IIT-Kharagpur’s e-vehicle project gets funding for building lighter frame

The IIT Kharagpur’s ‘Deshla’ electric vehicle project has secured funding from a leading trusteeship firm for developing aerodynamic body panel design of a next-generation electric three-wheeler.
The lightweight structure will enable the electric vehicles to achieve a peak speed of 50 kmph, project leader and faculty member of the Mechanical Engineering department, professor Vikranth Racherla said.
“We will experiment with new materials and chassis designs to develop lightweight structures which will increase the efficiency of the vehicles and provide higher range from the battery pack with better pick-up and peak speed,” he said.
Racherla said the institute has outlined a two-year time frame for the project and the funding was for the first phase.