Delhi-Bengaluru in solar car? Yes, he can

NEW DELHI: When the strange looking contraption wheeled into Delhi on December 1, the people who saw it did not think it was much of a car. But with the capital grappling with dangerous pollution levels, much of it vehicular in origin, Syed Sajjad Ahmed's idea of a solar-powered "car" is perhaps not to be scoffed at. What is more, the prototype has proved that transport can depend on the sun, having traversed over 3,000 km from Bengaluru to the capital.

The four-wheeler is on display at the India International Science Fair at IIT Delhi and is a curiosity both for its technology as well as for its inventor, a former school dropout. First designed in 2004, the car has undergone continual experimentation to be where it is now, an ungainly-looking machine with spoke wheels that, however, can take varied terrain in its stride. It is also a tribute to a man who overcame the lack of college education to pursue his interest in mechanics as a hobbyist.

A luckier Ahmed, now 63 years old, would perhaps have entered an engineering college and specialised in automotives. But precarious family finances put paid to his ambitions, and dropping out of school, he set about selling fruit to augment the domestic budget. His innate understanding of mechanical things inspired him to leave the fruit cart behind and set up an electronics repair shop, where he honed his skills in electrical work. Approaching 50, he felt hurried to achieve his lifelong itch of developing something "useful for the society". In 2002, he yoked his knowledge with the idea of a socially-useful product and created an electricity-powered two wheeler. Ahmed then progressed to a car powered by the sun. He regularly updated and modified his 2004 brainwave and the car at IIT Delhi is the result.



The squat, square vehicle employs five photovoltaic panels on the hood, bonnet and back to charge regular lead acid batteries. It can run at speeds of up to 40 kmph on a full charge and has an average speed of 30 kmph. The battery pack is also capable of being charged by electricity, in which case it runs an additional 60 km.

The drive from Karnataka to Delhi was a big test for Ahmed's car. He started from Bengaluru with a cousin on November 1 and took 30 days to reach the capital. "We hit a few hurdles on rocky terrain on the way and had a few issues with the brakes," he says. "The tyres had to be changed too, otherwise the car performed really well."

It cost him a little over Rs 1 lakh to give his innovation a physical form. Participation in the India International Science Fair, he hopes, will help his concept gain recognition and attract funding for further development. "At the moment, it is only a working model," says the greying man. "With proper support from the authorities and industry, its environment friendly design can be the answer to many urban problems."

Fired by former President APJ Abdul Kalam's call to "inspire, ignite, innovate and educate the public, especially students", he wants to do his bit for the country. As homage to Kalam, Ahmed will drive from Delhi to Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Kalam's hometown, on his way back to Bengaluru.