If we visit any country of the world, we can see electric vehicles in the streets. In fact markets of the world are flooding with electric vehicles. In Europe we can see many types of electric cars to small electric scooters for disabled people running on the footpath. But it is a strange thing that in a huge country like India, not many electric vehicles are seen.
Electric vehicles means battery operated vehicles.
here are some eye catching advantages of electric vehicles.
- Electric vehicles are very cheap vehicles. So common people can afford to purchase it.
- No petrol or diesel required. Only expenses of charging the batteries. It is a small expense. So running expense per km is very less. So it is a big attraction for middle class people.
- No driving license required for two wheelers like mopeds.
- No registration with RTO required for moped type electric vehicles.
- It is very easy to manufacture electric vehicles.
- No pollution at all in electric vehicles.
In spite of these many advantages, it is very strange that electric vehicles are not manufactured in cities of India. To manufacture any thing is easy at decentralized scale or small scale in a industrial cities like Rajkot, Ahmadabad, Coimbatore, Ludhiana, Delhi etc. It is extremely easy to manufacture electric two wheelers in villages by availing of decentralized manufacturing base in above cities. Not only that, it is more convenient to manufacture in villages. In cities factory rent will be more. In villages just in the compound of the home one can assemble electric two wheelers. In cities, workers go to the factories from far away distance. So more expense. In villages 2 or 3 friends can assemble jointly very easily. Electric vehicle manufactured in cities will require big advertisement with big expense to sell it. In villages it can be sold easily without any advertisement in the village or in a near by village. Most of the components can be brought from the cities. Thousands of such components and accessories manufactured in the villages of Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan are sold world wide in wholesale. So in our villages also, nothing is impossible to manufacture such items involving engineering skill. Diligence and enthusiasm of village people can bring immediate results. now complete tiny tractors are manufactured by farmers in villages. But electric vehicles are far easier than tractors. Electric vehicles do not have engine , clutch, gear box etc. In any vehicle major expense is engine, gear box etc. Rest of the structure is easy to make. Batteries are available readily in market. Wheels, tires etc are readily available. All accessories are readily available in the market. DC motors are manufactured by many people in Ahmadabad. If Ahmadabad is far away, then making DC motors in villages is also not difficult. Chassis of the two wheeler can be fabricated by any welder. It is so simple. There is a huge wholesale market of two wheeler components in Rajkot, Ahmadabad, Delhi , Coimbatore and many other cities. So every thing can be purchased from such market. Items like switch, light, steering, components of break system etc are available at very low cost in wholesale market. There is nothing more in electric vehicle. I feel it very strange that in spite of all such items readily available in market, not many people are manufacturing electric two wheelers any where. If any skillful technician tries his level best, then electric vehicles can be sold at very low cost and still they can earn lot of money.
There are two limitations of electric vehicles.
One limitation is that it can work for small distances only. Because battery will discharge and it requires recharging. Electric two wheelers generally run up to 40 Km. so if we have to go 20 Km and come back then it works nice. It is quite enough to go to neighboring village and come back. In cities also it works properly. Its speed is generally 40 Km per hour, not faster. But there is no difficulty in it. Village roads are not like high ways. So for villagers, electric vehicles are more suitable. In cities due to heavy traffic, vehicle speed is 20-30 Km only. So no problem for electric vehicles.
Second limitation for EVs, battery may have to be changed at every 3 years. Batteries are expensive. However, on the whole, electric vehicles are cheaper, very less running cost, lighter in weight and free from pollution. So they are blessing to humanity. For recharging the battery ,there is inbuilt battery charger in every vehicle. battery charger is very cheap. When you come back to home, you have to simply plug in battery charger wire. Thats all. Battery will be charged.
There is huge possibility of electric cars also. Indian automobile garage people are very clever and skillful. They should develop the business of converting petrol cars to electric cars. As per my own estimate, there is a bright possibility to convert 2 lakhs petrol cars in electric cars every year. In such conversion, car engine , clutch, gear box etc are removed and DC motor or AC motor with electronic controller is to be installed. Electronic car controllers are very costly now a days. But good team of electronic engineers can develop it at throw away price. Hardly its production cost may be Rs.2000/-. Main expense in electric car is for batteries. Mostly 8 batteries are required. Deep cycle batteries are required. 7.5 HP AC motor may work in a electric car. So all garage people can convert petrol cars to electric cars and can contribute to environment. Running cost of electric car may be 50 paise to 80 Paise per Km. So even a higher middle class will be attracted with electric cars. There is already big demand of electric cars in the market. But as electric cars are not available at cheaper rates, demand is not seen. There is no need to manufacture new electric cars. When petrol cars engines become weak, it should be converted into electric. Then it will be very cheap.
Electric cars can run at 60 Km per hour and range is 80 to 100 Km only. So electric car is ideally suitable for cities. To make our city pollution free, electric vehicles is the best the solution.
To convert petrol car to electric car, many good books are available in Europe and USA. Our good technicians also should write good book in our languages to convert petrol car to electric car. Our garage people are more skillful and resourceful than European and American auto technicians. So we can do tremendous work in this matter.