Project On Battery Rickshaw Boom In India 2w6m2n

PROJECT REPORT ON BATTERY RICKSHAW BOOM IN INDIA

Acknowledgement 1

This journey into project methodology would have been a travesty had it not been for the guidance, assistance, encouragement and moral from many. It would be unjust if I do not commence this study by acknowledging their efforts. I am greatly indebted to every one for sharing their invaluable knowledge and vast experience in ensuring that I remain on the right course. Their innovative ideas provided me clarity of thought essential in completing this project. It has also been my proud privilege and good fortune to work on this study under the able guidance of My Professor. Their thoughtful comments and conceptual insights into the subject kept me from floundering in my quest. Their uncompromising demand for logical conclusions, quality of presentation, and originality of work and novelty of ideas has benefited every single page of this study. I shall always remain grateful to them and no words of thanks can compensate for the liberty that I had been given to encroach upon whatever little spare time they had at their disposal.

Table of contents 1. Introduction

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2. Rationale of the Study

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4. Scope of the study

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5. Objectives of the study 6. Company Profile 7. Research Methodology

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8. Secondary Research

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9. Data Analysis and Interpretation

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10. Key Findings

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11. Conclusion 12. Limitation of the Study

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13. Future direction for further research

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14. Bibliography 15. Annexure

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Project Synopsis

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Across India, auto-rickshaws make more than 229 million enger trips per day. That number is expected to more than double to 482 million by 2031. The range runs from 15,000 to 30,000 vehicles in medium-sized cities (population between 1 and 4 million) to more than 50,000 in large cities (population greater than 4 million). Now, the World Resources Institute and EMBARQ are releasing the most comprehensive report ever on auto-rickshaws, which are such an important part of urban transport in Indian cities. The report, “Sustainable Urban Transport in India: Role of the Auto-rickshaw Sector,” by Akshay Mani,Madhav Pai and Rishi Aggarwal, examines the role auto-rickshaws play in promoting public transport usage and reducing private motor vehicle trips in cities. The report also provides a policy vision for the auto-rickshaw sector that improves sustainable urban transport in India. The publication highlights the need for regulatory reforms to promote dispatch services and vehicle-related reforms to address emissions and road safety. Adopting these reforms is key to ensuring that auto-rickshaws contribute to a more efficient, clean and safe transport system. Statement by Akshay Mani, Project Manager – Urban Transport, EMBARQ India “Given the current urban transport trends and challenges, such as rising emissions and road fatalities, there is a critical need to promote more sustainable transport options in India. Implementing the recommended reforms – such as the promotion of fleet-based dispatch services and vehicle improvements – will be key to ensure that auto-rickshaws can serve as an effective alternative to private motor vehicles. These reforms are essential to mitigate the environmental and road safety challenges that currently exist in this sector.” Key Facts o

Market size of auto-rickshaws varies from around 15,000 to 30,000 vehicles in Tier II cities (population between 1 and 4 million) to more than 50,000 in Tier I cities (population greater than 4 million). Mumbai has the largest market with around 150,000 auto-rickshaws.

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Auto-rickshaws serve between 10-20 percent of daily motorized road transport trips for people in Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune and Rajkot.

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Production of auto-rickshaws in India has doubled between 2003 and 2010.

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High concentration of particulate matter less than 10 microns (PM10) in Indian cities is a key public health issue. Auto-rickshaws running on two-stroke engines are a major contributor to PM10 emissions.

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Contrary to popular belief, auto-rickshaws are the second safest motorized mode of travel (after buses) for pedestrians, in of contribution to fatalities, in both Mumbai and Bangalore.

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However, safety of auto-rickshaw occupants is a key issue of concern, due to mixedflow traffic conditions in Indian cities as well as current vehicle design aspects, which needs to be addressed urgently.

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Meanwhile, the population of Indian cities will grow from an estimated 340 million in 2008 to 590 million by 2030.

Introduction E Rickshaws are three wheel battery operated vehicles, which are considered as an conventional rickshaws, and economically better than auto rickshaws and other fuel variants, 5

these rickshaws, since are battery powered have zero emission, and is often argued to be much better than other rickshaws as they are considered almost pollution free. E rickshaws are now fairly popular amongst Indian rickshaw drivers and has created new opportunities for people, as they require minimum investment to earn a living. They offer huge returns in less time, and are easy to operate and has low maintenance and running cost. A lot of variants are available these days, most of them started as low quality products and were imported from China. These days Indian e rickshaws have been developed offering a higher quality and better services at an equivalent cost. E rickshaws can provide a decent income since the battery charging cost is far lower than any other fuel, new material such as fibreglass has been introduced in them, since the material provides high strength, durability and lighter than metals.

How it works E rickshaws in India are built over tubular chassis, body is kept light in weight in order to increase life of the battery, the main electronic components that make the drive are motor, controller, harness, batteries and the throttle. The mismatch between any of these components is undesirable and may reduce performance.

The chassis is the main part which ensures drive quality and safety of the vehicle, is made of mild steel, a low quality chassis should never be used, the chassis if often built without proper knowledge, causing an imbalance in the drive, and often causing the vehicle to pivot very easily, the chassis manufactured by professional e rickshaw manufacturers are better as quality measures are often ignored by others, and are often built without welding fixtures of any kind. The chassis inaccurately made, will have handling problems, will be damaged easily, and corrosion may occur if not treated for resisting certain chemicals(from the battery or otherwise) or moisture.

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Low weight of body is desirable, which can be done by good deg, ensuring quality check, using material such as F.R.P, aluminium, composite materials and low density metals. A very good alternative is F.R.P which is strong, non conducting, cheap, light weight , highly durable, resistant to fire, withstands weather and is easily repaired in case of damage. The body is attached to chassis by the means of bolts, in some cases welded, which is not recommended. The body should be built to keep in mind quality and design which is aerodynamic, and ensures driver safety. Better quality bodies lasts for years whereas low quality body will last no longer than 10 to 15 months. In this case, F.R.P is extremely desirable since the life of the body is 10s of years. Electrical parts are recommended to be tight, use high quality couplers to ensure proper connection and insulate connection to prevent water and moisture. Electrical components used of higher quality will lower resistance and heat losses and increase efficiency. The motor power used in most e rickshaws is 650W to 1250W, the latest government norms allow it to be 650W, most of them run on 850W and higher, which adversely effects the battery life The controller used is ~40A , 48V output, uses 14, 18 or 24 MOSFETs and powers all electric components. A good quality controller must be used to increase performance of the motor and other overheating issues. Controller should be installed with electrical brake cut off, and which are removed by common rickshaw mechanics in order to achieve a continuous torque or improper functioning of the brakes. The braking system is mechanical drum brakes. Service and maintenance is required for proper vehicle functioning, the improper brake adjustments may heat up the motor and controllers and damage brake shoes, it may also reduce the mileage of the vehicle. The batteries used in e rickshaws are lead acid, they provide low cost alternative, they range from 80A to 120A nowadays, a larger battery with more capacity are used, but adversely it can increase weight and reduce mileage, to prevent it the ratio of weight and AH(measure of battery capacity) must be maintained, we recommend to use not more than 110AH batteries as they exceed 125kg, deep discharge batteries made for electric vehicles may be used depending on the customer's preference. To main life, a low amperage charger ~10 to 15A should be used, a charger with current and voltage maintained is preferred to prevent bulging and higher cycles. 7

One of the first attempt to design electric rickshaws was done by Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute in late 1990s. They modified the cycle rickshaw and then converted to an electric one. In India they are popularly known as e-rickshaws and are widely spread all over India. They started to gain popularity in India since 2011.The design is now much different from cycle rickshaws. They have provided with service to city and has also contribution in providing livelihood to people in India. Due to their low cost and high efficiency they are accepted on the Indian streets, but government policies have been threatening the e-rickshaw and banned them in the capital city Delhi, but due to increase in number failed to put them off the streets. They are still widely used in Delhi and other parts of India. In Delhi, as per government official's figures in April 2012, the number was over 100,000. In India almost all claimed to be manufacturing the vehicle are merely importing it from China and assembling them. Though the manufacturers in India are less in number, manufacturers claim that in the vehicle production is less and cost is a little at higher but they offer higher quality products and also offer services and warranty, these manufacturers market the product as an Indian make and are also popular because of uniqueness in their product and providing a branded better quality product. The FRP body e-rickshaws are also popular in India and are manufactured in India due to high shipment cost from China they are cheaper to Indian manufacturers, where a Chinese version of FRP Rickshaw will cost 1.5 times more than an Indian make. There are issues with services due to lack of established companies and just about everyone importing and selling them from China, resulting in problems to their customers, this is the reason consumers have started gaining knowledge and prefer more durable versions from well-established companies and Indian manufacturers Every aspect of an electric vehicle, if engineered, designed and manufactured with quality will improve battery life, vehicle life and contribute to a higher profit overtime. E Rickshaw Business – Now’s a Good Time to Start this Business in India

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Electric Rickshaw, in short, also called as E-Rickshaw. This kind of transport vehicle are famous in many countries, this is eco-friendly vehicles for carrying engers across the city without fuel. This is the reason these vehicles have become so popular. This e-rickshaw are popular in many countries and has been in use by many Countries across the globe since 2008 as modes of transportation for people and goods. Erratic weather conditions prompted many countries to introduce this eco-friendly vehicle because they pollute neither air nor sound; in fact, they contribute to better weather condition. These vehicles help to carry engers within the city, especially to travel a short distance. In the world where countries need to shell a lot of money, buying fuel should replace public transport with these e-rickshaws to reduce fuel expenses to some extent. In India, these e-rickshaws began to gain popularity since 2011. Since the time of its inception, people started showing much interest in travelling in these electric rickshaws because of its low cost. In cities of India like Delhi, you will see lots of e-rickshaws are moving in cities and the numbers are increasing day by day. Also, Ola cabs has now introduced e-rickshaw in Delhi as part of ‘Stand-Up India’ initiative. The transport aggregator launched the ‘e-rickshaw’ category on its app in DelhiNCR. 9

According to a statement from the company, Ola would be launching close to 5,100 erickshaws, in partnership with Bhartiya Micro Credit (BMC). These rickshaws will be deployed across Delhi, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Noida and Faridabad. Let’s have a look at advantages of stepping into this e-rickshaw business in India: Big cities in India are currently struggling with pollution and the government is taking strong measure to overcome this by introducing new rules and regulation for diesel vehicle. With current scenario we can predict that in near future e-rickshaws are going to be preferable mode of public transportation and it is going to replace fuel operated rickshaws. As we all know that the demand of e-rickshaw is growing rapidly in Delhi and other cities. Even, people in small cities in India are prefering e-rickshaws for travelling. With the rise in demand there is need of supplier and here comes the opportunity of stepping into this e-rickshaw business in India. Below are some of the main reason why this erickshaw is going to get more from people and from government in future:Eco-Friendly: Since this vehicle runs on electricity, it can never emit smoke. This way one can travel across the city without polluting the air. Batteries used in these vehicles can be recycled and can be disposed of without any problem. Less Expensive: This e-rickshaw can be easily afforded by a middle class person who cannot shell out much money. No doubt, these vehicles are very economical for both engers and drivers. No Sound Pollution: This e-rickshaw produce less noise compared to vehicles which run on petrol and diesel. Since entire engine of this e-rickshaw runs with the electricity of the battery attached to the vehicle which results in less noise. Maintenance: Since this vehicle has no engine, and gearbox maintenance of this vehicles comes very cheap. It’s very easy to charge the battery. All you need to do is, pay money for charging the battery.

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Safety: E-rickshaw involves less risk compared to auto rickshaw which runs with fuel. They cause fewer accidents. Fare and Cost of Vehicle: This e-rickshaw are affordable to buy, one can buy this vehicle at the price of a bike in India. One can buy this e-rickshaw at a price of 95,000Rs. When it comes to motor rickshaw you need to spend 2 lakhs of rupees, which is too expensive. E-rickshaw drivers charge Rs 10.00 for a distance between 2Km to 5Km. Motor rickshaw drivers charge Rs 25 for first 2Km and Rs 8 for each additional kilometer. E-rickshaw uses 4 batteries, which can last for six months. New batteries cost Rs 25,000. Full charged battery can help the driver to travel a distance of 80Km. Business Opportunities With E-Rickshaw Become a manufacturer and supplier: You could step into e-rickshaw manufacturing business and could make profits as a supplier in India. Rickshaw manufacturing companies are growing at a rapid phase; this is because of the demand for this vehicle. Since government is encouraging with loans for lesser interest rate, small entrepreneurs are showing much interest in buying this e-rickshaw. Even these erickshaw manufacturing companies are coming up with innovative ways to attract consumers. This eco-friendly vehicles are much needed for put a halt for growing air and sound pollution. With growing demand, manufacturing companies are planning to meet demand at any cost. E-rickshaw manufacturing companies are contributing for better weather conditions across the country. Rent out your e-rickshaw to a driver on daily basis: If you feel you cannot drive this vehicle then you can rent it out to other. They run your vehicle on your behalf and make money. You need to make a deal what percentage of daily collection you want to have. Make sure you give your E-rickshaw to the person you trust most.

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E-rickshaw law in India

Initially e-rickshaws were unregulated by any central law in India. However, the Delhi High Court, banned running of e-rickshaws in Delhi on 31 July 2014, over safety concerns raised through a public interest litigation. In a rally held for regularization of e rickshaws in Delhi transport minister Nitin Gadkari said that "municipal corporations would regularize erickshaws by ing them for a fee of just Rs.100. After ing the e-rickshaw, corporations will have to issue identity cards to drivers so they can earn their livelihood easily." Once the policy was in place, the corporation, along with traffic police, would have fix the amount of fine to be imposed for violation of the policy. However, the policy was never implemented. Certain states like Tripura had regularised the e-rickshaws through municipal bylaws or through state legislation. In March 2015, the Indian Parliament ed an amendment to the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2015 legalizing E-Rickshaws. By July 2015 Battery Rickshaw are available for travel in many cities, now certified to ply with Registration No. plate by R.T.O. with insurance. Today, a number of Indian cities, mostly state capitals, are betting big on rapid transit systems such as the metro rail. The move is aimed at reducing traffic congestion, pollution levels and also functioning as an alternative for the over-burdened state-run public transport system.

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Despite this effort, the progress hasn’t been stark. A key reason for this is while the metro rail scores high on factors such as comfort, convenience, and journey time, last-mile connectivity is still a problem, and an often neglected aspect of the planning process. While feeder services, which are largely synonymous with last-mile connectivity exist, they are limited. And there are other aspects that must be considered. Any viable last-mile connectivity options needs to take easy availability, frequency, time and cost incurred in the last mile, ease of walking from the stops / stations, and other factors into . From that perspective, while the feeder services exist, their services are limited to a few and select stations, and they don’t ply at the desired frequency, thereby limiting their use. This issue will resonate with s of the metro rail across cities like New Delhi, Gurgaon, or Bangalore. While there have been efforts to address this problem, most have been experimental in nature or have been bogged down by legal and safety issues such as in the case of two-wheeler taxi service.

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That’s where the Smart Electric Transport System (Smart-E), a new e-rickshaw solution fits in. A flagship initiative of Treasure Vase Ventures (TVV), a social enterprise founded by a team of multi-national executives Smart-E not only aims to solve last-mile connectivity, but also other aspects such as commuter safety, reduced pollution, and empowerment of people from lower socio- economic backgrounds. A change in government policy gives impetus to a better and sustainable solution While e-rickshaws were not a new concept with commuters in New Delhi, where there were over 1 lakh such vehicles, they scored poorly on commuter safety as most parts were imported from China at low costs and assembled locally. Also, they flouted road safety norms – from drivers without licenses and registration to overcrowding. In August 2014, the Delhi High Court called for a ban on such vehicles, and unregulated e-rickshaws were gradually phased out. But the government saw e-rickshaws as a potential viable solution to reduce the city’s pollution and this was instrumental in bringing an amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Act that same year. It laid down all the necessary rules, regulation and policies to encourage the use of electric vehicles. The TVV team saw the amendment as an opportunity. They knew if they could work on a solution and regularise electric mobility in the last-mile connectivity space, they had a winning solution at hand. This gave way for on-ground research to understand more about the market need, the solution requirement, and the technology that could be put in use. And slowly but steadily, Smart-E began taking concrete shape. The Delhi Metro survey played a pivotal role in ensuring that Smart-E transitioned from plans on PowerPoint presentations to the roads. A survey highlighted that out of 3 million daily commuters, only about 2 per cent use their personal vehicles for the first and last mile connectivity. In October 2015, a year after the amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Act, Smart-E was piloted in West Delhi’s Paschim Vihar neighbourhood with a team of 30 enterprising women as drivers. Run on a ride-share model, it provided feeder services to engers travelling to and from metro rail stations. 14

Creating a first-of-its kind electric vehicle mobility ecosystem in the last mile connectivity space: Smart-E The Smart-E model is a hybrid between Meru and Uber. The company does not own the asset, in this case the e-rickshaws. In collaboration with a number of banks, loans are arranged for the e-rickshaw drivers to buy the vehicle. But, the drivers pay Smart-E an operating commission that takes care of infrastructure issues such as dedicated parking and charging stations for the vehicles, as well as help with licensing of vehicles. It also ensures that the drivers are trained, arranges parking infrastructure, and builds a network of charging stations. The entire process will be micro-managed; from details such as routes, timings, and even the battery to be used in the vehicles. Another interesting aspect of Smart-E is that it aligns itself with the Make in India initiative. These electric vehicles are custom-manufactured in Sonepat. They are also equipped with GPS and CCTVs, addressing the issue of commuter safety. The timings of the e-rickshaws are synchronised with the metro rail timings to minimise waiting time for commuters. Operational design of Smart-E has enger safety at its core, and at no time can more than four engers ride in a vehicle. The fare too is affordable – Rs 10 for the first pit stop, and Rs 5 for every kilometre, thereafter. Beyond meeting commuter needs, Smart- E enables social and financial empowerment When Smart-E was launched, they had engaged only women drivers. This was a conscious decision to test the commercial viability of the business plan. Women from poor socioeconomic backgrounds are most vulnerable to societal pressure. So even if 20 per cent of the drivers remained rooted to Smart-E, it could be called out a success. And it was.

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Steering Smart-E’s growth The launch of Smart-Es in Delhi in October 2015, saw commuters availing the transport service regularly and word-of-mouth publicity saw Smart-E gaining popularity. The result was that Smart-E had business development discussions lined up. Six months later, Smart-E expanded its services to Gurgaon. It was launched by the Chief Minister of Haryana, M L Khattar, on the eve of ‘Happening Haryana’, a two-day global investors summit taking place in Gurgaon. These strategic tie-ups with transport systems like Delhi Metro, Rapid Metro, government bodies like Haryana State Industries and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), is a key element of Smart-E’s growth strategy with a larger view to create lockedin revenue streams. While they already have agreements in place with some of these organisations, they are looking at aggressively pursuing partnerships with both commercial and residential bodies. Smart-E’s growth strategy also involves a good revenue stream from its hyperlocal advertising platform that allows rs to effectively target a very specific audience base through Smart-E. A leading FMCG company has already onboarded Smart-E’s advertising platform. The founders say in the last six months, Smart-E has grown its fleet 2.5x and the average daily ridership has increased 3x. By the end of May, the company is looking to achieve a 5x growth in its fleet since its launch and a proportional increase in ridership from about 3,000 rides per day (in October 2015) to 15,000 rides per day. 16

So far, Smart-E has been able to fulfil the objectives it set out – providing commuters a safe and affordable last-mile transport solution while not polluting the environment. Today, Smart-E plies in West Delhi metro stations, and all through the Rapid metro stations in Gurgaon. So far 5,00,000 commuters have availed its services. However, with a strong focus on expansion in the NCR region, it hopes to expand the size of its fleet from the current 80 vehicles to 1,000 and reach a milestone of achieving 100,000 rides a day by the end of 2016. And, if the talks with other states prove fruitful, Smart-E will make its debut in five other states, (excluding Delhi and Haryana). Smart-E, which is being primarily funded by a group of promoters and a strategic investor, all senior industry leaders in multi-national corporations, is in talks with investors to raise Series A funding to further expedite its growth. Right now, everything looks positive for Smart-E, but it remains to be seen how it is able to scale up.

Disadvantages of e-rickshaws 1. Less speed – E-rickshaws are usually slow in speed and it runs around 30-35 kmph and thus, it is unable to meet the speed of other vehicles. It is not a preferred mode of transportation during an emergency period. 2. Less weight – E-rickshaws are lighter in weight and thus, it would face difficulty to cope up with the larger wight vehicles. There might be a chance of the rickshaw getting upside down. In India, one can imagine how the drivers would ride an overloaded e-rickshaw. 3. Harmful batteries – One of the major disadvantage is the issue of batteries. Today, most of the batteries used are lead acid batteries. The deep discharge of lead acid batteries are presently imported in India and these can be very harmful. 4. No proper guidelines – There are no proper rules and guidelines fixed for the functioning of e-rickshaws. The drivers are not fully trained to drive the e-rickshaws. This is a matter of serious concern in the society.

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5. Space Consuming - The current design of e-rickshaw is quite space consuming. This would lead to traffic jams. 6. Rise in pollution and cost due to alternative energy sources - Even though the erickshaws would not consume diesel or petrol, it would be difficult to contain the cost and pollution. The electricity required to charge these vehicles would be produced from some or the other source. Burning more coal or making more dams or nuclear reactors would still contribute to environment pollution.

Rationale of the study Due to the regularization of the maximum vehicle speed and the maximum motor capacity, the major challenge of the e-rickshaws would be to meet the present day traffic conditions. If these vehicles are allowed to travel with the main stream traffic, the speed of the rest of the traffic will be restricted, as for the conventional vehicles the energy efficient speed has been much higher. But there has been no proper rule to regularize the operation of e-rickshaws. In most of the places in West Bengal no restrictions on the operating zones and even the number of vehicles has been implemented. Till date the RTAs have not taken into the case of e-rickshaws as no rule has been included in the Motor Vehicles Act in the State unlike that of Tripura Motor Vehicles Act. Thus the local governing bodies are regularizing the e-rickshaws 18

by charging monthly toll tax depending on the municipalities where these vehicles have been operating.

Statement of the Problem Problem remains as the number of these e-rickshaws is still not controlled by the unions, resulting in an increasing fleet of e-rickshaws. The major reason of this out-break is unemployment in the state. Due to very less number of industrial activities the opening in the job sector has been very limited. Hence, the e-rickshaw has become the source of income for many. The low investment for buying an erickshaw and the less number of official formalities has led most of the youths to find this very way of income source.

Objectives of the study   

To understand the technology benefit of e-rickshaw To understand how socio-economic development of e-rickshaw. To understand the Challenges and opportunities for electric Three Wheeler (e-

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Rickshaw) To take the respondents view regarding boom of e-rickshaw in India.

Scope of the study

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Scope of the Study is to understand the boom of e-rickshaw in India. To contribute to the growth of the organization.

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There is no such research work was carried before.

Company Profile

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Research Methodology Research methodology stands for the ways & means that we adopt for conducting research. In this we study the various steps that are generally adopted by a researcher in pursuing the research Research methodology consist of enunciating the problem, formulating the hypothesis, collecting the facts of data, analyzing the fact and reaching certain conclusion either in the form of solutions towards the concerned problem or in the form of certain generalizations for some theoretical formulation. “All progress is born of enquiry. Dealt is often better than overconfidence for it leads to inquiry, & inquiry leads to invention.” “All progress is born of enquiry. Dealt is often better than overconfidence for it leads to inquiry, & inquiry leads to invention.” 21

Research methodology is a way to systematically solve the problem. It may be understood has a science of studying how research is done scientifically. In it we study the various steps that all generally adopted by a researcher in studying his research problem along with the logic behind them. The scope of research methodology is wider than that of research method. Research is defined as “a scientific & systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic”. Research is an art of scientific investigation. Research is a systemized effort to gain new knowledge. It is a careful inquiry especially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge. The search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of finding solution to a problem is a research. RESEARCH DESIGN A research is the arrangement of the conditions for the collections and analysis of the data in a manner that aims to combine relevance to the research purpose with economy in procedure. In fact, the research is design is the conceptual structure within which research is conducted; it constitutes the blue print of the collection, measurement and analysis of the data. As search the design includes an outline of what the researcher will do from writing the hypothesis and its operational implication to the final analysis of data. The design is such studies must be rigid and not flexible and most focus attention on the following; Research Design can be categorized as:

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The present study is exploratory in nature, as it seeks to discover ideas and insight to brig out new relationship. Research design is flexible enough to provide opportunity for considering different aspects of problem under study. It helps in bringing into focus some inherent weakness in enterprise regarding which in depth study can be conducted by management. The research design used in this project by the researcher is the descriptive research design. Descriptive research design  It is well structured.  It is more economical, we can gather more information.  Problems can be found after the questionnaire preparation.  It needs less time. Data Collection For any study there must be data for analysis purpose. Without data there is no means of study. Data collection plays an important role in any study. It can be collected from various sources. I have collected the data from two sources which are given below: Primary data : A survey will be conducted to gather primary data from the market here the main emphasis will be given on the supply chain practices followed by different companies. It will help us to know the general practices being followed in the market. The executives of the company will be interview for knowing the better insight of the company. 23

Data observed or collected directly from first-hand experience. Data, or facts, may be derived from several sources. Data can be classified as primary data and secondary data. Primary data is data gathered for the first time by the researcher; secondary data is data taken by the researcher from secondary sources, internal or external. The researcher must thoroughly search secondary data sources before commissioning any efforts for collecting primary data. There are many advantages in searching for and analyzing data before attempting the collection of primary data. In some cases, the secondary data itself may be sufficient to solve the problem. Usually the cost of gathering secondary data is much lower than the cost of organizing primary data. Moreover, secondary data has several supplementary uses. It also helps to plan the collection of primary data, in case, it becomes necessary. We shall therefore discuss secondary data first and then take up primary data.  Talking with the employees of the department.  Discussion with the head of the department. Secondary data collection methods Published data and the data collected in the past or other parties is called secondary data 

Companies and other websites

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Reports /Articles/Blogs

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magazines/journals News papers/business magazine

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Published Sources such as Journals, Government Reports, Newspapers and o Magazines etc.

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Unpublished Sources such as Company Internal reports prepare by them given to their analyst & trainees for investigation.

Websites and some official site, some other sites are also searched to find data Research Plan: Research Plan is no specific for all types of research; it is decided depending upon the nature of the problem Deg a research plan calls for decisions on – 1. Data sources 2. Research Instruments 3. Sampling plan 24

4. methods. Limitations:  Time pressure and fatigue on the part of respondents and interviewer.  Respondent’s inability to formulate a response. Tool used: The researcher carries out analysis through various statistical tools. The statistical analysis is useful for drawing inference from the collected information. While making the project file various tools will be used. These are: Frequency Table  Microsoft Excel  Microsoft Word  Various analysis tools like Bar Graphs, Pie Graphs, tables Sampling procedure / Sampling method The sampling method used for this study is non-profitability convenience sampling, which is selected according to the easy and convenience of the researcher. Geographical Area: The study is conducted in India. Research Instrument Research instrument used for data collecting is by using questionnaire. Questionnaire The questionnaire is prepared in a well-structured and non disguised form so that it is easily understandable and answerable by everyone. The type of questions include in the questionnaire are open-ended questions, multiple choice questions and dichotomous questions

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Secondary Research The electric vehicle industry had a very positive outlook when the process started in 2005. However, over a period of time it ran into a few problems, including some on the policy front. Some industry players also failed to deliver on their promises. Moreover, being light vehicles, people thought that these were good only for short distances. The lack of space, too, became a constraint in the eyes of customers. Then came the withdrawal of subsidy and this made electric vehicles costlier than fossil fuel vehicles. To gain back that momentum, a lot of things had to be done. The government has introduced the subsidy scheme for electric vehicles from April this year. There are a lot of hybrids coming in now — Maruti Ciaz has already been launched; Toyota 26

has something to offer, while a few others are working on the same. The traction will come very soon. But traction doesn’t happen based on price alone. There are some policy hiccups that need to be addressed, like the issue of subsidy which may not apply to vehicles sold in cities and towns with less than 10 lakh population. The government, therefore, needs to make things smoother for the industry to deliver and perform. There are some challenges that need to be overcome at a broader level. For instance, the entry of several fly by night operators led to the industry’s doom earlier. In 2008-09, the industry had more than 100 products from various companies, several of whom were operating out of garages in Delhi and importing kits from China. There were no after sales services and people who bought these vehicles were left in the lurch. Such players spoiled the market. Secondly, lots of components are imported even now. Anything imported is costlier. We need to establish an eco-system of OEMs and tier 1 suppliers to product development. Lack of infrastructure is another challenge. Fast charging and re-charging facilities are just not there. This results in a mental block among vehicle s to take their vehicles for long distances of even around 80-100 km. This is like a chicken and egg story. Whether we have to invest first on such infrastructure or should we wait for the volumes to come first is another thing that needs to be addressed. On the government front, ever since the subsidies were withdrawn, it took almost four years to get the policy in place. Now that the policy has come in, several companies like Ashok Leyland, Toyota, Nissan and Tata are extending their and putting things together. We will definitely overcome the challenges over a period of time. Definitely, it will sure act as a catalyst. Between 2012 and 2015, the market for electric vehicles slumped. We were bleeding badly, especially those in the two-wheeler segment. This subsidy scheme has come with lot of parameters including pilot project, new technology introduction and others with an all round focus. In the consumers’ mind, it will create a positive framework. This will also lead to improved infrastructure and back-end development. Over the last 3-5 years, the number of suppliers has come down and some tier 1 suppliers have stopped making batteries. Now, we expect them to come back. Can e-rickshaws really turn out to be game changers in the transport of people and goods in the long run 27

Frankly speaking, yes, they will be game changers. There are a lot many places across the country that face last mile connectivity problems. Transportation facilities are still poor in tier 1 and tier 2 cities. E-vehicles can come in handy in these places. Further, there are handpulled rickshaws that operate in several cities, especially in the north. E-rickshaws can replace them and they can also come in handy in the hub and spoke model for transporting cargo and commodities. These can be used to operate over a 5-7 km radius. Even though norms for implementing e-rickshaws have come in, not much action has taken place on the ground. Certain trade unions and auto drivers are opposing the move. Not much action has been taken by the respective RTOs across states. Availability of finance is also a problem. Fly-by-night operators will come into the market as it happened in the case of electric twowheelers earlier. Organized manufacturers like us are facing cost competition from such players. They have no plans for after sales and service back-up. As a result, our products are more expensive than these Chinese kits. It is happening in cities like Delhi right now. One cannot expect a quality product from a workshop assembler. The challenge before the government is to place stringent conditions of checks like what they do with the automobile industry. Only a multi-level approach from all concerned can streamline this industry and the emerging opportunity. Battery operated electric three-wheelers or e-rickshaws have recently emerged in the public road transport sector in India. These vehicles have gained much popularity owing to the comfortable and economic mode of transport they provide to the fellow commuters. The present work is based on a case study in West Bengal state where the travel pattern of these vehicles has been studied. The average specific energy consumption of the e-rickshaws has been found to be 53.76 kJ/enger-km, which is the most efficient among other forms of motorized three-wheeled enger vehicles. This study also delineates the challenges that stand in the way of proper implementation of these e-rickshaws in the public transport sector. Hundreds of thousands of electric three-wheelers - popularly called e-rickshaws - have been operating in India for over three years now, but without any kind of legal authority. In Delhi, the high court has recently banned their operation temporarily, though it has indicated its willingness to review that decision. The executive should know by now that slowness to respond to situations such as this allows the judiciary to step in. But the government's 28

reaction to the growth of e-rickshaws has been typically tardy - and worse, contradictory. In April, the Union road transport ministry, then under the United Progressive Alliance, classified them as "motorized vehicles" and subject to the motor vehicles department's existing requirements. This was lazy and a mistake - it amounted to a ban on e-rickshaws in totality. But before this new regime could be formalized, Nitin Gadkari, the current minister for road transport, publicly reversed the decision in June. Thus, the ministry will have to rework the relevant provisions (particularly restricting e-rickshaw engine power to under 650 watts) so that they can be treated as non-motorized and taken out of the Motor Vehicles Act. Over a month after the minister's announcement, this has still not happened. Mr Gadkari has faced some justifiable criticism for this decision, since a member of his family runs an e-rickshaw manufacturing business. Yet in the absence of this conflict of interest, the direction of his decision was sensible - although it went too far. Somewhere in between is a sensible mean: to allow e-rickshaws, but properly regulate them. Currently, these vehicles can be bought for Rs 85,000. If they were to meet the recently laid down norms, their price, according to one estimate, would go up to Rs 3 lakh. This would make them expensive. Naturally, that is not a sensible direction for regulation to take. Fears about safety should not be exaggerated - after all, such concerns are not expressed about cars, in spite of India's abysmal road-accident record. Certainly, the basic regulatory framework should be put in place: the vehicles should be ed, a specific driving license devised and required, and an insurance structure worked out. , e-rickshaws have a lot going for them. They are non-polluting while running in cities and are designed to travel at not much more than 20 kilometres per hour. This is a third of the speed limit for regular auto-rickshaws and use of them, particularly within crowded city neighbourhoods, will make urban roads safer. Properly regulated, they can be a boon. But e-rickshaws threaten many established interests, and this may explain the delay in their formal regularization. At a fare of Rs 10 for up to five kilometres in some cities, they pose a threat to both cycle-rickshaws and auto-rickshaws. The large manufacturers of the latter cannot be happy, and it would not be surprising if the government has come under the influence of their quiet but intensive lobbying to ensure that the rules for e-rickshaws do not severely challenge the demand for their products. Environmental Impact

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The E rickshaw travelling and charging patterns revealed that the sole battery charging option for the vehicle owners remained the household sockets. Thus the E rickshaws could not be considered as a zero emission vehicle as the charging relates to the CO 2 emission at the thermal power stations. Coal-fired thermal power stations in India have been reported to emit 1.281 kg of CO2 per unit of electricity generated. Again CO2 emission considering full combustion of LPG (propane base) has been 1.53 kg/litre. Considering combustion of diesel for the two types of three-wheelers the CO2 emission rate has been considered at 2.71 kg/litre. The results in figures show that the E rickshaw has been efficient than that of the other motorized versions of three-wheelers.

Comparison between E Rickshaw and auto-rickshaw

Specific CO2 emission of motorized three-wheeled vehicles Current E Rickshaws: Current rickshaws have a M.S (Mild Steel) tubular Chassis; consist of 3 wheels with a differential mechanism at rear wheels. The motor is brushless DC motor manufactured mostly in India and China. The electrical system used is 48V. The superstructure is made of steel and aluminium. The battery used is mostly lead acid battery with life of 6–12 months. There is a huge scope for design up gradation in three wheeled E rickshaw as not much research has been done in this field. Most of the parts are imported from China and assembled in India. Following are the challenges of the current design:

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1.

Designs are unstable and have uneven weight distribution. The tendency of a structure to roll while cornering increases if the weight distribution is not proper. Approximately 7% of the E rickshaw respondents reported a possible toppling of their rickshaws during a turn.

2.

Electrical issues in rainy season especially motor as the water enters in it.

3.

Congested seating of engers as the design does not include the ergonomics study of engers and the driver.

4.

Brake Pedal and Parking Brake lever are difficult to access and use.

5.

Rickshaw Height is more than required; this leads to increase in the Centre of Gravity which increases the tendency to roll.

6.

No on the sides which makes it very dangerous for the children/Old age engers in dynamic condition.

7.

Various market problems reported, in structure design and integration there are regular catastrophic failures.

8.

The entry/ exits are not ergonomically designed which leads to problems while boarding and disembarking.

9.

No proper provision for battery charger within the vehicle. This makes driver’s charging activity tiresome and time consuming.

Future E Rickshaws: (Need of the hour!!)

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‘Make in India’ initiative started by ‘Government of India’ has encouraged the dealers to manufacture the components in India itself thereby reducing the cost drastically and provides a wide domain for design improvement. To counter the challenges of the current E rickshaw many design improvements have been proposed for the future E rickshaws. Following are the design changes that can be implemented to counter the above problems: Structure The weight distribution can be optimised by suitably positioning all the weight contributing components. (For Example: All the four batteries (120kg approx.) should be mounted in the middle). Evenly distributed weight improves the ride and handling of the vehicle. Also keeping the roof material as soft fabric will reduce weight at the top thereby reducing the CG.

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The integrations of the chassis and the superstructure should such that modification required in the chassis is least. Any modification (Cutting/Drilling/Slotting) might adversely affect the strength of the chassis. The structure should be compact from outside so that it acquires less traffic space but should have spacious interiors for non-claustrophobic feeling. This can be achieved by optimizing the superstructure as per the loading conditions. Ergonomics The seating space, position and entry/exit should be designed considering 95, 50 & 05 percentile Indian male/female so that the seating positions are not congested and it accommodates 95 % of Indian population.

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Seating Position and Entry/Exi The most comfortable seat in the vehicle should be driver’s seat as he will be the one driving the rickshaw and will spend most of his/her time in it. Driver’s comfort is very important for enger safety. The following factors should be considered while deg the driver’s compartment:1.

The position of the hand brake and brake pedal should be such that it should not hinder the movement of the driver and should be easily accessible from the driver’s position.

2.

Rear view mirror should be accessible to the driver with minimal movement.

3.

The design of the steering handle should be such that the driver should have sufficient space for movement in its extreme positions.

4.

The battery power switch should be given in the driver’s compartment for driver’s accessibility.

Utilities

34

The vehicle can be converted into a luggage carrier by unfolding the rear seat. This will enable the transport of low density bulk materials (E.g.: shoes) to short distances (E.g.: movement of goods within a factory)

Provision for Luggage Carrier 1.

Provision for battery charger should be given within the vehicle for instant hassle free charging.

2.

Provision of hand rest should be given in enger’s compartment for safety of the children and senior citizen.

3.

Vehicle should have Better Electrical layout with colour coding for easy manufacture and repair.

4.

Provision for front wind shield and foldable raxine cover on sides for protection against wind and rain.

The components of the E Rickshaw are critical: In India, the Electric rickshaws are generally built over a tubular chassis body. The weights of the body are kept light. This is done to increase the life of the battery which is a very

35

important component for the vehicle. The other most important parts of the battery operated rickshaws are the throttle, motor, controller and the harness. If there is a mismatch in between any of these important parts then it will cause problems in the long run. It may reduce the performance of the e-rickshaws in the long run. Apart from the above, you must also understand that the chassis is another main part. This ensures quality and the safety of the vehicle. You must note that low-quality steel must never be used for this critical part of the vehicle. If it is built without proper knowledge then there may be a serious imbalance during the drive risking the safety of the engers. Besides, if the E Rickshaw chassis is not made properly then there is a possibility of handling problems. It may also lead to the corrosion affecting the longevity of the vehicle. Apart from the chassis, you must ensure that the body weight is kept light. However, at the same time, the material used for the body must be strong. This is why materials F.R.P aluminum, as well as composite materials, should be used to ensure maximum strength. You must also pay special attention to the electrical parts. It is also recommended that to ensure low maintenance cost you use high standard materials. So, all in all, you must never compromise on the quality of the components used for the manufacturing of the electric rickshaw or Toto Rickshaw you buy. If this is done you as a business owner can ensure complete safety of your engers. You could also make sure that the maintenance cost is low thus ensuring for a profitable business overall.

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Data Analysis and Interpretation Interpretations 43% of Responders are strongly agree and 27% agreed where as 19% are neutral and 6% disagree whereas 5% are strongly disagree that portfolio manager runs all portfolios in a similar or identical fashion given the specific style mandated by that portfolio group.

37

Key Findings

38

Conclusion E-rickshaws are energy efficient than other forms of motorized public road transport vehicles in the state. Proper implementation of the e-rickshaws has the potential to address the issues of environmental pollution due to transportation as the specific CO2 emission for the erickshaws was found to be 19.129 gm/enger-km. But the major challenges are required to be addressed for the proper implementation of these e-rickshaws. The present technology of the e-rickshaw needs enhancement for the compatibility with the present day traffic. The deg of the vehicles requires maintaining safety standards for the engers thus requiring proper inspection of these vehicles by the right authorities. The number of these erickshaws operating in the different regions needs proper regularization and thus the eradication of vehicular conflicts by proper route management between the enger vehicles. E-rickshaws have the potential to reduce the fuel oil consumption for enger transportation which may lead to both economic and environmental benefits. Since no proper regularization has been maintained for the e-rickshaw operating zones, these vehicles have been operating on all types of roads, from by-lanes to thoroughfares. These vehicles have no fixed routes, but the starting points are fixed by the operators and union bodies. In case of engers, they tend to prefer the e-rickshaws as the ride has been considered comfortable by most of them and even the cost of ride has been cheaper than the NMT cycle-rickshaws or van-rickshaws. Thus two types of major conflicts have been observed regarding the operation of e-rickshaws: 1) Inter – Vehicle Conflict and 2) Intra – Vehicle Conflict. Inter – Vehicle conflict This type conflict has been observed in case of e-rickshaw operation with that of the other types of three-wheeled vehicles. In many parts of the state where e-rickshaws have come up, the stronger unions of the other vehicles have not been allowing the e-rickshaws to ply of most of the routes. Even petitions were filed against the e-rickshaws by auto-rickshaw unions stating the fact that those were not permitted to carry engers. The stronger cycle-rickshaw and van-rickshaw unions in many places do not let the e-rickshaws to carry engers. So, the e-rickshaws often choose to operate during the time of the day when other vehicles population is smaller. These challenges remain due to the sharing of enger load and thus 39

the income from transportation. Though the e-rickshaws lag behind the auto-rickshaws from the technical frontier, but are more energy efficient and less polluting. In case of the cycle and van rickshaws, though being environment friendly, the technical aspect of e-rickshaws is superior. Intra – Vehicle conflict The increasing number of e-rickshaws has also caused a reason of concern among the erickshaw owners. Less initial investment and moderate income has led many to arrive at this profession as the job creation has decreased due low industrial activities in the state. So the income of the drivers from the transportation sector has been gradually decreasing due to the division of the enger load.

Limitations of the study 40

(1) Time pressure and fatigue on the part of respondents and interviewer. (2) Respondent’s inability to formulate a response. (3) (4) (5) (6)

Total research work is based on Primary and secondary data. During the research a significant error up to 4% will be accepted. Financial limitation causes incomplete data collection. External activities are not considered as various factors of change.

Future direction for further research Electric Rickshaws or E-Rickshaws are one of the preferred model of transportation for engers. They are gaining popularity as they are alternative to petrol, diesel or CNG driven vehicles. Hence are eco-friendly and do not add to the carbon dioxide level in air. The cost of commuting is comparably less and comfortable. 

Battery rickshaw is undoubtedly a boon for lower income group people who won’t

able to get a well paying job. E-rickshaw has helped many people to fulfill need of their families as it is good source of income 

As the expenses are less and it runs on battery power, therefore tariff rate is also less.

In fact, people are giving these e-rickshaws preference over normal rickshaws because it is much faster, reliable and cheaper 

Due to its simple mechanism and being a low maintenance vehicle, a common man

can afford it. This also reason that many entrepreneurs and businessmen are investing in this business 

People have understood its importance therefore not only men but women are also

driving e-rickshaw nowadays. In fact, recently, Delhi got its first woman e-rickshaw driver. Clearly, e-rickshaw has become a great tool of women empowerment 

And, last but most importantly, increasing number of e-rickshaw helps in reducing

both the air pollution and noise pollution

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Annexure

43