Earlier this week, the government in the U.K. announced a £250 million incentive program that would offer rebates of up to £5,000 for purchases of full electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles. Although that seems like a nice way to boost electric car sales in the UK, GoinGreen, the UK importer for the G-Wiz sounds unconvinced. The program isn't scheduled to begin until 2011, which is when vehicles like the plug-in Toyota Prius and Vauxhall Ampera (the version of the Chevy Volt that will be available in the UK) are expected to hit the market, so it won't help drivers in the UK who want to buy an electric vehicle right now.

According to a company spokesperson:

Why wait two years when other countries already have subsidies? There is now a danger that the proposals will actually stall the market for electric vehicles over the next two years. If the government really wants people to go green, then why not do it now?

We don't necessarily have anything against the two-seat G-Wiz, which recently got an upgrade to lithium ion batteries that push its range up to 75 miles and its top speed to 51 mph, but it's definitely not a vehicle with as much mass-market appeal as something like the Ampera, which can seat 4 occupants and surpass any speed limit in all of Europe. We'd hazard a guess that this is why the government's program is timed to coincide with the launch of mainstream electric vehicles.


[Source: Autocar]

GoinGreen, the UK distributor of Reva's G-Wiz, has announced prices and specifications of the tiny quadricycle with upgraded lithium ion batteries. The good news: the new model has a range of up to 75 miles, up from 48 in the older, non-li-ion version. Both models sport a 51 mph top speed, but the new lithium-powered version costs almost twice as much as the standard one: base prices start at £15,795 and £7,995, respectively. The li-ion version will also be available with an optional fast charge unit and uses about 20 percent less energy to charge. See more differences between the two models in this spec sheet. If you have a non-li-ion G-Wiz, GoinGreen will offer to convert your car to the new powertrain. Price TBA.

GoingGreen claims that this car is "the world's first mainstream electric vehicle powered by lithium-ion battery technology." Well, that's kind of bold. Is the G-Wiz more "mainstream" than a Tesla Roadster because of the price? Delivery of the G-Wiz L-ion will commence in May. More details after the jump.


[Source: GoinGreen]

In light of reports of slow electric car sales in the UK and the NICE Car Company's collapse, the distributor of the Reva G-Wiz i, GoinGreen, wants to let everyone know that they are still around and doing just fine, thank you very much. Although their sales are about half of what they were in 2007, they are claiming "good financial health" and expect that the downturn in the economy will affect them positively since their battery-powered buggies are inexpensive to buy and operate in a British motoring environment that's fraught with costly congestion charges, exorbitant parking fees and steep fuel prices.

In the case of the G-Wiz i, it's suffering sales are likely more closely related to bad publicity from horrendous crash results broadcast by the popular Top Gear television show than the economy. Although they've made improvements to both drivetrain and chassis since then and are now offering their Indian-sourced vehicle at a discounted £7,995 (on the road!), the design is starting to get a little long in the tooth and some buyers may be holding out for the UK rollout of the Th!nk City or Mitsubishi i MiEV. Hopefully, Reva will come through on their promise of new models and help GoinGreen remain a going concern. Find an official statement from GoinGreen after the jump.


[Source: GoinGreen]

If you know about the Indian car maker Reva, it's probably becasue of the G-Wiz, that tiny icon of the EV scene (if you're not familiar with the G-Wiz, this is the place to start). In October, Reva's chief technology officer, Chetan Maini, told Business Green that the company hopes to ramp up production capacity to 30,000 vehicles a year. This is a tall order, as the Hindu Businessline says that Reva expects to sell just 750 cars this year. So, what's so bright on Reva's horizon that has the CTO so confident? One new model a year for the next thee or four years (and these will be larger vehicles - how could they be smaller?), the possibility of moving to a battery leasing scheme, and modular concepts that will allow Reva to build the new models without the seven year-long R&D period that the G-Wiz had.


[Source: Business Green via Green Car Congress]

There's only one place to buy a new G-Wiz, the tiny electric car, in the UK: GoinGreen. To entice buyers, the retailer has just launched a dedicated insurance option for the crush-zone-free EV. With it, London G-Wiz drivers might be able to breathe a little easier as they cruise around. Benefits include a free G-Wiz if yours is in the shop, all repairs done by GoinGreen itself and "highly competitive rates." Oh, and there is only one printed document, which allows GoinGreen to call this a "truly green insurance policy." As we know, insuring small cars and hybrids can be expensive, so getting coverage tailored to your EV lifestyle might be worth it. GoinGreen developed the plan with insurance broker Heath Lambert and it is underwritten by Chaucer Insurance.

[Source: GoinGreen]

Click above for more images of Top Gear's crashed G-Wiz

Top Gear has never been kind to the G-Wiz, that electric Quadricycle that's only available across the pond in Europe. In this video, Jeremy Clarkson - star of the U.K. Top Gear shows - definitively proves that a table is a better, faster and safer mode of transportation. But, that's not the only time that Top Gear has tested the G-Wiz's safety. In this video, Top Gear tested the electric vehicle's crashworthiness by smashing one head-first into a concrete barrier at 40 miles per hour. Considering that the G-Wiz is not required to meet safety regulations - it is not intended to be driven at high speeds - the results are rather predictable, but a bit scary nonetheless. After the test, it seems that the wrecked G-Wiz EV was ignominiously left for dead at the Top Gear offices in the U.K. Anybody interested in picking up a slightly used, though still currently registered, G-Wiz can check the eBay auction here. Proceeds go to the Children in Need charity.


[Sources: eBay, Top Gear]

When most people look over a Reva G-Wiz, "award-winning" isn't usually the expression that comes to mind. However, the makers of the little electric quadricycle, the Reva Electric Car Company (RECC), are now in a position to claim such an accolade. Because of their impressive sales volume, market penetration, and high customer satisfaction in the electric vehicle (EV) sector, the 2008 Frost & Sullivan European Automotive Powertrain Company of the Year award has been bestowed upon their heretofore unadorned brow. And while it might seem ill-mannered to raise the point that they are practically the only company in their sector with a product available, it is indeed the case. That is not to understate their accomplishments though. Sales-wise, they manged to sell an average of a car a day in 2007 and with their recent upgrades, they are the first company to sell, in volume, an EV with a AC motor.

If their ambitious goals for the future come to pass, this may not be their last award. They have plans to begin construction of a ultra low energy plant that can churn out at least 30,000 vehicles by the end of this year as well as introduce a new model and variant each year. Get all the delicious details in the press release after the break.

At first we thought somebody out there was exercising their ninja photoshop skillz but then it occurred to us that those folks would probably not be busying themselves with the likes of the G-Wiz. No, this had to be the product of a mind so sick, so twisted, that it created the original Reva G-Wiz, on which this pick-em-up truck appears to be based, to begin with. Luckily, we live in the age of the internets and after sending out a correctly formatted query down a tube, back shot the hoped-for response.

From a page created somewhere back in the mist of time (2006) came the reassuring news that this crime sin peccancy iteration of the G-Wiz was a one-off built as a test bed for a phosphoric acid fuel cell. This cell used methanol instead of hydrogen as an energy source and negated the need for a hydrogen storage system. Of course, it also created the need for a methanol storage system but that's beside the point. Since nary a peep has been heard about this creation since an article describing the project was published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, we feel it's safe to assume the concept has been put to rest. If you want to make sure that this is the case you'll have to pick up a copy of the latest magazine published by the Battery Vehicle Society (BVS) and look for an article about the truck written by Mike Boxwell.

[Source: G-Wiz Owners Club]

Often when a product is "new and improved" the upgrades are mostly to the packaging. In the case of the Reva G-Wiz, the ever popular letter "i" added to its moniker gives us the external change while the majority of improvements lay unseen beneath the dent- and scratch-proof ABS body panels. This doesn't mean they will go unnoticed as evidenced when Danny Fleet of EV vlog, Danny's Contentment, takes us for a spin in his latest test-driving episode. He catches even the subtlest of differences like the curve of the windshield and the heavier "thunk" of doors that have been modified with better side impact protection.

Many of the changes in the new Wiz are safety oriented but there are performance improvements as well. Top speed has increased to 50mph while the acceleration is smoother and quicker. Range is now just short of 50 miles in the cool climes of the British Isles but, of course, YMMV. Check out the London retailer, GoinGreen for the complete rundown of the technological advancements.

Watch Danny in all is test-driving glory after the jump. Also check out the bonus videos of G-Wiz crashes before and after the improvements.

[Source: Danny's Contentment]

Reva Electric Car Company (RECC) says it will launch a new electric car by the end of the year and a new electric car (or variant) every year after that. Reva also says they have built a plant with a 33,000-unit capacity, five times their current capacity. The cars will be exported all over the world, wherever there is new interest in the environment and tax breaks, says Reva. Here is exactly what Reva's deputy chairman and chief technology officer, Chetan Kumaar Maini says:

We will launch one new vehicle and one variant every year and by the end of 2008 calendar year, we will rollout another electric car with more advanced features, and fitted with a battery that can traverse wider distance. ... Governments across different countries are offering incentives for electric vehicles. With such fiscal benefits and growing awareness, the market for these vehicles will expand globally as well as in India

Reva's electric car, the G-Wiz, is very popular in countries like the UK and Japan. G-Wiz, which actually qualifies as 4-wheelers and don't require crash testing, were upgraded last year after crash tests showed the cars were not very safe. Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, in particular, gleefully pointed out the G-Wiz's faults, at one point crashing the car into a dinning room table. The table did not move while the G-Wiz crumbled.

Related:

• Video: Jeremy Clarkson reviews G-Wiz
  
• Test of the tiny, all-electric G-wiz and NICE Mega City (VIDEO)
• AutoblogGreen's mini test drive of the Riva EV
• Moderate speed crash in Indian EV likely to be fatal
• G-Wiz gets some safety upgrades, still not a car
• Jeremy Clarkson takes on the Reva G-Wiz

[Source: Domain-b]