IIT-Kgp's 'Deshla' e-vehicle project gets funding for building

lighter frame
    Kolkata, Mar 14 (PTI) 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.
    A large number of students from various departments
and interns from other colleges working on sub-systems of
electric vehicles will be involved in the project, Racherla
said.
    The Deshla electric vehicle project is based on
indigenous technology, he said.
    Last year, the Centre expanded the scope of CSR
funding to the IITs and other institutes to promote industry-
academia engagement in research and academics.
    "The scope is immense and IIT Kharagpur is reaching
out to several PSUs, MNCs and private corporations to support
end-to-end research," International Relations Associate Dean
professor Anandaroop Bhattacharya, who is also heading the CSR
initiative of the institute, said. PTI SUS
ACD ACD

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)