Sharda University designs e-scooter for persons with disabilities

Greater Noida: Sharda University has patented an electric scooter it has developed for persons with disabilities (PWD). The scooter, Divya Shakti, was also displayed

Greater Noida: Sharda University has patented an electric scooter it has developed for persons with disabilities (PWD). The scooter, Divya Shakti, was also displayed at the Auto Expo – 2020 in February.

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The Greater Noida-based private university aims to collaborate with the government and manufacture it for those in need.

“There is no such vehicle for PWDs the market. The project has huge social application for the disabled and elderly. It supports a rotating seat in order to make it easier for a person to board or alight,” said project coordinator Abhishek Bhattacharya, assistant professor, department of mechanical engineering, Sharda University.

Three students – Piyush Joshi, Arun Joshi and Showket Latif Bandey – worked on this project and developed the viable prototype, he said. “It has a self-start system and can run 75 km on a single charge. It has maximum speed of 60 kmph and the estimated charging time is 3 to 4 hours.”

Anil Chhikara, automobile engineering expert working with Delhi government, said, “These vehicles can be used locally. For their commercial use, the vehicles first need to pass safety tests. They also need to be registered by the government. The manufacture of motorcycles/e-bikes also need significant investment. This can be possible if the government or a private company gets involved,” he said.

Dr Parmanand, dean school of engineering and technology, said the University will approach local administration and government for a collaboration for this project. “We will work on the model’s testing and registration as well. We are not aiming for commercial benefits, and hence the product would be low cost,” he said.

PK Gupta, Sharda University Chancellor, also said that they will collaborate with the government and manufacture the product. “We have filed a patent for the product. We are not going for comm  ercial deal with any private companies but to serve the needy,” he said.