Students design solar powered tricycle

Ahmedabad Mar 25 : Four engineering students have designed a solar powered tricycle for physically challenged persons.

With a maximum speed of 30 km per hour, the hi-tech tricycle was conceived by the final year students of Lalbhai Dalpatbhai (LD) engineering college some five months ago while preparing for a competition.

It has brakes on all three wheels along with an accelerator, which has increased its speed considerably.

An industry named Mamta Energy dealing with solar powered panels believed in this students project and got associated with it, providing necessary assistance to them.

"We have made a solar powered tricycle for physically challenged persons. We kept focus on increasing prices of petrol and diesel and used solar energy.t is driven by an electric motor," said Umang Shah, a student.

The solar powered panel has adjustable angles so that it can get right amount of solar energy to charge its batteries. It can cover 20 kilometers in one charge.

"Also since the solar panel is mounted like a shed above, it will save the person riding it from extreme heat," said Saurabh Gupta, another student.

The initial investment on the tricycle was about 40,000 rupees.

The students have already taken a test drive on February 7, from Paldi to Sarkhel to check it's functioning.

ANI