Eco-Friendly Tri-Cycle!!

   In this blog entry I’m gonna talk about a tri-cycle. Eight engineering students from the city build an eco-friendly dream vehicle. They hope to repeat the success of their project last year that placed them third in the national level contest conducted by SAENIS.

   These students are from the PSG College of Technology in Coimbatore, India, worked late nights last year to get their dream vehicle rolling. Their aim was to create a tri-cycle that would be faster, more efficient than a normal cycle yet remain eco friendly. At the end of two months, they came up with ProDrive. This vehicle was placed third in the national level Effi cycle contest conducted by SAENIS (Society of Automotive Engineers North India Section) at the Punjab University in Chandigarh in October 2010. This year too, a team has been chosen from the college for the same competition.The Effi Cycle contest was started by SAE in an attempt to promote eco friendly vehicles and at the same time provide graduate and postgraduate students with an opportunity to fabricate their own vehicles keeping in mind the environmental implications for the automobile industry.

   In order to apply, a project report has to be prepared and sent complete with cost report and marketing strategies. Once, that is approved by a team of experts from companies such as Maruti, TATA and L.G, the next step is a phone interview. K. Gautam Kumar mentioned that they were grilled during the phone interview.

   Sathyaseelan, the team Captain, K.Gautam Kumar, V. Praveen Kumaar and M.B. Sriram, final year Automobile Engineering students were part of the team last year and this year too. They were chosen by their seniors after a round of tests and interviews. Similarly, they have chosen four of their juniors to create the Pro Drive 2011.

   An ordinary cycle can travel at a speed of around 10-15kms/hr. The Prodrive 2010 could travel at a speed of 35-45 kms/hr. It can withstand a weight of 75 kgs over and above the weight of the two drivers. At the competition, a pile of bricks was placed on the vehicle to check if it could withstand the weight. “It was nerve-wracking.

   They had the vehicle ready at least two weeks before the event, so that our drivers could ride it and check for any setbacks. This time around too they hope to have the Prodrive 2011 ready by the first week of October.

   The team has secured the materials for the Prodrive 2011. The vehicle is to be powered with a 400 W PMDC motor that is being brought from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, a 48 V battery and 4 dynamos. “So, the speed of this vehicle would undoubtedly be more than 50 km/hr. Recyclable seats and a better grade of steel that reduces the weight of the vehicle are the improvements these young minds have brought for this time.

   Thanks for those eight engineering students to create this type of Eco-friendly Tri-cycle. Well, I think this time the tri-cycle is going to be selected in the contest. When it enters into the market, these cycles can be used as taxis there is no doubt. Let’s hope…………..