If there's a more vilified electric car than the Reva G-Wiz, we're not aware of it.

The Indian electric quadricycle has been the butt of jokes for years, with everything from its poor performance, circus clown car looks and concerns over safety coming in for criticism.

Nothing lasts forever, and Reva owners Mahindra are set to launch its successor, the NXR, in the home Indian market later this year.

The NXR has been on the drawing board for a few years and should cure many of the G-Wiz's ills, including the styling--though as you can see, it's still no looker.

Reva has hopefully taken steps to increase safety too, particularly following 2010's stories of a fatal accident in the UK in which a G-Wiz split in two.

While India's market for electric cars is similar to that in the U.S, in some ways its needs are more pressing.

Air pollution is a major issue in some areas of India, with many of the internal combustion vehicles of old, inefficient and dirty designs. Many of these are also particulate-belching diesels, as the fuel is cheaper than gasoline and easier to find.

Technical details are thin on the ground at the moment, but Reva is hinting the car will have more "connected" technology in line with current trends.

Autoblog suggests the car will also have a 15-minute charge mode to replenish a quick 15 miles of range, a solar charging system, and a 'Car2Home' ability where the battery can provide power to a home during a blackout.

More details will available when the car goes on sale later this year--though like the G-Wiz, it's a vehicle we're unlikely to see in the U.S.

+++++++++++

Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook and Twitter.