August 2004

E-Mail This Article Printer-Friendly Version The Reva fuel cell prototype, built by Bangalore-based Reva Electric Car Company.

BANGALORE, INDIA - India’s first prototype fuel cell-powered passenger car, a cute little city vehicle, made its debut in India’s capital New Delhi at the end of June.

Built by the Reva Electric Car Company (RECC) headquartered in the country’s high-tech capital here, the two-seater (plus two tiny rear seats for children) represents an extension and further development of the Reva Classé, a battery-powered electric first road-tested shortly after its completion in 1996.

Unveiling the car at Technology Day Award ceremonies in New Delhi, India’s president Dr. Abdul Kalam described the car as an example of the “next great thing world over and the energy source for automobiles in the near future,” according to an account on RECC’s website. Kalam is an internationally known aerospace scientist, who is regarded as a prime mover of India’s rocketry programs and who was instrumental in turning India into a nuclear power.

The Reva fuel cell vehicle is powered by a Ballard Power Systems Nexa 1.2 kW which essentially functions as a range extender, according to a Reva release. A Scottish company, SiGEN, Aberdeen, handled the fuel cell integration work, a Ballard spokesman confirmed. Reva says the basic battery car has a range of about 80 km (50 miles) on a single charge. The fuel cell system and hydrogen would add another 50-60 km (31-38 miles), according to RECC’s release.

RECC didn’t provide any information on the on-board hydrogen storage system, but it’s believed to be a compressed gas storage tank. The Reva prototype is the country’s first fuel cell passenger car, but a hybrid battery fuel cell van was built two years ago, according to Fuel Cell Today.

RECC is a 1995 joint venture between the Bangalore-based Maini Group, the majority owner, and an American company, AEV LLC, of Irvindale, CA, according to RECC’s website. The Maini Group manufactures precision automotive components, and it exports to a global blue chip clientele including General Motors, Mack Truck, Bosch, Eaton, Renault, John Deere and others, according to a 2003 posting on the International Finance Corp. (IFC) website. Contact: Amit Kumar, RECC, phone 0091/80/78 32240; e-mail amitk@reva-ev.com, web www.revaindia.com.