Peshawar is one of the most polluted cities in the world. According to World Health Organization, it ranks at number 6 with 17 PPM (particles per million). The noise pollution level is at 85 decibels. Rickshaws are a major means of public transportation in the city and also a major contributor to pollution. There are more than 13000 registered rickshaws in the city. But according to unofficial numbers, the combined number of registered and unregistered rickshaws in around 50,000. And in order to curb the threatening levels of pollution, the Government of KPK has decided to introduce electric rickshaws in the city.
Also Read: KPK CM Wants All Arrangements Ready For US $200 Million Worth Of Road Projects Within Three Months
The new electric rickshaws will be manufactured in China and will cost less than a regular gasoline powered rickshaw. A regular petrol powered rickshaw costs somewhere around PKR 300,000 whereas these new e-rickshaws will approximately cost PKR 240,000. The new electric rickshaws can accommodate up to 4 people and can go as fast as 45 km/h.
You can charge the batteries of the e-rickshaw from a regular 240V socket, and it takes 7 hours for the batteries to get fully charged. They can be charged to 80% in around 2 hours. 80% charge will last you a little more than 50 kilometers.
The provincial government might also go for electric minicabs and loaders. The e-minicab can carry up to five passengers and can do around 150 kilometers in full charge.
There is no doubt these new e-rickshaws will help control the increasing levels of pollution since they don’t require fossil fuels but since they will need frequent charging, it might be a concern for the new owners. Also, the cost of production of electricity to charge rickshaws should also be kept in mind. Also, in summers, there is regular load-shedding in almost all of Pakistan. If a charge run out in the middle of a journey, the passengers are going to be rightfully agitated. There a lot of things, like the supporting infrastructure, that must be kept in mind before taking this step. Are there going to be charging stations around the city? Or are the owners of these rickshaws going to keep long cable extensions in handy and charge their rides wherever they find a suitable socket? This otherwise applaudable step can easily go sideways if the concerned governmental departments and officials show any negligence.
Images of generic electric rickshaws
The source of Pollution in peshawar has not been the rickshaws it has been the use of Wagons started in 1960’s and those old huge buses though they have different routes for them now but they are still the cause of pollution, unless they get rid of that it’s not going to make things any better. The driving standards of Peshawar drivers are not even closed to what you can call regular driving. I currently live near peshawar but whenever my family wants me to go to peshawar it’s like they are asking me to go and get my car accidented driving in peshawar is a tough job and an anxious one.
this is a good step to a clean pakistan and world but the charging costs will be too high and secondly because of constant load shedding they wont be able to charge effectively so i think there should be some sort of semi electric vehicle like hybrids but more cheaper
The operation of 电动车 is simple.
It comes with a small battery which you take out each night and take home to charge. It (the battery pack) has a built-in charger so it is totally portable. You go to anyone’s house and plug it in. You can even buy two or three batteries of different capacity and use them as needed. A spare battery can be kept in your bag too (though it is not feather light).
There is no engine oil, gear oil or chain to worry about. The only maintenance required is the routine replacement of brake shoes (ironically the all-new electric cars use ancient drum brakes with no ABS).
Batteries are interchangeable between different model of 电动车 manufactured by different companies, so even if you finished your battery, you can borrow your neighbor’s battery in case of emergency.
Since electric motor has a lot of starting torque, the vehicle can be used over bumps (bumpy roads) easily.
电动车 has a very uncomfortable ride because wheels are small dia, thin, nonexistent shocks and paper thin seat upholstery. But it is good for short distances on good roads, has no noise and no smoke.
Immediate, on-the-spot environmental pollution is not a problem – though manufacture and disposal of batteries is a concern, like mining of lithium, disposal of lead and plastic.
What is price in Pakistan and is it available in Karachi ?
WE NEED simple electric cars too ! ESPECIALLY for students !
totally a new disaster for the investors is ahead for kpk innocent people
50km tap the wall of rickshaw stand and came back again to home for spare battery, and by doing this whole life one will be definitely prosperous !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s good but they should first introduce diesel hybrid buses in Peshawar, not the Metro JANGLA bus but just a regular bus.
I disagree to this . I have lived in peshawar for almost 95% of my life . Before leaving peshawar for islamabad i also thought peshawars traffic was a mess and so did my family , but believe me after i shifted to the twin cities , i miss peshawar too much , the traffic in peshawar was so much better , pindi-islamabad have some real shitty traffic and drivers now that ive experienced it . I hit my cars fender for the first time ever and it was islamabad .
Electric Minicab in KPK