Indian Autos blog

Financial Express, in a report published last week, explained the Maharashtra government’s move to exempt electric vehicles from paying motor vehicle tax.

To encourage its residents to buy electric vehicle that will certainly make a difference to the air quality in metros and crowded towns as well as make cities less noisy, electric vehicles are exempted from paying taxes. Electric vehicles also reduce the dependency on foreign oil and are a more efficient way of commutation.

Mahindra issued a press release today evening to inform the media that two products showcased at the Auto Expo, the Ssangyong Rexton and REVA NXR, along with “its Compact SUV” reach the market before the festive season in October/November 2012. Mahindra has highlighted product plans of its two wheeler and heavy vehicles division in the document.

Mahindra is referring to the mini Xylo as compact SUV. We say that because there isn’t another compact vehicle that is nearing the end of development in Mahindra’s R&D building.

Mahindra is working on another SUV, the Nano of SUVs (by virtue of size and ideology), codenamed S101 which is still a few years from production. Mahindra has not discussed this product in its release.

Mahindra adds that the passenger application of the Mahindra Maxximo, the Mini Van, will touch down in April-June 2012 and the sub-4 meter Verito sedan is scheduled for Q1 2013 debut.

Finally after buying 55% stake in Reva, Mahindra is showcasing the first product from the tie up. Although, the company has displayed the concept models of the Reva before, there were not really finished products. At 2012 Delhi Auto Expo, Mahindra has taken the wraps of the Reva NXR for those who are feeling the pinch of rising fuel prices.

The Reva NXR is a two-door hatchback powered by an electric motor. The charge is stored in Lithium Ion batteries that enable it to reach a decent top speed of 104kmph and give it an adequate range of 160km on a single charge.

The Reva NXR represent new generation of tree hugging vehicles of the lines of Nissan Leaf. Mahindra said that a distance from Connaught place to New Delhi Airport which should hurt your wallets to round about 300 bucks will only cost you 10 bucks in the Reva NXR.

click through to see the image slideshow

We’ve been hearing about REVA’s NXR (next generation REVA) in India since the time it premiered at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in late 2009. If you recollect, our Brazilian follower Gustavo Ruffo sent us snaps of the unveiling too. REVA initially hoped to launch the NXR in India last year but after Mahindra acquired control of the company, the launch for some reason has faced delays.

The two-door hatchback features Lithium Ion batteries that enable it to reach a decent top speed of 104kmph and give it an adequate range of 160km on a single charge.

In a press release sent out today, Mahindra stated the NXR will be exhibited alongside an electric Verito at next month’s Delhi Auto Expo. We believed the car in question was the same model showcased in Frankfurt. Turns out Mahindra has pasted its company logo on the NXR’s front grille.

Spied near Bangalore, the REVA NXR sports a fine pearl white color revealing new details. This could be a low-end variant as it lacks fog lamps and body colored wing mirrors. Notice the windshield wiper that is of opposed type and the blackened roof.

This version of the NXR is expected to be on view at the Auto Expo next month. We’re told that Mahindra is charting plans to launch the vehicle next year on the back of rising fuel prices. The REVAi is available through certain Mahindra outlets and the new addition could be retailed alongside the predecessor.

Mahindra has announced that at Auto Expo in Delhi next month, it will display Ssangyong products Rexton and Korando, an electric Verito, and the electric two-door Reva NXR. It has not used the word “launch” in the press release so we assume that this will be a preview of these future products.

The company has not attached photographs of any of the vehicles. But IAB readers have already seen Ssangyong vehicles in the form of spyshots while they were being tested and acclimatize to Indian conditions.

See spyshots of the Ssangyong Rexton

We’ll have to hold on till the unveiling ceremony for a glimpse of the new models. Mahindra had sanctioned an electric Maxximo to haul exhibition items at last year’s show. A top official recently informed IndianAutosBlog.com that integration of REVA’s electric technology into Mahindra products is underway. We recently spied a production-ready REVA-powered Gio Compact Cab EV as well.

The REVA NXR was unveiled way back at the Frankfurt Motorshow in September 2009. Since then REVA has seen its ownership change hands and a rejig in the retail strategy. Mahindra’s acquisition meant the company’s objectives were re-looked including plans to import the NXR to European countries and assemble it in America.

IndianAutosBlog.com reader Bairesh Raj sent us a snap of the sturdy-looking REVA NXR testing on the Bangalore Hosur road. He left us this note -

This black REVA NXR had excellent pickup and its performance is as good as any vehicle that runs on fossil fuel. The acceleration matched me throttling in my 150cc Yamaha FZ-S. During the chase it reached a top speed of around 80kph.

REVA claims that the 2 door EV can reach a top speed of 104kph while providing a range of 160km. Unlike the current model, the next generation model gives information such as time-to-full-change, pre-heat or pre-cool the car, send you an email report on your driving habits.

In case of range anxiety, a remotely activated reserve charge will power the vehicle to the next charging point. The NXR should be launched at the Auto Expo next year.

Mahindra is betting big on EV technology and that was quite evident when they acquired Maini Motors, the parent company of Reva (a.k.a G-Wiz). The Reva has been on the receiving end of a lot of criticism because of it cramped interiors, wayward handling and poor performance. So when Mahindra bought over Maini Motors they decided to address all those teething concerns. In 2009, Mahindra-Reva Electric Vehicle (MREV) displayed a  [ Read More ]

If there is one manufacturer from India that is betting big on fuel saving technologies it has to be Mahindra. They were the first ones to introduce the Micro Hybrid (a.k.a Start-Stop) in India. They have showcased a functional hybrid vehicle and the Maxximo EV was on duty at last year’s Auto Expo. Then, they went a bit further and bought a controlling stake in Maini Reva Motors to further  [ Read More ]