In a new initiative focused towards achieving sustainable transportation, Jindal Stainless is now in talks with manufacturers to facilitate the roll out of stainless steel electric rickshaws it has designed.
Earlier this month, the company which already produces stainless steel bus bodies and railway coaches and wagons, claimed to have developed the first stainless steel e-rickshaw prototype in India with “superior body and chassis performance” as compared to carbon steel e-rickshaws.
According to the company’s officials, it expects the segment to generate revenues to the tune of Rs 200 crore and generate an annual demand for 13,000 metric tonnes of stainless steel by 2021.
“The Indian e-vehicle market will be one of the biggest in the world and the company was ready to enhance the value and efficiency of these e-vehicles with sustainable stainless steel body constituents,” said Abhyuday Jindal, managing director, Jindal Stainless. He added that Uttar Pradesh will be one of Jindal’s key focus areas.
“We will support e-rickshaw manufacturers in designing and developing stainless steel models. We will associate with e-rickshaw dealers and manufacturers for seamless production of this environmentally-friendly vehicle,” he added.
Electric rickshaws have been rapidly replacing cycle and autorickshaws in offering last mile connectivity in several cities.
The North East, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi and Bihar are some of the key markets where battery-powered ricks have taken over. Today, it is estimated that nearly six lakh e-rickshaws are sold in India annually and this number is expected to grow at a 16 per cent CAGR over five years.
Given the high potential in the Uttar Pradesh market, Jindal Stainless is participating in the EvExpo 2019 at Lucknow with an intention to forge partnerships with local e-rickshaw manufacturers, it said.
Why stainless steel?
Jindal’s stainless steel e-rickshaw is touted to have superior body and chassis compared to carbon steel units. The life of a carbon steel e-rickshaw is only 2-3 years and needs to be disposed of at the end of its lifecycle
According to Jindal Stainless, stainless steel components enhance the life span and safety of e-rickshaws due to a high strength-to-weight ratio, improved crash resistance and corrosion prevention
Stainless steel components lead to 14-15 per cent reduction in overall body weight, resulting in higher battery efficiency. Additionally, stainless steel e-rickshaws have a much higher scrap value