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

Sunday, 26 August 2018

EESL : Getting Away from Straitjacket ?






Following news appeared in Eco Times ( 22 Aug ) :




  
Extract :

State owned Energy Efficiency Services, which leads the country’s energy efficiency and conservation drive, has thrown open a challenge for entrepreneurs and start ups “ to develop electric cars that are more efficient in terms of performance and cheaper “ than what it had sought in its e-car tender last year


EESL…. Has sought variants of electric cars that can run 200 km or more in a single charge and is priced not more than Rs 10 lakh


The solutions , if viable, will be scaled up and commercialized BY EESL ……


EESL has also sought ,

#  solutions in the field of Charging Stations , which is instrumental for the success of
    electric mobility initiative in India
   

“ We are trying to go away from the straitjacket approach “ ,  Kumar told ET




While welcoming EESL’s intention of “ going away from straitjacket “ , following questions arise :


·         Is this “ challenge “, open to “ Indian Entrepreneurs and Start Ups “ only, or is it also open to existing Electric Car manufacturers ( both local and foreign ) ?


·         Are the participants required to submit “ Conceptual Designs “ only or also “ Manufacturing Drawings “ / “ Working Prototype “ as well  ?



I could not find any answers to these on EESL web site  


Nor any mention of this “ challenge “  or any tabulation  of “ Minimum Specifications / Performance Criteria “


·         World over , existing car manufacturers are “ forward integrating “

[   Car manufacturing  >  Ride sharing   >  Car leasing   ]




Now EESL is not a “ Car Manufacturer “


After “ Buying “ from manufacturers , EESL is “ Leasing  E-Cars “ to various Govt departments


Why does it want to “ backward integrate “ into “ Car Manufacturing “ ?


News report reads :

 “ The solutions , if viable, will be scaled up and commercialized BY EESL “



EESL is planning to replace existing govt fleet of 500,000 petrol / diesel vehicles with electric vehicles , in next 3 – 4 years ( as per EESL web site )


By “ commercialization “ if EESL plans to manufacture e-cars , it will require EESL to set up its own “ Manufacturing Facility “ with a capacity to produce , 50,000 cars per year ( a sales value of Rs 5,000 Cr @ Rs 10 lakh / car )


If we assume a “ Capital Output Ratio “ of 1 : 1 for this industry , then that would require a Capital Investment of Rs 5,000 crore  !


Unless EESL plans that proposed  “ commercialization “ ( of the winning design ) by “ sub-contracting “ the actual manufacturing to one or more , existing E Car manufacturers


     If “ sub-contracting “ is the idea , why go through this entire “ Challenge Exercise “ ?
Why not just contact the 38 existing e – car manufacturers , encouraging them to set up manufacturing facilities in India ? [ TATA and M&M are already producing ]


If assured of guaranteed order from EESL [ say 25,000 cars each per year , to two selected manufacturers ] , they will be happy to make cars as per winning design


If at all , there has to be a “ Challenge “ , it should read :


“ E Car with a range of 100 km / charge and costing no more than Rs 7 lakh


  It should have Solar Panel mounted roof top to continuously charge a small Li-ion Battery which can be also charged overnight at home , using a standard 220 V domestic outlet 



No need for any roadside “ Battery Charging Infrastructure “ , no “ Range Anxiety “ for the buyers , no need for any Subsidy ( under FAME II  being launched in Sept and expected to cost Rs 5,500 crores ) ! 


In that case , following parties might get interested :





SONO  Motors  (  https://sonomotors.com/  )


Specs :
·         Range  >  250 Km

·         Price    >  Euro 16,000 ( Rs 13 lakh )


·         330 integrated solar cells mounted on top , sides , front / rear hoods , to charge battery while under sun . Can be charged at home using domestic outlet , in 13 hours ( overnight charging )

·         Bidirectional charging enables charging of home electronic devices , from SONO car battery



·         SONO eliminates need for road-side Battery Charging Stations but can be charged in 3.5 hours




LIGHTYEAR   (  https://lightyear.one/  )



·         Range   >    400 km to  800 km

·         Price     >    Euro  119,000  (  Rs 96. Lakhs )


·         Battery charged by solar power but can also be charged at home using standard domestic outlet



OUR VERY OWN ISRO


·         Way back in May 2017 , ISRO demonstrated a OMNI van fitted with Solar panels on its roof , charging a relatively small Lithium-ion Battery ( also developed by ISRO and now in the process of being licensed to several Indian firms


 Read :
Further Reference :




27  Aug 2018


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