Naveen Rabelli is a 33 year old Indian engineer who has been working along with his team on a very special project since the year 2012. This project, titled Tejas, was aimed to create something with which they can spread awareness regarding clean energy across the world. So, they have created a customized electric rickshaw in which they will travel from Bangalore to London.
Project Tejas – Solar tuk-tukNaveen Rabelli was a former engineer with the electric unit of the car manufacturing giant in India Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., Mahindra Reva. He has been working on the project Tejas. To create this custom three wheeler, he has fitted it with a new battery, motor and gearbox.
This machine work solely on solar power and electricity. It took the team a period of two years to complete the project and now the second hand tuk-tuk is all set for its amazing journey. Tejas, when loaded fully, weighs about a ton. Its roof has solar panels and cloth drapes. The customized three wheeler, when charged for 8 hours, can complete a journey of 80 km. It can further do additional 25 km while drawing solar energy.
Project Tejas – Solar tuk-tukThe project Tejas has cost Rabelli and his team about INR 3,60,480. More funds are expected to be needed before the journey begins in order to buy a lithium ion battery pack and reinforcement of the floor. Naveen Rabelli will take his travel companion Raoul Kopacka on this journey.
The two will travel to Mumbai from Bangalore where they will board to tuk-tuk on a boat o Iran. Then they will continue their journey to Persian Gulf to Turkey to Bulgaria and finally across Europe (French port of Calais). The journey is expected to be of 10,000 km with the final destination being London. Naveen expects it to take 90 days.
Check out more pictures, and a video after a jump.
Also see – Mahindra unveils Hydrogen powered three-wheeler
See more pictures of Project Tejas –
Source – Solar tuk-tuk
