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As the world, and particularly India, embraces the concept of numerous alternatives have emerged across various sectors. A notable example of this shift is in the realm of mobility.
With companies and innovators introducing newer and more efficient electric vehicles (EVs), the market is expected to grow at a tremendous rate. “The India electric vehicle market size is projected to grow from USD 3.21 billion in 2022 to USD 113.99 billion in 2029, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 66.52 percent,” according to a report by Fortune Business Insights.
Jumping on the bandwagon are three young and innovative minds hailing from Kerala. Jacob Thekkekara, Azim Hashmi, and Abdul Hadi Mutheri, with their Kochi-based company Sugrah Mobility Pvt Ltd, have developed a one-of-a-kind solar-powered electric three-vehicle.
“We realised that while there were e-rickshaws, there were not any with a load-bearing capacity for transporting goods,” says Jacob, the co-founder of Sugrah Mobility and the brains behind the tricycle.
Available for sale in the country, but 100 percent solar-run. He talks about the innovation, the idea behind it, and what’s next in their plan with The Better India.
Sugrah is co-founder of Jacob’s second stint at business. While he founded another company on similar lines earlier, he was keen on doing something in his home state. “It was along the same lines but I wanted to create something which was more tangible and had a real impact. This is when I decided to leave that startup and look for something else,” he says.
Studying markets, Jacob realised how the country depends a lot on three-wheelers for low to medium-scale transportation. “There are so many odd jugaads that many three-wheeler owners have done such as making it mechanical from a local mechanic. However, I realised that those can be dangerous and harmful to the environment,” he says.
The reason for such innovations was a lack of three-wheeler EVs with a good load-bearing capacity. “I realised the potential of a product like that and decided to head in the same direction,” he says.
The tricycle can be used for advertisement purposes.
A mechanical engineer with a master’s from IIT-Madras, Jacob was joined by his engineer friends, Azim and Abdul, who had a similar vision. In 2021, the group started to brainstorm and research process. The company was founded the same year, whereas the tricycle was eventually launched in May 2023.
The peddle-assisted three-wheeler can carry up to 300 kg of weight. Jacob, speaking about the vehicle’s various features, emphasises, “We are the only company that provides a working solar-powered three-wheeler for commercial purposes. For a solar-powered vehicle to run about 100 km a day, it needs to be pedal-assisted.”
The vehicle runs entirely on “For an electric vehicle, we typically need to charge it from the grid, resulting in around 19 gm of CO2 emissions per passenger per kilometre. However, by using solar power to generate electricity, this emission was reduced drastically to just 0.5 gm. This demonstrates a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, allowing us to operate the vehicle on 100 percent solar power,” he says.
He continues, “Comparatively, our vehicle saves a tremendous amount of CO2 emissions when compared to other electric vehicles. We utilise gas-powered generators to generate energy, thereby eliminating any additional carbon footprint. This is a standout feature that we proudly boast of.”
The vehicle is also a bio-hybrid, meaning it can be charged both by pedal and by the portal. “Even if the battery is depleted and you do not have a source to charge it, you can simply pedal the vehicle and it will be recharged.”
Additionally, the company also offers variable gears. “This is allowing users to shift to higher gears for heavier loads and lower gears for lighter loads, enabling faster movement. Additionally, all-wheel braking and robust tyres are provided with the vehicles. To maintain a lightweight yet sturdy structure, the vehicle features lightweight aluminium panels.”
The tricycle runs fully on solar power.
These features collectively make this peddle-assisted three-wheeler a sustainable and efficient choice for commercial purposes.
When discussing the target audience for his innovation, Jacob explains, “Essentially, our product is designed for small business owners seeking solutions. However, it’s also suitable for large factory owners who can utilise it within their facilities.”
“This vehicle can be used effectively inside warehouses for transporting goods, and it’s ideal for food and vegetable vendors. We also envision its potential in garbage collection. Imagine the logistical challenge of charging 13,000 e-rickshaws for in a city like Chennai. This scenario could lead to a significant failure. This is where our fully solar-powered vehicles come into play,” he concludes.
While the innovation is now a finished product, Jacob recalls that figuring out the supply chain for the product was a nightmare for the team. “Starting something from scratch is always challenging but a lack of existing infrastructure in terms of supply chain made our operations a little difficult. We went to various vendors on the ground and tried to understand what they needed and then figured out how we can make it available to them,” he says.
Founders of Sugrah Mobility — Jacob Thekkekara, Azim Hashmi, and Abdul Hadi Mutheri.
The company has sold about 20 vehicles so far in the country. “What makes us happy is that we are getting repeat orders from old customers. We currently have customers from South India — including Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. We are expanding our sales and are expecting to sell 500 vehicles in the upcoming year,” he says.
Manikandan of BIOZ, who has used the tricycle says, “I was absolutely thrilled with the EV from Sugrah Mobility! The impressive 45 km mileage has exceeded my expectations, especially for a solar-powered EV. After two months of usage, it continues to be a reliable and eco-friendly choice. Kudos to the company for providing such a fantastic electric vehicle with so many utilitarian features.”
The solar-powered vehicle is priced starting Rs 1 lakh — the electric variant is priced at Rs 1,50,000 and the manual variant is priced at Rs 30,000.
You can book your ride .
(Edited by Pranita Bhat; All pictures credit: Sugrah Mobility Pvt Ltd)
As the world, and particularly India, embraces the concept of numerous alternatives have emerged across various sectors. A notable example of this shift is in the realm of mobility.
With companies and innovators introducing newer and more efficient electric vehicles (EVs), the market is expected to grow at a tremendous rate. “The India electric vehicle market size is projected to grow from USD 3.21 billion in 2022 to USD 113.99 billion in 2029, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 66.52 percent,” according to a report by Fortune Business Insights.
Jumping on the bandwagon are three young and innovative minds hailing from Kerala. Jacob Thekkekara, Azim Hashmi, and Abdul Hadi Mutheri, with their Kochi-based company Sugrah Mobility Pvt Ltd, have developed a one-of-a-kind solar-powered electric three-vehicle.
“We realised that while there were e-rickshaws, there were not any with a load-bearing capacity for transporting goods,” says Jacob, the co-founder of Sugrah Mobility and the brains behind the tricycle.
Available for sale in the country, but 100 percent solar-run. He talks about the innovation, the idea behind it, and what’s next in their plan with The Better India.
A sustainable approach to business
Sugrah is co-founder of Jacob’s second stint at business. While he founded another company on similar lines earlier, he was keen on doing something in his home state. “It was along the same lines but I wanted to create something which was more tangible and had a real impact. This is when I decided to leave that startup and look for something else,” he says.
Studying markets, Jacob realised how the country depends a lot on three-wheelers for low to medium-scale transportation. “There are so many odd jugaads that many three-wheeler owners have done such as making it mechanical from a local mechanic. However, I realised that those can be dangerous and harmful to the environment,” he says.
The reason for such innovations was a lack of three-wheeler EVs with a good load-bearing capacity. “I realised the potential of a product like that and decided to head in the same direction,” he says.
The tricycle can be used for advertisement purposes.
A mechanical engineer with a master’s from IIT-Madras, Jacob was joined by his engineer friends, Azim and Abdul, who had a similar vision. In 2021, the group started to brainstorm and research process. The company was founded the same year, whereas the tricycle was eventually launched in May 2023.
To bear the load of Indian transportation
The peddle-assisted three-wheeler can carry up to 300 kg of weight. Jacob, speaking about the vehicle’s various features, emphasises, “We are the only company that provides a working solar-powered three-wheeler for commercial purposes. For a solar-powered vehicle to run about 100 km a day, it needs to be pedal-assisted.”
The vehicle runs entirely on “For an electric vehicle, we typically need to charge it from the grid, resulting in around 19 gm of CO2 emissions per passenger per kilometre. However, by using solar power to generate electricity, this emission was reduced drastically to just 0.5 gm. This demonstrates a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, allowing us to operate the vehicle on 100 percent solar power,” he says.
He continues, “Comparatively, our vehicle saves a tremendous amount of CO2 emissions when compared to other electric vehicles. We utilise gas-powered generators to generate energy, thereby eliminating any additional carbon footprint. This is a standout feature that we proudly boast of.”
The vehicle is also a bio-hybrid, meaning it can be charged both by pedal and by the portal. “Even if the battery is depleted and you do not have a source to charge it, you can simply pedal the vehicle and it will be recharged.”
Additionally, the company also offers variable gears. “This is allowing users to shift to higher gears for heavier loads and lower gears for lighter loads, enabling faster movement. Additionally, all-wheel braking and robust tyres are provided with the vehicles. To maintain a lightweight yet sturdy structure, the vehicle features lightweight aluminium panels.”
The tricycle runs fully on solar power.
These features collectively make this peddle-assisted three-wheeler a sustainable and efficient choice for commercial purposes.
When discussing the target audience for his innovation, Jacob explains, “Essentially, our product is designed for small business owners seeking solutions. However, it’s also suitable for large factory owners who can utilise it within their facilities.”
“This vehicle can be used effectively inside warehouses for transporting goods, and it’s ideal for food and vegetable vendors. We also envision its potential in garbage collection. Imagine the logistical challenge of charging 13,000 e-rickshaws for in a city like Chennai. This scenario could lead to a significant failure. This is where our fully solar-powered vehicles come into play,” he concludes.
While the innovation is now a finished product, Jacob recalls that figuring out the supply chain for the product was a nightmare for the team. “Starting something from scratch is always challenging but a lack of existing infrastructure in terms of supply chain made our operations a little difficult. We went to various vendors on the ground and tried to understand what they needed and then figured out how we can make it available to them,” he says.
Founders of Sugrah Mobility — Jacob Thekkekara, Azim Hashmi, and Abdul Hadi Mutheri.
The company has sold about 20 vehicles so far in the country. “What makes us happy is that we are getting repeat orders from old customers. We currently have customers from South India — including Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. We are expanding our sales and are expecting to sell 500 vehicles in the upcoming year,” he says.
Manikandan of BIOZ, who has used the tricycle says, “I was absolutely thrilled with the EV from Sugrah Mobility! The impressive 45 km mileage has exceeded my expectations, especially for a solar-powered EV. After two months of usage, it continues to be a reliable and eco-friendly choice. Kudos to the company for providing such a fantastic electric vehicle with so many utilitarian features.”
The solar-powered vehicle is priced starting Rs 1 lakh — the electric variant is priced at Rs 1,50,000 and the manual variant is priced at Rs 30,000.
You can book your ride .
(Edited by Pranita Bhat; All pictures credit: Sugrah Mobility Pvt Ltd)