Tata has given its employees another year to do more testing and contain the situation. The company recently setup a small factory in Coventry where it assembles electric vehicles.

That is some bitter news for the Brit public as the Vista EV would have probably proved a more pocket-friendly solution to the Nissan Leafs and Mitsubishi/PSA i-MIEVs both of which cost about £25000 (about 21 Lac Rs.), even after the £5000 discount due to the government’s grants. The Vista was supposed to have a 100 mile (160km) range, twice that of previous generation electric vehicles.

The Tata ACE EV is showing signs of it being a high-potential commercial EV

Whether the production Vista EV might ever see the light at the end of the factory gate may be a tough one to guess, but another Tata we all love very much, already has!

The ‘Tata ACE Electric Mini Truck’ as it is called has started rolling out of the Coventry production facility at the rate of 10 units a week with strong demand for more. Available in Chassis cab 590kg, Drop side 500kg, Box van 485kg and Tipper 375kg derivatives with corresponding payload limits, the ACE EV manages a maximum of 48Km range with a maximum speed of 40Km/h.

A bigger electric vehicle for the commercial segment is expected next year in the U.K. This maybe the Super Ace EV displayed at the Auto Expo in Delhi earlier this year as part of the Technology Day organized by SIAM (image on the left).

Tata is also working on hydrogen fuel cell vehicles which one-ups the EV atleast in terms of the 500Km range on a single tank. They are presently testing this technology on the Indica in West Midlands. Not to mention their progress with the compressed-air driven, fiberglass body glued, tubular framed, “MiniCAT” with French company MDI, Tata Motors are doing what they can to develop technologies that can drive their car far into the future.

But whatever the alternative energy Tata finally settles down with, its just good to know that there is at least one Indian car maker who is seriously trying to mitigate the Everest-scaling fuel prices by doing something.

[Source: Thegreencarwebsite.co.uk]

General Motors at the Beijing Auto Show 2012 showcased a rendering of the Chevrolet EN-V 2.0, the next generation concept model of the EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle) which was recently shown in India at the Delhi Auto Expo 2012.

The EN-V was first showcased at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai and is a concept that did not fade into oblivion.

The Chevrolet E-NV 2.0 features mobility Internet, electrification and telematics which are next generation technologies on smarter automobiles of the future. The two-seat electric vehicle converges electrification and connectivity. Traffic congestion, parking availability, affordability and air quality were factors that formed the basis of this vehicle’s conceptualization. These factors are going to come at a premium in the future in urban areas where population will grow multifold.

The E-NV 2.0 has metamorphosed into a more road-going form which can travel in all weather and road conditions. E-NV vehicles communicate which each other in its area and constantly share data on traffic. They are compact and run on electricity and thus take up less parking space and don’t pollute. Since they are constantly sharing data with each other, chances of getting stuck in a traffic jam are less.

A version that drives autonomously is also being developed. GM hopes to put these vehicles into the Chinese cities through pilot programs.

What is the buzz all about?

A lot of Delhiites complain about hot summers with the Sun fiercely shining overhead. Well, that same aggressive Sun will help Delhiites commute to their office. New Delhi is all set to go green with Solar powered rickshaws.

How do they work?

Slickly named Soleckshaws, these rickshaws use a strip of silicon to convert solar energy into electricity which is then stored in the batteries and used to power the vehicle. With the help of solar energy, these rickshaws are capable of reaching a maximum speed of 25 km/hr.

How much do they cost?

There are three variants available

• For plastic frame with an enhanced battery – Rs 85,000
• For plastic frame only -  Rs 75,000
• For metal frame body – Rs 45,000

What is the plan?

It was designed by Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Six contract manufacturers have been chosen to manufacturer and the plan is to introduce about 1000 rickshaws in the various parts of the capital by June. In the first phase the rickshaws will be introduced in Delhi University, Dwarka, Pitampura, Rohini and trans- Yamuna areas.

What is the future?      

Municipal Corporation of New Delhi plans to increase the number Soleckshaws on road to 10,000. If things click, we can see these Soleckshaws is all parts of India.

[Source: Dailymail.co.uk]

Romai Electric doesn’t actually make auto rickshaws. But they do make electric tricycles which can be altered to autos by adding roof covers on it.

The company has a range of electric tricycles from 60 watts to 1000 watts for ferrying passengers. However, only 200 or more watts vehicles will be heading to India. The expected price is between Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000.
The clear advantages of a electric auto rickshaws are:

• Low/Nil fuel consumption
• Low C02 emission
• Cheaper to buy and maintain

The management team of the company was in Kochi recently to test the product in Kerala roads. The company is also busy getting approvals from the Transport Officer of the state. Around three containers of vehicles and spare parts would be transported from China before the official launch happens.

[Source: Msn.com]

Read about Indian Autos Blog’s casual encounter with the Nissan Leaf

The clear advantages of EVs are that they don’t run on fossil fuel and as a result don’t pollute the environment. However, most auto manufactures haven’t yet cracked the holy grail of EVs. The EVs that are running on the streets today have several shortcomings and thus haven’t yet fully replaced fossil fuel burning traditional vehicles.

The CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, Carlos Ghosn is the biggest advocate of EVs in the industry. He made an announcement last year that the Renault-Nissan Alliance will pump 5.6 billion dollars to build 500,000 electric vehicles and batteries at 11 factories in eight countries by 2013.

Ghosn believes that the technology of the batteries, the technology of the motors, and the technology of the other components makes it possible to have a car with a very competitive performance to internal combustion. The automotive industry is not going to be able to continue to prosper unless the manufacturers embrace technology that is independent of oil and respectful of the environment.

Head over to Wired.com to read more on the EV development plans of Renault Nissan Alliance that was published last year.

The tiny tots are fired by an 18-kWh battery pack wired to a 80 hp electric motor. This lends a range of 81 miles with a top speed of 81mph. Volkswagen will introduce its version by 2013 followed by the Skoda model a year later.

The petrol engined Up! is on sale across Europe while the Citigo is available in its home market of Czech Republic. The petrol Citigo’s availability will extend to other European markets in 2013. It is powered by a 1L petrol engine producing 60 or 75hp.

[Source - WOT.MotorTrend.com]

The Vista EV was parked at the 2012 Auto Expo in Delhi demonstrating Tata Motors’ technological prowess. But, in case you missed it, here is a nicely edited video showing the features of the Vista EV.

The e-NV-200 has a grafted Nissan Leaf’s front fascia. In addition to sweeping headlamps and LED accents, the hood features a blue-accent badge that pops open to reveal a charging port. The e-NV200 features a pair of large glass roof panels, which gives the interior a more airy feel, as well as advanced telematics and a digital instrument display that appears to be inspired by an iPad.

The e-NV200 shares its electric drive system — an 80kW motor and lithium-ion battery pack — with the Nissan Leaf. It’s expected to provide around the same 160km range as the LEAF. Nissan states that this van would be suitable for both commercial and passenger use in large metropolitan areas.

[Source: AutoBlog.com]

The Verito EV sports giant decals shouting out its new heart, redesigned speed control, a new digital meter and REVA badges. Stay tuned for more info.

Mahindra Verito Electric Image Slideshow

Visit the Mahindra Verito Electric Flickr Page to view the image gallery directly.

Economies of scale

This one’s making the Micra owner blush – Same start button on Leaf!

We spent a few minutes driving the Leaf and this is what we could get.

Christmas Tree sign does not mean Santa’s arrived

Tree sign is a gauge rewards your driving habits - More trees mean you are impressing her!

Leaf connotes a greener environment, right?

Leaf stands for Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family car

Did someone leave behind their hair gel?

No, that's the Leaf's drive selector - Choose Eco mode and turn off AC for maximum range

So many buttons and controls!

No weight saving or cost cutting measures here - It feels just like any other vehicle

Alloy wheels, so what?

Regenerative braking charges battery, special tires lower rolling resistance

Look! Even the neighbors can charge their mobile phones on this car.

No, you don't charge mobile phones here. This is the Leaf's own charging port.

Color codes warn you on the approaching storm?

No! The intensity of grey varies with the number of charging stations in the region

Nissan Leaf Image Gallery