All you need to know about the G-Wiz
The Reva G-Wiz was conceived by an engineer in California called Dr Lon Bell who became intrigued by the way that cars operate and decided to design an electric car. His first thought was to ask what was necessary in a car. He concluded that it needed wheels, tyres, steering and windscreen and that much of the rest was luxury and got in the way of being a quick and agile, no-frills electric vehicle for emission free urban and suburban travel.
Subsequently, Reva Electric Car Company was created in Bangalore in 1994 as a joint venture between the Maini Group of India and Lon Bell's AEV LLC in the US. Its REVA electric vehicle was launched in Bangalore in 2001 and in London in 2004, under the G-Wiz brand.
The first G-Wiz that was developed was a DC drive, followed by the AC drive in 2005. Following safety concerns raised in 2006, Reva developed the current G-Wiz i featuring a safety package with increased front and side impact protection, a strengthened frame, a collapsible steering column, a hill rolling restraint feature, plus front disc brakes that deliver a 30% improvement in performance. The G-Wiz i also now comes with advanced ac drivetrain that delivers a smoother more powerful ride, with a range of up to 48 miles per charge, a certified top speed of 50 mph, 40% extra mid range torque, swift acceleration to 30 mph (60% quicker than its nearest competitor) and a tiny 3.5m turning circle that makes the G-Wiz easy to manoeuvre, simple to park and great fun to drive.
The G-Wiz i requires roughly 10KWs of electricity to charge fully. This equates to around 1.35p per mile. Compare this to your average petrol engine which may manage 40 miles per gallon at roughly 12p per mile. If the G-Wiz is recharged using green electricity from renewable sources, then the emissions are also exactly zero.
Uniquely, the G-Wiz is also entirely carbon neutral in the manufacture, shipping and first two years' driving. Combined with green electricity tariffs, it is "carbon negative", because it will be offset for a greater amount than its true emissions. This is still more beneficial to the environment.
All G-Wiz i come with a two year warrantyone year roadside recovery and a choice of servicing packages.
General Technical Specification
| Manufacturer | Mahindra Reva |
| Vehicle type | 2 door, 2 +2 seater hatchback (L7e quadricycle classification) |
| Drive | Rear wheel drive |
| Motor | AC induction motor, 3 phase, 6 kW continuous |
| Gears | Automatic (direct drive, no gears) |
| Brakes | Front disc / rear drum brakes / regenerative braking system |
| Dimensions | L 2.6m, W 1.3m, H 1.6m |
| Ground clearance | 150mm |
| Wheel base | 1.7m |
| Weight | 400 kg excl batteries |
| Tyres | 13" energy-saving low rolling resistance tubeless (pressure 35 psi front / 40 rpsi ear) |
| Turning circle | 3.5 metres |
| Security | Remote central locking, immobiliser. |
| Top speed | 51mph |
| Maximum incline | 20% |
| Safety | Tubular steel space frame with side impact beams, energy absorbing bumpers collapsible steering column. Full EU Type Approval for L7e quadricycle. Safety package, frontal impact crash tested at 25 mph. |
| Body colour | Standard colours are Deep Black, Marine Blue or Silver Lightning. Wide choice of custom colours and graphics available |
| Wheels | Choice of standard or alloy |
| Interior | Choice of fabric or leather trim. DAB stereo, 12V supply, cup holders. Optional retractable rear seatbelts. |
| Air conditioning | Optional |
| Storage | Rear seats fold flat for extra space. Additional storage tub under bonnet. |
| IP Cluster | Electronic speedometer, trip odometer, automatic computer controlled indicator for power consumption and regeneration |
| Charge | G-Wiz can be charged from any standard 13 amp indoor or outdoor electric socket although we recommend that a 16 amp charging point is fitted by a qualified electrician. All sockets must be switchable (on/off); RCD (Residual Current Device) protected, that is, fitted with surge protection (a 'trip' device); and a circuit breaker must be fitted at the local distribution board. If you are in any doubt contact your electrician. Charge cost varies according to provider, as a guide off-peak 50p, peak 88p, (equivalent to as low as 1.2p per mile, or up to 600 mpg equivalent if you charge at night) |
| Tailpipe emissions | Zero gms CO2 / km |
| Emissions including those generated at the power station | 63 gms CO2 / km (offset by GoinGreen for the first 2 years' estimated driving) |
| Emissions when charged with renewable electricity | virtually zero gms CO2 / km |
| Insurance | Group 1 |
