Goan Students Create Solar E-cycle With 20 Li-Ion Batteries

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Students from Goa’s Agnel Institute of Technology and Design have created a custom solar e-cycle, powered by 20 lithium-ion batteries, that can cover the distance between Panaji and Vasco on a single charge.

The batteries can be charged by two solar panels or a conventional power supply point at home.

The five mechanical engineering students who worked on this project are Veloy Fernandes, Hrishikesh Mandrekar, Rohan Naik, Annal Prabhu Ajgaonkar, and Beniston Ribeiro. The idea to build a self-sustained e-cycle powered by solar energy first struck them while they working on their final semester project a year ago.

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They fabricated a cycle frame made of stainless steel and mounted two solar panels on the cycle to charge the 20Ahr 18650 Li-Ion batteries for their final semester project.

Ribeiro, one of the five students who worked on the project, was quoted saying, “The cycle weights 29 kilos at present. We could have made an aluminium frame or even from carbon to reduce the weight but it would have been very expensive.”

A pulse width modulation (PWM) charge controller ensures that the batteries do not overcharge or short circuit. The batteries power a brushless DC (direct current) motor which is mounted onto the rear wheel.

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“Charging your electrical vehicle (EV) on renewable energy such as solar or wind minimizes these emissions even more. All these energies available are eco-friendly when compared to traditionally-used fuels which cause serious problems of environmental pollution,” said the students while explaining their concept. Ribeiro admitted that at 29 kilos, the e-cycle is a bit heavy and that if the weight is reduced, the cycle can travel a longer distance.

Many automobile manufacturers today are adopting large-scale manufacturing of electric vehicles as a result of environmental concerns, rising fuel costs and policy support.

In April this year, Nexzu Mobility, India’s homegrown leading e-mobility brand, launched a new Made-in-India super-long range electric vehicle that runs up to a 100 km in a single charge: the new Roadlark electric cycle. The e-bike has a dual battery and reaches a speed of 25km/hr for a safe and comfortable riding experience.