Sunday, December 22, 2019

Gas delivery now made easy, e-rickshaw’s to replace tricycles

Soon, consumers may get their domestic cylinders faster and distribution may become less laborious for delivery men.


Published: 20th December 2019 05:05 AM 



The manufacturing cost of the e-rickshaw is Rs 1.45 to Rs 1.6 lakh | P Jawahar

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Soon, consumers may get their domestic cylinders faster and distribution may become less laborious for delivery men. A gas agency of Indian Oil Corporation at Korattur introduced an electric rickshaw for delivering gas cylinders last week. The initiative came in the backdrop of the direction from Petroleum ministry which decided to replace tricycles with environment-friendly e-rickshaws.

“Now, delivery men can drive the battery-operated e-vehicle straight from the agency to houses,” said PG Krishnamoorthy, Director of Ammani Associates and Services India Private Limited, an electric vehicle manufacturer in Chennai and the gas agency owner.The company is planning to manufacture more based on demand.

The e-rickshaw is pulled by 1,000 watt motors and will cover 70 to 90 km distance after it is charged for seven to eight hours. “The vehicle capacity is 400 to 450 kg. Fifteen domestic cylinders can be transported at one go,” he said adding that the vehicle has been designed to pass through narrow roads less than 15 feet width. The manufacturing cost is `1.45 to `1.6 lakh and the vehicle weighs about 200 kg.Besides reducing physical labour, the vehicle also reduces transportation time. “So far each worker delivers about 25 to 30 cylinders a day. Now, the per day delivery target can be increased thereby reducing delivery time,” said an HP gas dealer at Ambattur.

There are about 200 gas agencies in Chennai and each get 300 to 400 cylinders from petroleum companies at regular intervals, which ranges from two to seven days depending on consumer base. According to official data as of May, the State has 2.14 crore domestic gas connections, of which 1.17 crore consumers are supplied Indane. Sources in gas companies say there is no deadline to replace tricycles. However, they have been asked to introduce electric vehicles at the earliest.

Transport officials said they are yet to get any clear directions from State and Central   governments on registration of e- rickshaws.Presently, e-rickshaws which are being operated in New Delhi are registered under transport and commercial vehicles. “We were told electric vehicles weighing less than 650 kg can be operated without any registration and driving licence.”

Specifications

1000 watt motor
Recharge time: 7 to 8 hours
Vehicle weight: 200 kg
Carrying capacity: 400 to 450 kg
Maximum 15 domestic cylinders at a time

No comments:

Post a Comment

NEWS TODAY 21.12.2024