Comments on: The Future Of Three Wheelers

By: indi

indi — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:37:59 +0000

One added problem SL has is that our electricity is extraordinarily expensive. We also, insanely, burn petrol for electric power. So even without grid expansion, our power generation has some issues. I think electric would still be cheaper than petrol though. I know there are some electric scooters that people are very happy with.

By: Dulan

Dulan — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:35:03 +0000

From what I know, the whole oil and petrol mixing is for the older two-stroke wheelers. The newer ones (four stroke) sport a sign expicitly forbidding the mixing of oil in the petrol tank. For now I'm with Chanux that a hybrid would be the best way to go. Of course, these things get crazy mileage on a liter of petrol anyway, so a hybrid should do wonders for cheap transport. There also used to be an electric trishaw made in Sri Lanka. I think it's still available on Alibaba at this link: http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/11121370/Ceytro_Electric_Three_Wheeler.html But since the design is heavily copying that of the Bajaj, I'm sure there will be some issue with it. Makes me wonder why David Pieris Motor Company hasn't introduced anything like that to introduce alternatives to fossil fuel-run transport. But then again, there's not much in terms of infrastructure support for electric vehicles, unless someone finds a way to convince everyone to fix solar panels on the roofs of the sheds to facilitate charging on-the-go.

By: sbarrkum

sbarrkum — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:45:54 +0000

Diesel 510 cc Hard Top Passenger Carrier 11BHP @ 3000 rpm JS Auto

By: yajith

yajith — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:42:12 +0000

“……and safety features inside that go far beyond, well, cloth.”
ROFL! Good one! :-D ..and about the whole oil-petrol mixing deal, i think its commonly done on the two-stroke engines..including some of those scooters. Here is the wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-stroke_oil

By: chanux

chanux — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:08:43 +0000

Hybrid might workout :)

By: Cricket Tragic

Cricket Tragic — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:43:45 +0000

Nice one, greene!

Indi, an new 3-wheeler costs around 3-4 lakhs, but u cud get used ones for between 1.5 and 2.5 and, yes, I think petrol sheds sometimes mixes oil with petrol (in front of the driver, mind u, so there’s nothing secret going on there), but I’ve seen the same done when I go with my cousin to get his tank filled.

As for the 3-wheelers themselves, one thing I’ve realized when travelling in the bus is that i definitely will miss these crazy 3-wheelers if I ever go and work abroad. I mean, granted, they are a crazy lot and can sometimes make you want to just curse them with whatever expletives possible, but then, that’s trademark SL qualities that those guys possess! :D

By: greene

greene — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:27:57 +0000

i just hope gossip aiyyah doesn’t see this