Sheila Dikshit, chief minister of Delhi, has launched "Solekshaw", a solar-electric rickshaw designed for eco-friendly urban transport.

The dual-powered Soleckshaw was developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for "decent employment generation for the masses" and "mitigation of global warming". Currently, no powered vehicle or transport system is free from carbon dioxide emission. More than 60 per cent of the increase in greenhouse gas  emission is generated by the transport sector.

The Soleckshaw is claimed to be easy to drive, both on the level and uphill. The Mark I version has been designed, developed and prototyped by the CSIR’s national laboratory, the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) at Durgapur, in eight months. The accompanying solar charging stationwas set up by Central Electronics Limited (CEL). Crompton Greaves developed the specifically-designed, low-power high-torque brushless DC motor for the first time in India, based on specifications provided by CMERI.

The Centre for Rural Development (CRD), an NGO working on rickshaw banks in various cities, has joined the technology demonstration project as a partner to encourage wide deployment of Soleckshaw. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has offered to accommodate the solar charging station at its Delhi Metro Station at Chandni Chowk.

According to its makers, the cost-effectiveness of Soleckshaw has been engineered by making the best of the most appropriate commercially available components. This also minimises the capital requirement for a mass manufacturing unit. Only the sub-assemblies like the differential drive, the hub motor with regenerative feature and the light weight solar panel need to be manufactured separately. Efforts are being made with support from NGOs, banks, environment-loving corporates and manufacturing organisations to make the rickshaw available to drivers at the cost of an ordinary rickshaw. X