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Old 18th October 2018, 16:14   #1
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E-Autos to be rolled out in Kochi from November 2018

200 electric auto rickshaws are going to be rolled out in Kochi this November on a trial basis. They will operate primarily to provide last mile connectivity to the Kochi Metro and buses. Charging points are expected to be provided at 16 Metro stations.

As per a report in The Hindu, 38 rickshaws have already arrived at Kochi and the registration process with the MVD is in progress.

Manufactured by Kinetic Green, these rickshaws can carry 4 people at speeds of up to 35 kmph. They are powered by lithium ion batteries and cost about 1.80 lakhs per auto.

Interestingly, women are expected to drive these rickshaws, and they will have a fixed salary. These will come fitted with GPS devices and the plan is to make this app based.

The intention is to remove the IC engined rickshaws from the roads of Kochi, eventually.

Source: The Hindu newspaper. Link to the news, below:
https://www.google.co.in/amp/s/www.t...43581.ece/amp/

Also a link to Kinetic Green, and the rickshaw which I think they are talking about:
http://www.kineticgreenvehicles.com/...ectricmobility

The report says lithium ion batteries, although the tech specs in the above link says lead acid battery. Could be a more advanced model, yet to make it to the website.

Now, I know this is probably a good thing as far as the environment is concerned. However, from a road safety perspective, don't you think an evil is being replaced with another evil? I mean, while we go ahead with making our cities greener, shouldn't we also make them safer at the same time? We have had several discussions on different threads on how unsafe rickshaws are on our roads.

The need to protect the earth is, no doubt, extremely important, and the need of the hour. But, so is the immediate need to make our roads safer and reduce fatalities! Rickshaws are not the ideal choice and a green and SAFER means of connectivity should be the way forward.

What do you, fellow Bhpians, think?

Last edited by SCORPION : 18th October 2018 at 16:33.
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Old 18th October 2018, 17:00   #2
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re: E-Autos to be rolled out in Kochi from November 2018

Quote:
Originally Posted by SCORPION View Post

The need to protect the earth is, no doubt, extremely important, and the need of the hour. But, so is the immediate need to make our roads safer and reduce fatalities! Rickshaws are not the ideal choice and a green and SAFER means of connectivity should be the way forward.

What do you, fellow Bhpians, think?
What is the alternative that you propose?

One thing that we must accept is that safety comes with a cost.
Bicycle may be the most unsafe thing on the road, but is the cheapest.
Volvo car may be the safest, but utterly expensive.

Everyone, including the corporates and the govt have to make a choice and decide the trade-off point for Safety vs Cost.
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Old 18th October 2018, 19:13   #3
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re: E-Autos to be rolled out in Kochi from November 2018

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Originally Posted by alpha1 View Post
Everyone, including the corporates and the govt have to make a choice and decide the trade-off point for Safety vs Cost.
You mean to say, if you dont have the money, it is okay to compromise on safety? While the government is still struggling to make Indians wear helmets and seatbelts, is it wise of them to promote something that is inherently unsafe? Do these rickshaws have even the most basic safety features? Why is it ok for a bus or a rickshaw or a truck not to have any safety features incorporated? Can these rickshaws be fitted with seat belts or are the drivers and passengers to wear helmets inside? What prevents them from falling out of a moving vehicle?
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Old 19th October 2018, 09:41   #4
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Re: E-Autos to be rolled out in Kochi from November 2018

Mod Note: Please let this thread focus on the 'electric' aspect. We have many other threads to discuss the safety (or lack of) in rickshaws.
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