Audi power for… Indian rickshaws?

[advrider]

You have to hand it to Audi. Whether you like the use of electric power for vehicles or not, you probably do like then idea of somewhat cleaner air for the citizens of Bangalore in India; the cost-free re-use of electric car batteries; their removal from garbage tips; and the promotion of female job independence. Audi, which has a keen sense of what will play with the general public (even those who can’t afford its cars) has all four covered. And not only that, it has produced some really cool little vehicles.

One serious environmental difficulty of electric propulsion is the question of what to do with electric vehicle batteries after they have done their bit. This is only going to become more pressing as the percentage of electric vehicles grows in the global auto fleet. Audi is experimenting with one possible option: reusing second-life batteries to power electric rickshaws.

Audi’s Environmental Foundation provides funding to Nunam, a non-profit startup with bases in Berlin and Bangalore. Nunam has now worked with the team at Audi’s Neckarsulm site to build these irresistibly pretty e-rickshaws, each powered by used batteries from Audi’s e-tron test fleet.

“The old batteries are still extremely powerful,” says Nunam cofounder Prodip Chatterjee. “For vehicles with lower range and power requirements, as well as lower overall weight, they are extremely promising. In our second-life project, we reuse batteries from electric cars in electric vehicles; you might call it electric mobility ‘lite’. In this way, we’re trying to find out how much power the batteries can still provide in this demanding use case.”

Planned to launch in early 2023, the pilot project is a multi-benefit experiment. Audi and Nunam will lend the e-rickshaws to enterprising women who can use them as transport to ferry goods to the market, helping to promote female job independence.

Look out Indian traffic, Audi’s coming through. Photo: Audi

While these e-rickshaws will probably be the most stylish around India, but Audi acknowledges that there are already many electric rickshaws rolling through the streets of the subcontinent. Those three-wheelers are however usually powered by lead-acid batteries, and charged from the heavily coal-reliant public electric grid.

Nunam will work to create a decentralized solar charging system by placing solar panels on the rooftops of local partners. These panels will charge stationary second-life e-tron storage batteries during the day, passing the energy to the rickshaws at night, when they’re not in use. India’s sunny climate will make a highly suitable test bed for this system. Nunam has hopes of encouraging similar third-party projects. It will also be seeking out potential third-life uses for the batteries once they’re no longer suitable for the e-rickshaws. Possibilities include stationary applications like powering LED lighting.

“We want to get everything possible out of each battery before recycling,” says Chatterjee.

And just in case you don’t think rickshaws are ADV-worthy vehicles? See below.

Vezi sursa