Design and Development of Solar Powered E-Rickshaw for Sustainable development

The standalone solar photovoltaic (PV) system with a capacity of 1.5 kWp integrated with battery storage is successfully designed to meet the energy requirements of a solar-powered e-rickshaw for green campus mobility. The system delivers an annual useful energy of 1427.3 kWh, with a specific generation of 952 kWh/kWp/year, indicating satisfactory performance under given climatic conditions. A high solar fraction of 97.18% confirms that most of the load demand is met through solar energy. However, an energy deficit of 41.4 kWh/year occurs during low irradiance periods, while 742.5 kWh/year remains unutilized due to battery storage limitations. The overall performance ratio of 48.88% reflects the impact of temperature, battery, and conversion losses. Despite these losses, the system demonstrates reliable and efficient operation for real-world implementation. The proposed system provides a sustainable and eco-friendly solution for e-rickshaw operation by reducing dependence on conventional energy sources, lowering carbon emissions, and supporting clean transportation. It also offers economic benefits through reduced operational costs and energy savings. The modular design enables scalability for larger applications such as fleet-based systems. Future work may focus on improving performance through advanced battery technologies, smart energy management systems, IoT-based monitoring, and optimized PV configuration.

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