KOCHI: After the creation of a successful electric vehicle with a kitchen facility, Kochi-based Lifeway Solar has come up with a solar-powered electric multi-utility vehicle for street vendors. The cart was launched two days ago. The vehicle, fitted with a 200-litre Phocos freezer, is powered by a 350 W solar panel and has an 80AH battery. According to Georgekutty Kariyanapally, managing director, Lifeway Solar, the solar-powered freezer makes life easy for vendors who sell fish and chicken.
“The 60V freezer can store ice cream, fish and other edible items for 24 hours. This is not only a healthier and hygienic way of storage but also more economic. This can replace the traditional ice boxes used to transport fish and meat. It can even be converted into ice cream carts,” he added. Apart from the option to switch to grid charging in the absence of solar power, the vehicle also runs 80 kilometres while the freezer is functional.
“The idea is to ensure that people in rural places get to travel to city areas and sell their produce fresh. My initiative is aimed at promoting self-employment among youngsters,” says Georgekutty. The vehicle is priced at Rs 3 lakh, including the panels, battery and freezer. “We have pulled in engineers who can do maintenance work regularly. The loan to purchase the vehicle is available at banks with 4 per cent interest rates, under the National Urban Life Mission. People can approach our showroom at Edappally to test drive the vehicle,” says Georgekutty.
Lifeway Solar’s previous project, an electric autorickshaw repurposed to hold a kitchen was used by Kudumbashree to provide employment for women. The success of the vehicle had prompted leading automobile manufacturer Mahindra to approach Georgekutty for designing the electric kitchen for the caravans to be rolled out by the company. Lifeway Solar has already signed an MoU with Mahindra in this regard.