Mahindra Reva signs R&D MoUs with Australian State of Victoria

Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. (Mahindra Reva), a global pioneer of electric vehicle technology, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Victoria, Australia, which is commissioning a feasibility study to explore the potential for research, supply chain development, and manufacturing of clean technology vehicles in Victoria. Mahindra Reva also signed three MoUs with leading Australian research institutions to collaborate on development of advanced vehicle and energy management technologies.  The MoUs are with Swinburne University, LaTrobe University, and Australia’s national automotive research body, the AutoCRC.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Chetan Maini, Founder and Chief of Strategy & Technology, Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles, said, “We firmly believe that electric vehicles are the future of personal mobility, and our partnerships with the Government of Victoria and Victorian research institutions will help create the next generation of zero-emissions mobility solutions for the world.” Mr. Ted Baillieu, the Premier of the State of Victoria, was present for the signing of the MoU and further added, “The Victorian Government is committed to maintaining a strong, dynamic automotive industry in Victoria, and welcomes this interest from one of the world’s most exciting and innovative electric vehicle manufacturers.” Mahindra Reva has entered into the MoU with the AutoCRC to establish an operational framework for an Applied Research Program. The two-year MoU will facilitate the sharing of relevant confidential information and enable the two parties to establish specific project agreements under the Applied Research Program.  The MoU with Swinburne University, which has Australia’s largest electric vehicle research group, will focus on advanced EV technologies.

The company’s three year MoU with LaTrobe University aims to facilitate collaborative research and development for new energy management technologies. The research program will develop new concepts and techniques at the crossroads of high-efficiency building design, electric vehicles, and vehicle-to-grid technologies. Energy management systems for commercial buildings would encourage employees to use electric vehicles, which could in turn serve as a source of energy for the workplace or help stabilize clean energy sources like solar or wind power. Mahindra Reva’s new facility in Bengaluru, India is one of the world’s most energy-efficient automotive assembly plants, featuring technologies like energy recovery systems and solar power. The plant will serve as a test bed for technologies developed by the joint research program. Mahindra Reva is part of the multinational Mahindra Group, which also owns a controlling stake in Victorian-based aerospace companies, Gippsland Aeronautics (GippsAero) and Aerostaff Australia.