Now after over 100 years of the rickshaw era, scientists at Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi have found a pollution-free solution to end the bane of this large populace by developing solar electric rickshaw, named as ‘Soleckshaw’. It is a rickshaw that is driven partly by pedal and partly by electric power supplied by a battery that is charged from solar energy. The initiative has come as a small step towards improving life of 800 million people who are living below the poverty line, including 8 million rickshaw-pullers. Though auto rickshaws, vehicles driven on fossil fuel, are also an economical means of transport and are used by millions of commuters, soleckshaw with its zero carbon footprint promises cleaner environment, providing quality of life for rickshaw-pullers without any reliance on fuel.
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Soleckshaw has been developed by a team of scientists at CSIR national laboratory (read our earlier coverage), Central Mechanical and Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) in Durgapur, West Bengal. The CMERI team has designed it to be a stable and safe vehicle which can be driven economically. The pedicab is motor-assisted and therefore is likely to be driven easily both on plain area as well as uphill, without any risk of imbalance which currently all rickshaws suffer from. The override mechanism on the rear axle ensures that both the rear wheels supply equal traction, making up for the balance of the vehicle and ease in taking turns. One of the main aims of soleckshaw is to reduce the effort required to pull a rickshaw. The 36V motor has been used to ‘assist’ the driver in pedalling. Even though it may not relieve him of pedalling, it will definitely make the task almost effortless for him.
Innovation
So how does the entire machinery work? There is a brush less direct-current (BLDC) motor controller at the centre of the soleckshaw’s handle. After the connection is established, the driver needs to start pedalling the soleckshaw and then rotate the throttle to get the power at the front wheel. Near the throttle on the right handle a push button is provided to select between two drive modes. The driver can first pedal and then turn the throttle to get assistance from the BLDC motor while pedalling or he could use the throttle first for minimal assistance from the motor and then begin pedalling.
The new pedicab with seating capacity of two passengers and a payload of 200 kg (including the driver) is expected to speed up to 15 kmph. The rear wheels of soleckshaw are manually driven while the front wheel is driven by BLDC electric hub motor which is mounted on the wheel. The motor, which weighs approximately 5 kg, is powered by 36V, 18AH lead acid battery which is charged by solar energy.
What is interesting to note is that Soleckshaw vehicles will be used to ferry Common Wealth Games’ athletes and finance minister has even proposed to provide concessional excise duty of 4% to the vehicle.
What’s your take on this innovation?
Also see: Samman Foundation – Bringing structure to the Rickshaw Industry (Rick is an OOH Panel)
Intersted NGO may take the initiative for the deployment of Soleckshaw with supportive intervention from state,for sharing technology adoption risk.
Problem with all the bloody solar systems are the battery cost and conversion factor of the cells. Though this gadget sounds interesting … is it economically viable for a rickshaw puller?? BIG QUESTION.
It would be good show… may be at the common wealth program…yet another CSIR money goes down the drain.
Kasi
Whoops .. something went wrong. Actually a lot went wrong
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/04/excess-weight-pulls-delhi-solar-powered-rickshaws-off-road.php
My only thing is how much it will cost and a real rickshaw puller can afford it and what are the other positive things that really help a rickshaw puller pull out of problems and out of all when this will be available to the public?
The minute i saw this i knew its not a private venture, like most govt designed products its useless. They could have given the job to some decent college kids and gotten a better product, rather than trying to get innovation out of a Govt Organization.
Useless design with lead acid, no solar panels visible, no regenerative power system …. and to top it all CSIR@West Bengal … what a joke … Maybe i should stop paying taxes.
Role of Scientific Lab is to carry research work to fulfill vision of country development. Since 1942, the vision invisages by our country leader is taken by scientific lab and heavy industries(PSU). During that cycle of country development, in 1947, no industry was ready to take major initiative for Research work and invest in haevy industries. But I appreciate the effort taken by Tata Sons to start IISc, Banglore and vision for today science.
One should not deny the contribution by any scientist, because they are part of society, you and me.
Here’s a catch: the batteries on this rickshaw are meant to be charged by solar power. With the typical 8-12 hrs charging time for lead-acids it means either the rickshaw (all the rickshaws???) would be sitting idle through the daytime when it should actually be earning money for the puller OR they provisioned enough spare batteries so a rickshaw can swap a depleted battery with a charged one at the start of a day OR they designed a storage system for the solar power that’ll charge the rick’s batteries at night, after the sun’s down.
So, how did they imagine this would work?
Btw, I don’t think the solar charging idea was much of a success – they just ended up using power from the grid.
Sad, sad.
Precisely. There can never be a self solar powered vehicle (solar power from that area cannot run a baby cycle for 2-hours) … what do they think “solar power is like atomic power?”.
Idiots.
Well, the problem with CSIR is “there is money and it has to be spent..” like any other public money…
My opinion on solar charging a costly affair, hope for releif from MNRE plan policy to subsidise Solar penal. Grid Power is also subsidise, presently. Two solutions either standby battries or penal mounted on vehicle.
Technology forcasting and technology adotion link to cover technolgy risk. India need to make all sad, sad to good good, so some positive inputs will boost scientist to certainly improve sad sad situation. In my opinion, these may be known issues to designer , who contribute.
Subsidizing a technology that itself has not come of age is not a sustainable solution. Why should the rickshaw puller be forced to carry around extra weight (batteries, motor) – just because someone spent money on it and it has to be used now? The first reason why the rickshaw pullers rejected this new design is the weight factor; the second reason being charging time.
They do not own the rickshaw they ride, therefore the cost does not directly affect them. Subsidizing two undesirable features cannot suddenly convert this into a desirable product.
Had the design been developed around say, lightweight (though expensive) Li-ion based batteries, then subsidy would make sense, because at least the user’s need would be met first. And that is only about batteries. There is plenty of scope for improvement in the design of the frame, components, passenger cell etc. to make it more efficient, more desirable.
Excellent innovation. I hope it has done well in field trials.
I think Soleckshaw should be deployed in Bangalore and they should replace the autos. Soleckshaw & Buses together can solve the traffic woes in Bangalore, as the riks can provide the last mile connectivity.
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The product design is bad. CSIR/CMERI should have taken assistance from National Institute of Design or any other design house.
I think still time is there to redesign the body and aerodynamics. Let them look at the Philippine peditricycle model or Velotaxi Model from Germany.
Indian Government organizations should change their attitude.Bringing other people/organizations/companies together to enhance the beauty of the product or products to showcase made in INDIA product Proud.
Still bad planning for charging of these vehicles. No charging stations. If no fast improvement. This product will die.
There is a huge talent pool in places like NID & other design institutes which can take the design appeal of an innovative, engineered product to the next level. And they don’t cost an arm & leg like some established design studios. Why an org like CSIR doesn’t recognize such a resource is beyond me .. and why our Indian products don’t match up to any international standards is, consequentially, equally obvious.
Agree with your idea of modular design.In my opinion, CSIR had taken up technical issues on design and the product final shape will be market driven.Final product shape will be modified by manufacturer.
Was the earlier manually driven rickshaw creating any pollution? No. How then can you call the Soleckshaw a pollution-free rickshaw?
Earlier, all that the rickshaw puller had to manage was get the punctured tyres repaired or put back the chain when it came off. Now he has to contend with a non-working motor, which means he wil have to take it to a mechanic to get it repaired. Plus, he will get to the batteries charged. Plus, the batteries will have their own weight. Plus, what happens to the batteries when they outlive their life–will they not have to be disposed, will disposing off acid batteries not cause pollution?
Lastly, there is no place for rickshaws to drive in most cities. Delhi government has also banned its driving in many places. Plus, where it is allowed there is already so much traffic load. How will the soleckshaw driver ensure extra earning if he can not make extra rounds–how will he make extra rounds in a congested locality?
I think you have only created more headaches for the poor man.
“They sit in AC chambers, drink bottled water(Mineral water) and plan how we villagers should be relieved of our water problems” – Someone in the sunderbans rightly said this to one of my colleague who visited them for a rural project.
This discussion here reminds me of it, it is impossible to sit on a laptop and decide what the poor man’s problems are. I did feel a lot for the poor rickshaw man, sweating his heart out for a mere 10 re, and thus felt like doing something about it, and came across this thread.
But a few days later i started speaking to one of them, and their real problem is not just pedaling you across the town, but the rickshaw owners and the unions and the local police. here is the gist of the conversation. I dont remember his name, but this is what we spoke.
Me: Is this your rickshaw?
Man: No sir, its on rent.
Me: How much per day?
Man: 50 Rs( 1 $ approx)
Me: where are you from, how long are you driving this from?
Man: I am from one of the villages of bihar, driving it from the last 8 years?
Me: How much does it cost to buy one? dint you think of buying one for yourself, by saving out some money?
Man: Its 8,000 bucks. Buying one is not a problem, I can arrange for money overnight, but the rickshaw owners union will not let you own one, they bribe the police men, the police men confiscate our vehicles claiming it to be stolen or explaining other laws, and we never get to see our vehicles again so we don’t buy them.
Me: (Astonished) speechless, shared my number with him, asked him to call.
Unfortunately he did not, and I do not blame him for it, i suppose he could not have trusted me with his money and risk everything he is had.
Do we still call ourselves a free India, what is the difference between the Britishers ruling the Indians and the Indians ruling the Indians, are we not still on the same page as the world is always been on, the rich getting richer and the poor being suppressed, is this what Freedom is for us, and Is this what we discuss on the forums here???