Reva NXR caught on test; Tax exemption for EVs introduced in Maharashtra

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.

Meanwhile Mahindra-REVA continue testing the NXR (or next generation Reva) around Bangalore. The test mule shown here was spotted by our good friend Gokulraj of ZapStore.com, while he was returning to Chennai a few days ago.

The NXR was showcased at the Delhi Auto Expo however M&M refused to give any further details about the power train.

The Reva NXR is expected to be offered in two different battery packs. The first one will be a conventional lead acid battery pack and the second one will be an advanced lithium ion battery pack (the same batteries that are used in your laptop). The lead acid battery will have an 80 km range and the lithium ion pack will be good for 160 km. Adding to that, the Reva will be offered in 3 different sizes of battery pack – small, medium and large.

At the Expo, Mahindra clearly mentioned that the prices and features will be announced during the time of launch which is expected to be before Diwali. We expect the Reva NXR (lead acid one) to be priced around 6 lakhs and the lithium ion one to be around 9 lakhs.

Distribution will also be a key for Mahindra-Maini as Reva does not have more than two dealerships in India. Mahindra can choose to sell the Reva NXR from its own dealerships, which it is doing now, or set up separate shops for the Reva. While the former feels cost effective, it definitely dilutes the Reva brand, in turn making it difficult to justify the high price tag.

[Source - FinancialExpress.com]