BikeWo Green Tech Limited will work in partnership with Yubhas Renewables Private Limited to conduct trials of solar assisted electric three wheelers for rural and semi urban mobility. The partnership will help in conducting field testing of the vehicles before moving forward with their market deployment.

BikeWo will contribute to the testing programme with its riders network. As well as experience of running the solar assisted EV in the field.

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Solar Assisted EVs to be Tested in the Field

The objective of the pilot project is to find out if the solar assisted electric three wheelers can handle the requirements of rural mobility. In contrast to laboratory testing of the vehicle, it will be tested in diverse field conditions.

These are some of the main areas of evaluation:

  • Range and battery efficiency while in use
  • Payload capability for passengers and cargo
  • Ride quality, braking and cooling capabilities
  • Reliability across different operating environments
  • Operating cost-efficiency for commercial operators

Feedback gathered from BikeWo’s last-mile delivery network will aid in identifying the aspects which need improvements in the solar assisted EV before mass launch.

Hiten Pal Saklani, CEO, BikeWo Green Tech Limited, said, "At BikeWo, we are constantly exploring innovative mobility solutions that improve operational efficiency while contributing to a more sustainable future. Partnering with Yubhas Renewables provides an opportunity to evaluate a promising clean mobility technology under commercial operating conditions while exploring new avenues for rural entrepreneurship and livelihood generation."

It’s More Than a Vehicle Testing Programme

The partnership comes with an aspect of livelihood development in rural communities. Both BikeWo and Yubhas Renewables are considering setting up a programme. Wherein young individuals can get trained in driving, servicing, customer service, and some rudimentary business management skills.

The objective would be to make such trained individuals owners of vehicles rather than mere users. If eligible, these individuals could even look at financing their vehicle purchase through the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana scheme.

If successfully scaled up, these vehicles could cater to several needs of the rural community, ranging from transportation, agricultural logistics, village-level deliveries and accessing healthcare services.

Sai Satyam Pradhan, Founder & CEO, Yubhas Renewables, said, "Our vision is to build a practical solar-assisted mobility platform that addresses the unique transportation needs of rural India. Partnering with BikeWo gives us access to valuable operational feedback that will help refine the vehicle for reliability, affordability, and commercial viability. Beyond technology, we see this as an opportunity to create a sustainable ecosystem where clean mobility can support entrepreneurship, generate livelihoods, and improve access to essential services across rural communities."

Can Solar-Powered EV Boost Last-Mile Mobility in Rural Areas?

While the use of solar assisted EV in rural settings faces a number of unique challenges in contrast to cities. Solar-powered electric vehicles could provide a potential solution should they turn out to be reliable and economically feasible in their operation.

ELCTRIK Speaks

As of yet, however, the collaboration is more concerned about validating the technology rather than launching any massive commercial ventures. The outcome of the field tests will help to determine whether or not the technology is viable as a solution to rural mobility needs in India.

Solar Powered EVBikeWoYubhas RenewablesLast Mile MobilityRural Mobility