India Develops World’s First Solar Bicycle
Gujarat's Baroda Electric Meters Ltd (BEM) has invented solar bicycles which is affordable, has many features & is believed to be the first solar-powered bicycle in the world.
Gujarat's Baroda Electric Meters Ltd (BEM) has independently invented affordable solar bicycles. It is believed that the invention is the first in the world. Based in the Anand district of Gujarat, BEM is one of the leading manufacturers of energy meters installed in Gujarat households. The solar bicycle project was named ‘Worldwide First Solar Bicycle Rollout - Disruptive Innovation in Electric Mobility’ and was started with the help of electrical engineering students of Birla Vishvakarma Mahavidyalaya (BVM.) The prototype of the bicycle was designed & developed by four engineering students - Meet Mehta, Hitarth Solanki, Mustafa Munshi, and Rushi Shah two years ago. They were guided by the Managing Director of BEM Ltd, Dr Vithal Kamat. The design won an award from India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) earlier this year in March. India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF) is a Delhi-based research institute comprising government officials, environmentalists, technical experts, and others specializing in smart energy, electric mobility & smart cities. According to ISGF, several attempts have been made to design a solar bicycle internationally but this one is the first commercially successful in the world. The solar bicycle is designed in a way that it can be manually pedaled as well as driven like an e-vehicle. It weighs less than 30 kg and can carry a person weighing up to 100 kg. In the pedal assist mode, the bicycle can run for 30 km and has an average speed of 25 km/hr. The bicycle takes only 4 – 5 hours to fully charge and can run up to 20 km in full-throttle mode. Even the complete body placement of the bicycle will cost less than Rs. 5,500/-. All these amazing features were made possible by inventing special technologies. BEM’s Dr Vithal Kamat said, “We have independently developed technologies like the solar maximum power point tracking charge controller and solar panel mounting suspension to convert a normal bicycle into solar powered.” He also mentioned that both these technologies have been patented by them. The solar panel mounting prevents damage & breakage of the solar panels when the bicycle falls. The BEM has initiated talks with the state and central governments to initiate policies that will enable subsidies on solar bicycles and reduce their costs further.
