Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Thursday 18 August 2016

A Radical Radial Revolution !



Here is an opportunity ( or a threat ? ), for India's " Organized / Large Scale Bi-cycle Manufacturers " 


May be , between them , HERO / BSA / TI / ATLAS etc large scale manufacturers , produce close to 50 % of India's production of 15 million bicycles per year ( second largest in the World ) , rest being manufactured by hundreds of small scale manufacturers , spread all over the country . Between them , they also export some 3 million bicycles every year !


Bicycles costing Rs 10,000 / - to Rs 20,000 / - each ( going down to Rs 5,000 for locally made cheap versions )


Cambridge ( USA ) based  GeoOrbital  has come out with a unique bicycle wheel for replacing the Front Wheel of any standard ( 26 " / 28 " ) existing bicycle , to convert it into an " Electric Bicycle " in ONE minute and without any tools !  


Changing back to original Front Wheel of your vintage bicycle , will also take no more than ONE minute


GeoOrbital  Front Wheel carries a 500 Watt DC motor / a removable Lithium-Io battery / Wheel lock and a Motor Controller ( a simple thumb activated throttle, which is easily clipped onto your handlebar )


Battery needs 3 / 4 hours to recharge ( depending upon capacity ) but gets Regenerative Charge when you pedal !



It will give a range of 20 miles (50 miles if you pedal for exercise ) with a speed of 20 MPH ( without pedaling )


Launched in May 2016 , bulk deliveries will start in Feb 2017 . Overseas orders will be accepted online @ $ 800  


If this  GeoOrbital  front wheel was to be manufactured in India ( in a Joint Venture with GeoOrbital ? ) , then I believe , the selling price could be brought down to Rs 10,000 / - ( opportunity for Indian Bicycle Manufacturers ? )



Can our Policy Makers dream of an  URBAN  TRANSPORT REVOLUTION  ( an Orchestra super-conducted by
Shri Nitin Gadkari ? ) as follows :


ROLE  OF   CENTRAL  GOVERNMENT

    Encourage " Bike Share Taxi " ventures using Electric Bicycles by offering them all sorts of incentives , such as :

   *  50 % subsidy on refitting of newly purchased plain bicycles with  GeoOrbital  Front Wheels

   *  No Corporate or Personal Income Tax for 10 years


     Of course , existence of similar " Bike Share Taxi " ventures in many cities around the World , have already
     proved this as a viable model for reducing traffic congestions / vehicle pollution

  
      
ROLE  OF  CITY  MUNICIPALITIES

   *   Municipalities to make available free " Parking " spaces , all over their cities for such ventures .

   *   Give 10 % rebate in Property Tax to Co-op Housing Societies which provide 400 sq ft space to " Bike Share
        Taxi " ventures , within their compounds , FREE OF  RENTAL

   *   " Bike Share Taxi " scheme may be modeled around similar successful scheme  BIXI  of Montreal Municipality



ROLE  OF  START UP VENTURES

      *  These Ventures will construct / install their " Docking Stations " at these parking spaces ( GPS connected /
         Wi-Fi enabled )
         Each Docking Station will automatically recharge  built-in Battery, while cycle is parked ( stationary )


     *   All bicycles owned by these ventures to be GPS enabled for easy tracking by the Venture Owners


     *   A Digi-Met ( digital meter ) to be fixed on all such bicycles where payment can be made by UPI ( Universal
         Payment Interface ) , about to be launched , across entire country ( a vastly user-friendly , Mobile Wallet )


    *   Rates ( per km or per hour ) to be fixed by a RTO designed fare calculating software , running on Digi-Met



#   ROLE  OF  MANOJ  BHARGAVA ( www.BillionsinChange.com )

     *  Come up with a higher capacity electricity generating bicycle device , which can charge FlashBattery charger
        of  Start Up , StoresDot
        May be he can pre-install that  StoresDot's  FlashBattery charger into the electricity generating device itself !



#   ROLE  OF  StoresDot

    *  Modify their FlashBattery Charger ( which is capable of charging a Electric Car Battery in 5 MINUTES ) , to be
       able to charge  GeoOrbital's  replaceable battery pack , within ONE MINUTE 

!

#   ROLE  OF  COOPERATIVE  HOUSING  SOCIETIES

   *   As an alternative to providing 400 sq ft open space to " Bike Share Taxi " ventures , build a GYM within the
       Society compound ( no need for FSI / no permission from local Municipality / just file plans-drawings ) , which
       will house :

       Manoj Bhargava's  higher capacity electricity generating bicycles (at least 5)  and encourage Members
           to  exercise on these ( 24 hours open ) , to generate / store electric power for charging  StoreDot's
           FlashBattery . Credit exercising members with " 5 credit points " for charging their own private GeoOrbital
           installed bicycles for each hour of exercise


       #  Install StoreDot's FlashBattery Chargers , duly connected to those devices for getting charged and make
           these available to Society Members who have earned credit points ( Rich members may depute their
          domestic servants to exercise on their behalf ! )



This simple innovation / intervention , has the potential to :


#    Dramatically reduce traffic congestion in big cities

#    Reduce demand for new air-polluting cars using fossil fuel

#    Even reduce dependence on Public Transport ( Bus / Metro / Local trains / Taxis )

#    Reduce need for car parking spaces on streets

#    Improve health of citizens who switch over from car driving to  GeoOrbital  bicycle pedaling !

#    Become a Flag-Bearer to National Electric Mobility Mission Plan ( NEMMP ) which aims to put 6
      million Electric Vehicles on our roads by 2020 ; totally possible if those vehicles are " Electric Bicycles " , not
     Cars !


     

I hope  Shri Nitin Gadkariji  and  Shri Piyush Goyalji , will acknowledge this suggestion , even if they do not agree !


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

19  Aug  2016

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs


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