REPORT: Indian firm Reva to build electric cars in upstate NY
Sure, Syracuse, New York has the Carrier Dome, but if a pending deal between Indian electric car maker Reva and Long Island-based Bannon Automotive is finalized, the city may soon be known more for EV production. Bannon Automotive has been negotiating with India's Reva for months now, and the licensing deal that's been tentatively brokered is pending the full approval of the Indian firm's entire board.
State development loans and Department of Energy lending guarantees are behind the move to renovate a 150,000 square foot building in Clay, NY. Over the course of three years, 250 jobs will be created by building Reva NXR vehicles. The Reva NXR can hit 65 mph and has a range of 100 miles when boasting a lithium ion battery, while lead-acid powered NXRs top out at 50 mph and go 100 miles. If all the loose ends with funding and approvals get wrapped up, the electric vehicle effort will be the latest in an effort to entice clean energy manufacturers to New York.
[Source: Syracuse Post-Standard via NYT Blog]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
iridium 9:24AM (10/22/2009)
I've seen the reva on the road (not the pictured future model - this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reva_Electric_Car_2008.jpg ) and I cannot imagine why someone would actually want to be seen driving one.
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Luso 9:32AM (10/22/2009)
That's the old G-Wiz.
The new models are quite modern. Not great, but OK.
This NY plan would be a great marketing strategy.
http://www.carnorama.com
airswingman 9:41AM (10/22/2009)
Luso are u the sales? we are not blind lol
dal20402 10:23AM (10/22/2009)
Why would someone want one? NYC onstreet parking. An assembly plant in NY state is no coincidence.
Aznauto 12:16PM (10/22/2009)
Much rather drive that than anything in the Chrysler lineup.
deborah_malas 11:35AM (11/17/2009)
Whats more important, "what we look like", or what good we are doing. Stop just thinking about yourself and you image and what harm we are doing by our actions.
airswingman 9:39AM (10/22/2009)
no oh no... selling in gas station? or liquor store?
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Avinash machado 9:41AM (10/22/2009)
Seems smaller than a Smart.
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homunculus 9:53AM (10/22/2009)
this is great news for otherwise depressing upstate industry. hopefully more new industry can help buffalo and rochester as well.
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jjcentral 10:54AM (10/22/2009)
This is a great alternative approach to the very expensive highway capable EVs from everybody else that would not come below 35k in price. Lets be honest, most of us who want an EV simply can't afford it because of the ridiculous price. If I could afford one I would be driving a Tesla roadster by now. If the manufacturers want us to adopt EVs without second thoughts then they need to introduce low cost teasers like these to get a taste of EV. If this car is priced in a regular compact car range, it might have a good future.
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J 11:01AM (10/22/2009)
I'm a college student going to school about an hour south of Syracuse, and while I will have graduated by the time any plant may start construction, this sounds awesome for the economy up here. It would be cool to see some of these vehicles used on college campuses, if Reva makes a light capacity cargo vehicle and if theyre better than the Miles Automotive low-speed electrics that were having problems in the cold conditions at some Michigan schools.
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