19-year-old student designs solar-powered ‘cycle-car’

Roshan with his solar-powered cycle

A 19-year-old student in Pune has designed a solar-powered two-wheeler car. Roshan Chumbalkar, who is a first-year engineering student at RND Sinhagad College, stumbled upon the idea in the vacations after his class X board exams.

“With electric cars coming up in a big way, I wondered where would the power and time come from for charging these batteries. That is when I decided to try something out on a regular bicycle,” said Chumbalkar.

His cycle, which he uses to commute to nearby places everyday, has special gadgets — an accelerator, a two-seater leather seat used in motorbikes, a headlight, a solar panel jutting out from the cycle carrier and a soon-to-be-added protective overhead cover — completing the design of a two-wheeler car.

The cycle weighs approximately 10 kg, with most of the weight coming from the dual batteries each of 12V capacity and the solar panel, which powers the headlight at night.

“The batteries can be fully solar powered within four hours will work for 30 km. With the solar panels on the cycle, the charging is continuous,” explained the budding mechanical engineer.

Once the car-design is ready, Chumbalkar also plans to manufacture and sell his solar-powered cycle-car and he is positive his discovery can contribute to making the environment greener.

The cycle is best suited while riding an uphill slope, with the in-built acceleration facility allowing the rider a break from strained pedaling, said Chumbalkar.