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Electric car Reva to be exported to Europe

India's first electric car, launched last year with hopes of wooing buyers with its low running costs and non-polluting tag, will be exported to Britain and Europe, a top company official said.

Chetan Maini, managing director of Reva Electric Car Co Ltd, told a news conference he had sealed a deal with London-based Going Green Ltd, to market 250,000 battery-powered Reva cars over the next 10 years.

"Since our launch in July 2001, we have seen over 300 cars on the roads of India and now the response is coming from the overseas market," Maini said.

Reva is already sold in Nepal and Malta and is currently being tested in China, Hong Kong, the United States and Switzerland, Maini said.

The two-door car was first introduced in the southern Indian city of Bangalore in July 2001 and the national capital in May this year.

Company officials said the car had an operating cost of Rs 0.40 (0.8 cents) a kilometre, lower than conventional cars which cost upwards of Rs 1.8. The electric car can drive 80 km on a single charge.

"The best thing about the car is it is maintenance-free. There is no leaking oil and no exhaust and fuel filters to be changed," Rimple Dipak, the first Reva buyer in Delhi, told Reuters.

The showroom price of the Reva ranges from Rs 263,473 for the basic version to Rs 318,032 for the top model.

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