AHMEDABAD: A Gandhinagar-based professor has developed a tri-wheel e-vehicle named as ‘Smartwings’ for physically challenged people. Dr Kaushal Jani, assistant professor at National Forensic Science University, has created the electronic vehicle that can be driven in off-road conditions.
“I reviewed all vehicles specially designed for physically challenged people that are there in the market. But there is still no vehicle that emerges from the factory wheelchair-ready. So I decided to develop something that helps such people move with their wheelchair. This is the first vehicle of its kind in India,” said Dr Jani.
“It is difficult for persons who are more than 45% disabled to move around. They need a wheelchair for mobility and are dependent on support systems. So, I took on this project,” he added. This vehicle contains an electric hydraulic slope so that a physically challenged person can easily climb with a wheelchair and drive the vehicle.
The vehicle is powered by solar batteries. Fiber plastic, aluminium, iron and polycarbonate sheet materials are largely used. The cost of the product is low so that further development of the project is easy and everyone can afford it. This vehicle runs at a maximum speed of 30 kmph and two persons can be seated at a time.