, while other lessees shell out $850/month, the winners will only be paying $10/month per car. Why $10, you might be wondering? Well, it’s not supposed to make sense. Afterwards, they would be expected to provide feedback on the cars, which presumably would perfect the engineering process by the time BMW starts mass-producing the Mini E.

The Air Quality Management District (AQMD) and the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments helped organize the lottery. Michael Cacciotti, the representative of the AQMD Governing Body revealed the fact to the media that around 15 cities had shown interest in acquiring the car; however, only four cities were chosen. Mr. Cacciotti is a representative of the Los Angeles County Eastern Region as well.

Mr. Michael Cacciotti acquired 2 Mini E cars for South Pasadena city a couple of months back, when he met with BMW officials. He was promised six more electric cars during that time. Later, when the production increased, other cities were selected to lease out the cars.

According to engineers at BMW, the Mini E would have a single charge electric range of 150 miles. Its top speed would be 95 miles per hour, with a 0-60 acceleration of about 8.5 seconds. The car’s backseat and part of its trunk would be occupied by a 573-pound lithium-ion battery, which would be used to power a 150kW electric motor. All lessees in the pilot program would be given a free high-voltage wall box, which would reduce the charge time of the battery to 3 hours.

Chris Jeffers, the Glendora City Manager responded positively to the electric car. He said that it would be a ‘win-win situation’ for masses, as the car would enable the city to save about $500 to $800 on gasoline on a yearly basis. He commented, “For us, it shows our green side as we’re trying to be as green as possible. It also allows us to delay purchases for some new vehicles.”

Yup, it was a hard decision to make, but in the end he chose to accept the free BMWs.

Update: BMW has announced plans to produce an electric car specifically geared to meet California’s Zero-Emission-Vehicle statute (ZEVs) by 2012.  The car will be called the BMW City or “Project i”.  There is no way to tell at the moment if they will scrap the Mini E program, or if this model is its natural successor.

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Former race car driver Morris Clement is all set to develop his own electric car. He will be building a low-speed, battery-operated vehicle: a less-exciting, greener approach than the toys he used to play with.  In 1998, the National Traffic Safety Administration classified the cars as neighborhood electric vehicles, or NEVs, and they are certified “eco-friendly”.

As for specifications, Clement said that the car would offer speeds up to 25 miles per hour, therefore making these 4-wheel NEVs not suitable for highways. He stated that the vehicle could drive for 40 miles without recharging and that the battery should be replaced after 5 or 6 years. Interestingly, he asserted that the electric car can be used to drive up a mountain and on snow-clad roads.

Morris Clement was a National Championship race car driver with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). In fact, in May 2008, he built the Cobra 427 SC, which was the first ever COBRA that could travel well over 200 miles per hour. For this, he was featured in the popular Kit Car Magazine.   One year later his 25 mph golf-cart helps earn him a feature on Plug-In.com.

These days, Mr. Clement is the owner of Fastlane Lube Masters at 6280 Grand Avenue, at Gurnee Mills. He said that he was inspired to build electric cars for the general masses so that they could save money and enjoy driving at the same time. According to his wife Mary, the NEVs would be apt for picking up kids from school, buying groceries and are great for short trips.

It was only recently that he received his township’s Special Use Permit allowing him to service and sell these electric cars. Mr. Clement informed the media that states such as Wisconsin, Texas, Georgia, California, Florida and Arizona already permit these cars on the roads.  By 2010, the state of Illinois would also allow it. However, like most vehicles, users must first acquire registration plates, licenses, certificates of title, insurance, and stickers.

Regarding the issue of cost, Morris Clement quoted $20,000 for new cars and $3,500 for used ones.  Thanks to the economic stimulus bill passed in February, owners of his electric NEVs could qualify for a federal tax rebate up to several thousand dollars.

Mr. Clement is fast developing the 1st prototype, which is called the ‘Orange Crate Special’. He is utilizing an E-Z GO frame by the Textron Company, which is the largest producer of utility vehicles and golf carts. Moreover, just like he did with his record-breaking Cobra, Morris is using race car components in this model. He asserts that the car would be sturdy, safe, and offer superior quality,  stating “I’m very picky because I’ve built my own race cars.”

The chances, however, of everyday drivers switching to these NEVs are slim.  They are suitable for only a narrow range of activities and really expose the plug-in’s liability of constantly having to recharge.  Even if the price were brought down to a level where people in 3rd world countries, who require small cars without fast speeds, could afford it, the infrastructure for electricity just does not exist.  It seems that the production of these types of EVs are heavily dependent on the stimulus package to make them enticing.

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Londoners are about to welcome an all-electric vehicle pod, according to a recent announcement by Zipcar, the world’s largest car-sharing service provider.  As part of a pilot program, the pod will be used to test the profitability and durability of plug-in cars as they are incorporated within their fleet.  The statement comes soon after the company partnered with Westminster City Council, the government municipality that is backing the car club with £200,000.   Members who sign up for the program will also enjoy one hour of free parking and exemptions from various service fees.

The new electric vehicles — a plug-in hybrid Toyota Prius and Citroën c1 — will be placed behind Westminster City Hall, on Spencer Street, where its dedicated EV recharging bay is located.   From there, Zipcar members are being enticed to experience their first-ever  ’zero-carbon journey’.  Zipcar, London’s initial car-sharing service provider, began offering hybrid vehicles in 2003.  Within almost six years, the company was able to add one thousand green cars to its fleet, and they now continue to expand their network of charging stations and vehicle offerings.

In San Francisco, circa February of this year, Zipcar launched a test which, more than likely, had far-reaching effects within the company’s management circle:   Converted Toyota Prius plug-ins were distributed to pods across the entire Bay Area.    As reported by Zipcar, over 85% of customers told the company that they would be interested in driving plug-ins after taking part in the program.  Also mentioned was that the vehicles were driven on battery-power for 75% of the miles travelled. Based on the relative success of the California test-run and customers responses, management surely was encouraged to bring the concept to the crowded streets of London.

Further Alternatives

Also of note is AltCar, another car-sharing project, which offered the Maya 300 vehicle about 2 weeks ago. So far AltCar is a small-scale project, founded by the Maryland Science Center.  ExxonMobil holds a stake in the battery makers responsible for the Maya 300, and unsurprisingly, they have provided AltCar with $500,000 in funding. The Maya 300 would take around six to eight hours to charge, possesses a range of 60 to 120 miles and a not-so-impressive top speed of 25 miles per hour.

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