The Hindu Business Line : Solar-powered auto-rickshaw

The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF), Udaipur, recently unveiled a solar-powered auto-rickshaw in Mumbai. The autorickshaw, large enough to accommodate four, is powered by solar panels. The autorickshaw, at 300 kg, is heavy and rather costly, at Rs 3 lakh. Eventually, according to MMCF Chairman and Managing Trustee, Mr Arvind Singh Mewar, the aim is to lower considerably the vehicle's weight and cost. The solar panel alone costs Rs 1 lakh. The entire vehicle is made with indigenously sourced parts.

However, according to Mr Mewar, the vehicle was only a prototype, a workable result of several others, and an application for a patent had been filed. He said that the vehicle would have to be made more roadworthy, sturdy and cheaper, at Rs 1.5 lakh. There were plans to use the expertise of auto-designers to make the vehicle more aerodynamic and equip it with a fibreglass body to make it lighter.

Its battery could even be powered in cloudy climatic conditions, and, in an emergency, through electric lights. The battery could be charged for up to four hours of operation. Fuel costs would be zero and advances in research on solar energy are only likely to further reduce costs.

Mr Mewar said that though the maximum speed of the vehicle was 35 km per hour, it could help rural economies, the poorer classes, and even be used to ferry tourists to create employment opportunities that would indirectly stem migration from the villages to the cities. The stress would be on benefiting society, reducing pollution levels and being user-friendly.

However, there are limitations. More work will have to be done to propel the vehicle up a 40-degree gradient. Its use would also largely be limited to `off-road' use, or on wide smooth roads with little traffic. It could also be used in large factory areas, airports and complexes.

He admitted that the foundation would have to look around for manufacturing and marketing expertise to mass produce the vehicle and would initially gift 100 of these vehicles countrywide, at a cost of approximately Rs 5 crore. Manufacturing costs would account for 70 per cent and R&D the rest.

The Foundation was seeking partners for the research and also making a presentation to the State and Central Governments on the project. It was also looking for long-term investments on easy terms from FIs.

In fact, solar power has been successfully harnessed in transportation in Udaipur. There are two solar-powered boats already in use, one of them ferrying tourists between the Udaipur jetty and the Lake Palace in Udaipur. The boat, which can do better than 15 knots, is noiseless and smooth.

Mr Singh said it could be adapted for use at sea and other purposes, provided the hull of the craft was big enough. He said the solar boat was ideal for cruising and could be successfully promoted in tourist areas with lakes. Further, there have also been suggestions to convert existing vessels with two-stroke outboard engines into solar-powered boats, a cheaper option than buying a solar boat.

The Foundation has also set up a sewage plant that treats the sewage from hotels and other establishments in the City Palace Complex. The recycled water is used for cooling towers, irrigation, fountains and WCs. Waste material is used as manure.

Finally, the Foundation estimates that if it had 50,000 vehicles on the road in three years, in the third year, the savings on fuel costs alone would be Rs 424 crore.

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