The latest innovation of SRM AP students, retrofit electric bike design and development, files the patent Amaravati
Students of Mechanical Engineering at SRM University-AP have developed an electric bike in the conducive research environment provided by the university. Dr Venkata Nori, Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, expounded that the patent is filed for the design of portable battery mechanism. Governments worldwide are likely to promote the use of electric vehicles in the coming days as a measure to control air pollution. Recognising this, the students designed a retrofit electric bike using their own technology with the assistance of Amara Raja Batteries Limited (ARBL). The students noted that experimental efforts such as replacing the IC engine with a lithium-ion battery and fitting a motor to the rear wheel show expected results. Currently, petrol-powered two-wheelers are available in the market that could be converted to its fully electric version
The bike is developed by Ravi Teja Reddy, A Chaitanya, Pabolu Mohan Aditya, K Praveen, K Yashaswini, Shravya, Vasu and Priyanka. The students explained that the battery takes about two and a half hours to charge and costs about Rs 15 per single charge. It can travel 45 kilometres on a single charge battery, 35 kilometres on a two-person journey and a top speed of 60 kilometres per hour. The students explained that the bike they designed is low maintenance, fitted with a reverse mode facility and an electric brake.
After two months of hard work, the students succeeded in the vehicle design. The manufactured vehicle was tested in two stages. This bike, which is air and noise-free, was demonstrated by the students at the university. Prof V S Rao- Vice-Chancellor and Dr Prem Kumar- Registrar appreciated the students for their novel design. Prof Sujith Kalluri, SRM – Amara Raja Center for Energy Storage Devices, and Prof B V Babu Dean – SEAS have praised students on their achievement. Prof D Narayana Rao, Pro Vice Chancellor has encouraged the students to retrofit e-bike as this has a great societal application. He also motivated Amararaja Batteries Ltd (ARBL) and got the support for retrofitting of e-bike and congratulated the students.