A team of two will undertake a 1,500-km journey from Chennai to Mumbai using a tuk tuk (a kind of three-wheeler auto used in Thailand), that has been converted into a solar-cum-electric vehicle by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Their objective is to create awareness among the people on the need for moving towards a sustainable, electric and low-carbon future. The team was introduced to the students of the Stella Maris College on Thursday. The meeting was organised by the Australian Consulate-General, Chennai.
The SolarTuk Expedition comprising of Talia Rose, a biomechanical and electrical engineer, and business entrepreneur Claire Jenkins, whose enthusiasm for renewable energy has been the binding factor, has already completed the Australian expedition which covered more than 3,000 km going through Melbourne, Sydney, Queensland and Victoria to the Great Barrier Reef.
According to Talia Rose, the Australian trip had garnered them a huge fan following across all age groups and helped disseminate favourable opinions on renewable energy and the negative impact caused by burning of fossil fuels, in the form of climate change. Ms. Rose said the Tuk Tuk installed with Tesla batteries had faced some challenges like bush fires, floods and cyclones during their trip in Australia.
The SolarTuk Expedition plans to cover Iran, Turkey, Europe and the U.S.
