One of the highlights of my three weeks spent in India was visiting Dr. Sudarshan Maini, founder of the Maini Group that produces the Reva electric car. His residence is a few floors above the Reva showroom in Bangalore. The showroom area was under renovation but there were several models, including the new i, outside to examine. More about the Reva in another post…
As I walked into his meeting room, my first impression was how 
gracious and welcoming Dr. Maini was. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I immediately felt at ease. The following 20 minutes was filled with EV talk and the future of the business both for Reva and myself. Some interesting points were:
-No indigenous EV-suitable advanced battery technology on the horizon.
-They have built a supplier network and all the major components are now indigenously sourced.
-They’re tooling up a factory capable of 30,000 units/yr, but not the current model. My guess is that they are manufacturing for Tata who has announced an EV for foreign (European mostly) markets in the next few years.
I asked about building an electric autorickshaw to replace the smoky and noisy gas powered units that belch their way all around India but he mentioned their reticence at entering a market that an industrial power like Bajaj totally dominates. I had to admit some disappointment that such a huge opportunity couldn’t be taken advantage of in order to avoid political ramifications. The same story seems to play out everywhere. Disruptive technology in an industry as capital intensive as automobiles is not welcomed.
