Reva Electric Car Company

The all-electric Nissan Leaf is the highest profile electric car out there, but it is the REVA that is the best selling electric car in the world.

Well, "car" is a bit of a stretch. The tiny vehicle is too small to be considered a car in the U.S., where it would be classified as Neighborhood Electric Vehicle. It's not sold here, so the point is moot.

In any case, the Indian-made car has sold 4,000 vehicles in 26 countries since it was introduced in 2001.

The updated REVAi was released in 2008, followed by the REVA L-ion the following year.

The little car is designed for city driving and commuting, especially in congested areas. The car can go about 50 miles on a charge. The top speed is around 50 mph, provided that the heater or air conditioner is turned off.

There are safety concerns with a car this small (eight and half feet long, four feet wide). However the Reva Electric Car Company said the REVA has a great safety record, saying in 2008 "In over 80 million km of REVA usage, there has not been a single fatality or serious injury."

However in 2010 a driver was killed in a REVA crash in London.

The REVA costs the equivalent of $16,000.

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