OK, so, the title of this story is something of a red herring: to automotive enthusiasts, an "exotic car" is exotic not just for where it is built, but for otherworldly performance capability.
But for this story, we have deemed the REVA-NXG electric vehicle "exotic" because of its point of origin: India. The nation, which is becoming increasingly famous as a technological hub, has now produced a bold-looking electric car, a type of automobile that many had thought was headed for extinction, but appears to be enjoying a resurgence--at least as a kind of prototype.
The REVA-NXG was made by
Using a 50-horsepower motor to drive the front wheels, the REVA-NXG has sodium-nickel-chloride batteries instead of conventional lead-acid batteries, which have a shorter life. Its hydraulic brakes are regenerative, as well--i.e. they convert thermal energy burned during braking into potential energy for the vehicle to use.
Inside the cockpit, the car has what RECC calls a "wireless tablet"--an appliance that integrates into a high-resolution, single touch-screen display all of the vehicle's dashboard functions, including speed, state-of-charge, range and critical sensor inputs, as well as a GPS-based navigation system, a modem and MP3 compatibility.
Several companies worked together to develop the prototype, tapping Bangalore's expertise in information technology, electronics, automotive components and plastics. Indian industry would be conducive to producing such an electric car in low volume, but with an affordable sticker price.
Forbes Fact
RECC spent between 25,000 and 30,000 man-hours designing the REVA-NXG.
Coming on May 10 to Vehicles: A Racy Korean SUV