JOIN USHe rides solar cycle to his office every day
While motorists in Bangalore perpetually complain about the skyrocketing fuel prices and reaching their destinations late due to traffic jams, here is a person who loves travelling from his home to office everyday.
For Ajai Tirumali, a 37-year-old software professional, riding from Koramangala to Old Madras Road where his office is located, is no longer a headache.
“Ever since I purchased an electric bicycle and installed two solar panels on the rack of the bike, dealing with traffic as well as fluctuating fuel prices has been easy. Two years back when I was travelling by car, I used to take one hour to reach office, while now it takes just half-an-hour,” Tirumali says.
Tirumali added that he used to spend around Rs 1,000 - Rs 1,500 per month on fuel alone and hence thought of purchasing an electric bicycle which was a better option.
Environment-friendly
“The bicycle has a motor and batteries. However, the batteries depend on some amount of electricity supply. Hence, I thought I will use solar panels which is environment-friendly. I can easily move my bike along the lanes despite traffic jams,” he says.
He admits that it was initially difficult to mount solar panels on the carrier of his bicycle. Tirumali said, “While I procured solar panels easily from one of the private companies, getting them fixed was a challenge.
Apparently, there are no manufacturers who know how to put up panels on bicycle. It took me one month to know the technique and instal panels with the required tools.”
Only Rs 5,000
While the cost of the bicycle is Rs 18,000, Tirumali spent Rs 5,000 for buying detachable solar panels.
Each panel is of 18 watts and if charged for eight to nine hours, it could cover up to 20 km every hour. He charges his bicycle at his office terrace the whole day and rides it back home.
Though the total weight of panels is five kg, Tirumali points out that it was easy to ride along and there had been no hassles so far.
He admits that his efforts to convince some of his colleagues and friends to use electric bicycle had been unsuccessful.
“Most of them think that it is expensive but it is not and is long-lasting too,” the young professional added.