Will an electric bicycle hit it big in Amaravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh? The answer could be ‘yes’ if Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu who has a penchant for all things ‘smart’ approves of a proposal by the Chennai-based Veltech Dr. RR & Dr. SR University.
A team representing the university is in the city to meet Mr. Naidu on Wednesday and put forth a proposal to introduce ‘smart’ eco-friendly transport in the form of an innovative blue-tooth-embedded e-bicycle in the Amaravati region.
The university has developed a prototype of what it claims socially relevant technology with high impact on society, in partnership with Francecol Technology, a French company. The project was recently approved under Industry-Academia Research and Development Programme and funded by Indo-French Centre for Promotion of Advance Research (CEFIPRA).
“We wanted to develop an embedded wheel drive electric motor with special design features for superior performance at lower cost when compared to the electric cycles currently available. One of the aim was to develop motors without permanent magnets. This technology has spin-off applications in wheel chair and other electric vehicles. The product will be marketed in India and Europe,” said Francois Bernot of the French firm.
Veltech and FranceCol are contributing to the design and technology area while the French University partner Centrale Superlec at Gif sur Yvette will analyse and test the product and Indian industry partners Joshi Electronics & Electrical Pvt. Ltd, Pune and Gurgaon-based Turnpoint Technologies are responsible for manufacture of prototypes and commercial operations.
Objective
“Our concept’s first objective is to create an electric assistance for bicycles and wheel chairs by integrating our ultra thin and high frequency electric engine to one of its wheels with its power electronics and sensor. This innovation is a result of seven years of research and development. Applied to an aeronautic system, tested and approved, this engine has the advantage of being simple to build and economical,” said Dr Francois Bernot.
“Imagine if the city has 10,000 such bicycles, the roads would turn into paradise,” said U. Chandrasekhar, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the university.
The university has developed four such cycles.
“The cost factor may come down once we start mass production,” said Mr. Chandrasekhar.
