It looks like all the big players in the auto industry need boosts and help from their competition after all for succeeding in their plans. GM and Reva Electric Car Co., from India, announced that they will start producing a small electric car for the Indian market, based on GM’s Chevrolet Spark. The announcement was made by GM India president Karl Slym.
Currently, the Chevy Spark is sold for about $5,200 in India. Slym didn’t mention a price for the electric version, but he said it will be affordable for everyone. The car will be manufactured at GM’s existing plants in India – at Halol, in the western state of Gujarat, and at Talegon, in neighboring Maharashtra – which can together churn out 225,000 vehicles a year.
Although small, the electric car market in India will grow up, because the customers will be able to charge their Spark from any wall socket during the night, and the battery will take them to a maximum of 300 miles, which is enough for a day’s trip. GM also sells a version of the Spark running on LPG, but it hasn’t shown much success, due to the lack of gas pumps.
With the entrance of the affordable electric vehicle in India, it is very likely that the electric infrastructure will also develop much better, and people will be able to charge their vehicles in gas stations in only a few minutes. Spark is the low-price ice breaker.
