MUMBAI, India — General Motors India and Reva, the Bangalore-based electric-car maker, will collaborate on the design and development of electric vehicles and technology in India.
The much-anticipated agreement, which marries GM's platform development capability with Reva's expertise in electric drivetrains and control systems, should result in a wider choice of products for Indian consumers.
Among the likely models to emerge from the new alliance are battery-powered editions of such GM small cars as the Chevrolet Spark and Beat. The first Spark EVs are expected to go on sale in 2010.
The partners plan to work closely with the Indian government to develop the required infrastructure for EV charging, as well as provide financial incentives to those opting for the environmentally friendly vehicles.
Both companies have already begun feasibility studies of GM's platforms to host the electric technology, and further announcements regarding the vehicles are awaited.
Inside Line says: If successful, the GM-Reva partnership could be a linchpin in building India into a global manufacturing and development hub for small electric vehicles and technology. — Hormazd Sorabjee, Correspondent
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