Bientôt des vélo-rickshaws électriques… comme en Europe, sauf l'objectif : Dans le cadre du programme CSIR-800 (Conseil de la Rechcerche Scientifique et Industrielle) visant à améliorer la qualité de vie de 800 millions d'indiens vivant sous le seuil de pauvreté, l'étude et la réalisation d'un véhicule à propulsion humaine n'ayant aucune émission ont été engagées. Il s'agit donc de (re)donner plus d'autonomie à ces personnes.
Born out of the recent CSIR vision, appropriately titled, CSIR-800 aimed at empowering 800 million Indians by way of S&T intervention, the Mark I version of Soleckshaw has been designed, developed and prototyped by the CSIR’s national laboratory, the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) at Durgapur, in a record time of eight months. The accompanying solar charging station for swapping the batteries has been set up by the Central Electronics Limited (CEL), a Govt. of India undertaking. The specifically designed robust low power high torque brushless DC motor has been developed for the first time in India by the Crompton Greaves based on the specifications provided by CMERI.
Technical Features :
| Power source | Solar and human |
| Drive | Motor-assisted pedal-driven |
| Electric motor | BLDC hub motor: 240-350 W, 36 V with regenerative capabilities |
| Transmission | Chain drive with differential and two ratios |
| Brakes | Three-wheel braking |
| Seating capacity | Two passengers |
| Payload | 200 kg |
| (excluding driver) | |
| Speed limit 15 kmph |
The advanced versions of Soleckshaw Mark II and Mark III with better aesthetics, ergonomics, speed and recumbent driving position is expected to be ready for launch during the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Several R&D projects are slated to be launched in the areas of storage batteries, charge and speed controller, solar photovoltaics and hybrid transmission, in a network mode to make the future Soleckshaw, an engineering marvel.
Fiche détaillée : ici. Il est également étudié des versions livraison de marchandises… Quelques similitudes avec les expériences françaises … Et si finalement nous convergions vers les mêmes objets (voir ici et là)…
