PUDUKKOTTAI: Rising petrol prices are gradually pushing the world towards sustainable transportation. In a country like India where electric vehicles are still a far-off dream for the common man, here is a man who has built one on his own. Meet 42-year old A Saravanan, an electrician from Idiyathur in Ponnamaravathi.
Having lost his job to the Covid-induced lockdown, Saravanan has been supporting his family of seven, including his parents, wife, and three children, by farming. This left him with some spare time to experiment with machines -- a passion since his childhood.
"Seven years back, I tried to make an electric bike. Unfortunately, it was a failure. After that, I kept reading about it and watched several videos on it. During the lockdown, I started experimenting again," he says.
He first bought an old two-wheeler and tried fitting it with a battery. It somewhat worked. To get a better result, he then bought another old two-wheeler in better condition for Rs 2,500. This time, it worked. He's been using it for more than 45 days and says that it is running smoothly, with a mileage of about 45 km. He spent Rs 26,000 and took three months to perfect the vehicle.
"To build such a bike, you need to have electrical, welding and mechanical knowledge. Since I have worked in a private electric company in Tiruchy, I know welding work also. Welding is of most importance while doing such modifications," he says. He has changed the entire engine of the two-wheeler. He had ordered a Brushless DC (BLDC) motor, controller unit and kit from Chennai.
"I have been cheated several times while ordering such motors and kits. This time everything worked out fine. Usually, in e-bikes, a 20 Ah, lithium ion battery is used. I couldn't afford that. Therefore, I used a lead acid 14 Ah battery, which is usually used in bikes. If the e-bike battery is used, the mileage can be up to 65 km," he explains.
He charges the bike with the help of solar panels set up in his house. "I have four 315 watt solar panels at home. I have an UPS which has a 150 Ah battery storage. I charge the UPS through my solar panels, and battery through the UPS," he says.
The specialty of the vehicle is that disabled persons can also use it. "Every time you press the brake, the motor stops running, saving the battery, and gives you a better mileage," he says. "There is no noise, no sound, no pollution, and most importantly, no petrol."