Two IITians, Rajendra Bhaskar and Sushil Reddy from Energy Science Department of IIT Bombay, set out for a unique journey on May 8 this year – to spread awareness about solar energy and its uses in India. And their ride for the trip is as amazing as the motivation behind it.
The duo customised a bicycle, converting it into a solar electric bike called the Sunpedal, and Sushil is riding it. They plan to visit five states, covering a distance of 7,000 km in 70 days.
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Rajendra is in his final year, while Sushil is an alumnus who finished college in 2013. Two additional wheels are attached at the rear end of the bike, with a trailer placed on top.
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Four solar panels are attached to the trailer, which supply a power of 240 Watts to a 48 Volt lithium-ion battery used to run a rear hub motor. This motor assists in riding the bike with ease.
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Starting from Mumbai, they have crossed places like Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Somnath, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Mt. Abu, and Jodhpur among others.
Rajendra and Sushil are conducting conferences, seminars, meetings, etc. with schools, universities, and organizations in every city.
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They are using the solar bicycle as an example to show the application and potential of solar energy.
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Other than the awareness programmes, funds raised during the ride will be used to install solar panels in a rural school located in Jatwara, Rajasthan, which is run by an NGO named Hockey Village India.
Solar power in the village will help kids study without being disturbed by frequent power cuts.
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The bike runs at an average speed of 20 km/hr on plains. The duo rides for about 150 km every day. The bike is sponsored by Hulikkal Electro India Pvt. Ltd., and there are several other sponsors to support their overall journey.
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Starting from Mumbai, they have crossed places like Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Somnath, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Mt. Abu, and Jodhpur among others.
Other than the awareness programmes, funds raised during the ride will be used to install solar panels in a rural school located in Jatwara, Rajasthan, which is run by an NGO named Hockey Village India.
The bike runs at an average speed of 20 km/hr on plains. The duo rides for about 150 km every day. The bike is sponsored by Hulikkal Electro India Pvt. Ltd., and there are several other sponsors to support their overall journey.