A team of 50 students from IIT Kharagpur launch the new eco-friendly vehicle 'DESHLA'

In a bid to reduce vehicular pollution, a team of 50 students from IIT Kharagpur has developed an electric vehicle. The new green vehicle 'DESHLA', designed and built by the team, is set to pose a strong challenge to the current generation of three-wheeler autos and high-maintenance e-rickshaws, said an IIT Kharagpur statement.

The team is led by Professor Vikranth Racherla from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the institute.

"Instead of retrofitting an existing vehicle, we thought we would build one from scratch, especially because the design is so important for an electric vehicle. Each design has been conceived, analysed, prototyped and the cycle repeated many times before the actual product came out," he said.

With its powerful motor, lithium ion battery that can last up to 6-7 years, high load carrying capacity, sturdy frame and easy manoeuvrability, the concept prototype had a successful test-run at the IIT Kharagpur campus.

Professor Sriman Kumar Bhattacharyya, Officiating Director of IIT Kharagpur, said local e-rickshaw drivers who visited during the test-run are excited with the "vehicle design and the economics behind it".

The project was funded by industrialist and distinguished alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, Dr. Purnendu Chatterjee who is founder and Chairman of The Chatterjee Group (TCG).

Professor Racherla and two other lead researchers Shyama Agrawal and Manuj Agrawal have already floated a start-up entity for commercial sales of the vehicle and currently working on raising funds for industrial production.

