Commercial and Technological Feasibility of Solar Powered e-Rickshaw: A Case Study in the Capital of Chhattisgarh

India accounts for around $18 \%$ of global CO2 emissions from transportation. Transportation with conventional energy sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas is costly and poses environmental challenges. The Government of India promotes and subsidizes electric vehicles for fast adoption. The e-Rickshaw is an ideal option for short-distance travel in urban areas due to its low cost. However, one major challenge of e-Rickshaws is battery charging for long-distance travel. In this research article, a survey of e-Rickshaws is conducted in the capital of Chhattisgarh, with an e-Rickshaw powered by a flexible solar photovoltaic (PV) module ($\mathbf{4 2 5} \mathbf{~ W p}$) with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) charge controller, properly designed, installed, and commissioned on the roof of the vehicle. A comparative analysis of a conventional e-Rickshaw and an e-Rickshaw integrated with a solar PV module is presented. The conventional e-Rickshaw consumes around 7-9 units of electricity per day to fully charge the batteries, resulting in an annual utility bill of approximately Rs. $15,330-19,710$ at a rate of Rs. 6.0 per unit. After integrating the PV module, the e-Rickshaw operator can save up to Rs. 5,475 per year. Additionally, the operator’s travel range and income increase by up to Rs. 7,200 per month. Solar PV integration on the e-Rickshaw mitigates about 0.56 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year per e-Rickshaw.