1. About the REVA Automatic Electric Vehicle The
REVA AEV is a fully electric vehicle designed for urban
commuting. It is Ireland’s most popular Electric Vehicle and is incredibly fun to drive.
The REVA is both the cleanest vehicle on the
Irish roads (there are no emissions) and according to the AA it is
also the least expensive vehicle to own, with lifetime costs lower than any car.
The REVAi is powered by electricity and provides up to 80
km in range on a full charge (typically 60 – 70 km in normal road conditions, depending on
driving style, weather etc.), with a certified top speed of 80 km per hour.
A full charge takes 8 hours, uses
9.6kWh of electricity and costs about 80 cents depending on your tariff. (less than 2 cents a kilometer). Waiting in traffic has a negligible effect on range. The
batteries need to be charged fully without interruption on a regular basis,
although 80% charging capacity is reached within 2.5 hours which is okay for
occasional practice.
The REVA is charged
as easily as a mobile phone. It comes with a charge cable, which plugs into the side of the vehicle and into your
mains electricity at home or elsewhere. The charger unit is inside the vehicle.
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2. What models are available? There are two available in Ireland:
the REVAi, and the REVA L-ion.
The REVA L-ion is the latest variant, being the most advanced
model with lithium-ion battery technology giving longer range. However, both are identical in terms of outer shell and comfort, safety and performance.
The Tech Spec here shows a comparison.
RECC have launched four models to date the first being REVA DC, REVA AC, the REVAi in 2008 and the REVA L-ion in 2009Back to the top
3. What is the seating capacity of the REVA? REVAi is is a two-door hatchback, which can comfortably accommodate two adults and two minors under the age of 12 years old. Back to the top
4. I don't have off street parking - what are my options? · Some REVA owners charge at work. If no sockets are available, your workplace might agree to install a socket somewhere that has parking access. This is a simple job, please consult your electrician or ask us for further information. Similarly, this option applies to residential buildings with private parking. ESB has also begun rolling out charging points across Ireland which will allow for free charging for up to 2 hours.
View ESB ecars Charge Point Locationlarger map.
GreenAer do not recommend running a cable across a footpath for safety reasons. You may check with your local council to discover if they allow it (usually they do providing you have electric cable protection, e.g. a rubber mat) and you should also consider how quiet / busy your street is in terms of foot traffic and whether your cable likely to be disturbed. Back to the top
5. How green is the REVA? The REVA is the greenest commercially available vehicle in Ireland, both in terms of climate gas emissions and local air pollution. If you buy your electricity from a renewable supplier such as www.airtricity.ie the REVA has practically ZERO emissions at 7.2 g CO2 / km. If you buy from a regular supplier representing the average mix of electricity production in Ireland, CO2 emissions work out at 69g CO2 / km. This is two-thirds less than the car average in Ireland of 176g CO2 / km and around 40g CO2 / km less than the nearest clean hybrid or diesel cars. See more information about the calculations on our Savings page. GreenAer off-set the emissions generated in the manufacture, shipping and first two years driving. Whatever your electricity source, the REVA has ZERO direct emissions, so no local pollution, ever. The REVA is also much quieter than a conventional car, minimising local noise pollution. Back to the top
6. How do I insure my REVA? All REVA’s are Group 1, the lowest price insurance group. If you need assistance insuring your REVA, we can suggest the following companies. As the REVA is a relatively new and rare vehicle, it is sometimes better to telephone than email these companies. Please remember to quote the make as REVA and the model as standard ac drive (sometimes this will appear as "ELECTRIC" or "ACD") and mention that the REVA has an immobiliser - this lowers the fee. Currently, the quotes are being obtained from Travelers or RSA Group..
For an insurance quote, we can recommend of Philip O'Gorman of First Ireland call him on 01 8820800.Back to the top
7. How economical is the REVA? The total energy required for a full charge of a REVAi is 9.66 Kwhr which gives up to a maximum of 80 km; in city driving conditions. This works out at about 0.02 cent per km. The average running cost of a petrol car is 0.15 per km.
Since the REVA does not have an engine, clutch or gears, or a carburator, radiator, exhaust etc, the maintenance cost is low. Estimates show that the maintenance costs of REVA are 40 % lower than that of a small car over a 3-year ownership period. Back to the top
8. How far can REVA go on one single charge? REVA can go up to *80-KM on a single charge depending on usage. There is a battery level indicator light, which comes on when there is 15 KM of charge remaining. Subsequently, the onboard computer automatically shifts the car into an " E " or economy mode, which enhances your driving range by another 5 KM.
REVA’s charging system is extremely simple, very reliable and safe. It has an on- board charger along with a charge cable and can be charged anywhere, at home or at work, by simply plugging in to a 222 Volt, 13-Amp socket (a regular plug socket). A full charge a attained in 8 hours and 80% charge in 2 and a half hours.
*The ranges quoted are the maximum possible distances per charge and depend upon temperature, road conditions, driving style, usage pattern and the age / condition of the batteries. Back to the top
9. REVAi warranty, battery life and maintenance A total of eight 6-volt EV type lead acid batteries specially developed for EV`s form REVA's power pack. All new REVAi are covered by a 2 year / 16,000 miles warranty (excluding consumables and ICE), whichever is the sooner. Lead acid Trojan battery warranty is 1.5 yeras. There is a one year parts and labour warranty for replacement batteries.
The REVAi batteries are lead acid with an expected average lifetime of two to three years. These 'wet' batteries have longer life than 'dry' (sealed) lead acid batteries found in other EVs. They are also easier to revive and are less expensive to replace. A replacement pack of 8 Trojan batteries cost €2000 euro including all parts, labour and VAT. A pack of 8 Dynex batteries cost €2899 including all parts, labour and VAT.
The batteries need to be topped up with 1 - 2 litres of de-ionised water once every 3-4 weeks, which takes just a couple of minutes. Simply connect the water kit onto the connector nozzle in the side of the vehicle and wait a couple of minutes. De-ionised water is available from most garages; Greenaer provide a year's supply for 15 euro.
If you do choose to purchase a REVAi you will be given a comprehensive handover by one of our team, who will explain how to maximise the performance of your REVAi and its batteries. You will also receive supporting documentation including a user-friendly QuickStart Guide.
Click Here for a Copy of the Warranty and Service Booklet
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10. How safe is the REVA? Designed, marketed and used as a low speed urban commuter vehicle the REVA has a safety record second to none, with over 80 million miles driven by customers globally and over 4,000 years of ownership with one reported serious injury (As on January 2011). Like any vehicle manufacturer, Reva Electric Car Company continues to
invest in product safety. Reva have introduced a new safety package
frontal crash tested at 25 mph for the 2008 REVAi. This features
increased front and side impact protection, a strengthened space frame,
a hill rolling restraint feature and new front disc brakes that deliver
a 30% improvement in braking performance.REVA took extra precaution in the design to incorporate many safety features such as Steel space frame with Side Impact Beams; Dent proof ABS body panels; Low Voltage (48v) system and Electronic regenerative braking.
It has passed all mandatory safety tests. The REVA has been tested at ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India), and has been passed for homologation and roadworthiness.
Overall / Side impact - The special steel space frame and side impact beams used in the REVA cocoons the passengers shielding them from impact.
Dent / Scratch proof - REVA uses ABS body panels that are dent / scratch proof. This ensures minimum damage to the car and enhances protection to passengers in the event of a collision.
Front / Back impact -. Injury to passengers is also minimized in the event of a frontal collision due to the position of the spare tyre in the bonnet space where other cars usually have the engine. The front and rear bumpers are energy absorbing and retain their original shape after a minor impact.
Low centre of gravity- the weight and position of the battery pack under the front seat ensures a low centre of gravity thus enhancing stability. Back to the top
11. What is a quadricycle ? In Europe there is an additional category of motor driven vehicles with four wheels called Quadricycles. The primary criteria for a quadricycle like the REVA are weight (maximum 400 kg without batteries) and power output (maximum net power 15 kw). Today there are over 300,000 quadricycles across Europe, conventional & alternative fuel with approximately 35,000 being sold per year. Back to the top
12. How do I service my REVA? All REVA’s require a first service after one month or 800 kms, thereafter every six months or 6,400 kms, whichever is the sooner. The Reva can only be serviced and maintained by GreenAer engineers. We are dedicated to providing you with excellent after sales service. Greenaer offer the first of its kind mobile servicing saving you the hassle and cost of driving your REVA to and from our Service Centre.
The traditional and the least expensive service option. Bring your REVA to our workshop in Pearse Street for servicing €350 incl VAT per year for two services, or choose the Pay As You Go alternative at €195 per service.
Our engineers visit your designated home or off-road work location to service your vehicle. Available within Dublin / M50 and a one hour drive time from our Service Centre in Pearse Street (see map). Our Mobile servicing is available from €550 incl VAT and includes 6 months free breakdown recovery service. A flat driveway or garage on hard ground (not gravel or dirt) away from other moving vehicles with 3 x 3 m of space is required. Car parks are not suitable for servicing or warranty work. Outside of the service area you will need a trailer in order to bring your REVAi to our Pearse Steet Service Centre, or you can choose our collection and delivery service (price on request). Back to the top
13.How much is a REVAi to buy? The REVAi is available from 11,500 euro on the road. To order a REVA from stock or fully customised REVA you simply select your model and leave us with a €2500 euro deposit by credit/debit card or bank draft and the balance just before delivery. The delivery time for a made-to-order REVA is 12-16 weeks. Depending upon demand we have stock or vehicles already in production which can be reserved with a deposit. All Stock can be viewed in our showroom in Pearse Street or visitstock vehicles. Back to the top
14. I live outside Dublin, can I buy a REVA Electric Car At present we are limited to offering full servicing to the Dublin and surrounding area (within 50km of our workshop in Pearse Street). The REVA needs to be serviced every 6 months / 4,000 miles whichever is the sooner and servicing costs can be expensive outside of Dublin. Our service centre is in Pearse street in Dublin City Centre and our mobile operation extends north to Navan, east to Kildare and south to Wicklow. If you did want to go ahead and purchase a REVAi you would need to arrange your own transport, i.e. hire / borrow a trailer to have your vehicle trailed to our service centre. The REVA cannot be towed with their rear wheels on the ground above 20mph. We recommend using a flatbed trailer. It is possible to make a long journey in instalments if you have pre-arranged charging points, bearing in mind that you can charge from 20% to 80% in 2.5 hours.Back to the top
