Plastics company, OK Play, announces plans of developing e-rickshaws in India

OK Play, a rotational moulding company, has just announced its intention of entering the highly competitive automotive sector in India - but with the greener e-rickshaw. The potential market for this vehicle is estimated at a whopping Rs 50,000 crore, according to OK Play.

Rotational moulding is a plastic processing method in which charge shot into hollow moulds is subjected to high temperatures, low pressure and slow, angular rotation on two axes to produce hollow, one-piece parts. The process is widely used for producing shells for storage tanks, helmets, boats. OK Play, which primarily uses this tech to manufacture toys in the Indian market, has big plans of applying it towards developing body shells for these zero-emission three-wheelers.

Rajan Handa, managing director, OK Play India Limited said, “The next generation OK Play e-rickshaws will be India’s first 100 per cent indigenously designed and developed, zero emission green e-rickshaws to be manufactured in India." He further stated that the lightweight, maintenance free nature of the finished product along with the flexibility in design that plastic moulding allows, should make the process ideal for the purpose of developing safe body shells for this vehicle.

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The announcement seems like good news under the current circumstances in India where traffic congestion and the quality of air are a major concern. But in the past, the Government has faced a lot of resistance in its effort to introduce the e-rick as a popular mode of conveyance. Despite the Environment and Transport Departments of the Government of Delhi considering a 15 per cent subsidy on the price of e-rickshaws and other battery operated vehicles, problems with certification and registration of these vehicles was a major hurdle.

OVERDRIVE’s Bob Rupani has also analysed the other problems that could be associated with the introduction of the e-rick in India - these are issues concerning lack of legislation on electric motor-powered vehicles. You can read more about it here. Another impediment is the consumption of resources used to manufacture such technology in India which could null the greener benefits of these vehicles.

E-rickshaws have successfully merged into the urban landscape in other parts of the world, including China and the Philippines.

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Also see:

How the e-rick may not be the best replacement for the taxi in India
Electric auto rickshaws to now ply in Colorado, US
India-bound Terra R6 electric autorickshaw unveiled
Government of Delhi considering a 15 per cent subsidy on the price of e-rickshaws