Sunday, September 27, 2009

Reva eyes NY for electric vehicle factory | Cleantech Group

Reva eyes NY for electric vehicle factory | Cleantech Group: "Indian carmaker leaks word of negotiations with an economic development agency for a plant to build the recently unveiled three-door hatchback.

Bangalore, India-based Reva Electric Car is narrowing down the locations for a U.S. factory to build its newest electric vehicle, the REVA NXR.

And Syracuse is emerging as one of the front runners thanks to state and federal financial incentives, as well as an unnamed manufacturing partner, according to a report today in The Post-Standard newspaper.

Reva's manufacturing partner plans to build the plant in Onondaga County, employing 100 initially, the report said. The deal has not been finalized, but either Reva or the partner applied for $40 million in federal loan guarantees and other incentives, the newspaper reported.

The paper said it was unclear whether there was involvement from the non-profit economic development agency Metropolitan Development Association of Syracuse and Central New York.

'We are not ready to comment on the deal as it isn't finalized,' an agency spokeswoman told the Cleantech Group today.

Earlier this week, Reva unveiled two highway-ready electric vehicles at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. The REVA NXR, a four-seat, three-door hatchback family car, is scheduled to go into production in 2010, while the REVA NXG, a sporty two-seater designed by Dilip Chhabria of DC Design, is set for 2011 (see Two new electric cars for India this month?).

The vehicles would follow in the footsteps of Reva's original electric car, the REVA, with a cost of Rs 300,000 to Rs 389,000 ($6,100 to $8,000) in India after government subsidies, and an operational cost of Rs 40 ($0.82) for 100 kilometers (see Reva-ing it up in Delhi!)."

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