Real World Energy Efficiency Calculation for e-Rickshaws - A Comparative Study (Lead Acid Vs Lithium Ion Battery Vehicles)

E-Rickshaws are receiving considerable attention as a sustainable passenger transportation in Indian mobility space. As per the recent reports, more than 1.5 million e-rickshaws are currently operating in the country. These are quieter, cleaner and convenient mode for last mile connectivity and are typically used for short distance (<10 Km) commutation. For owners, these vehicles offer value in terms of affordability and operating cost. Challenge for manufacturers is to design a vehicle which balances the requirements of both passengers and owners. Energy efficiency (Energy consumption per Km) influences such critical decisions. There is always a difference between the catalog value and actual on-road Energy efficiency figures and therefore it's important to really understand owner requirements w.r.t. market where vehicle is going to be operated. In this study, we collected data for different types of E-rickshaws in real world scenarios in city operations and determined the energy efficiency of these vehicles. Also, we attempted to compare energy efficiency figures with different battery chemistry (Lead acid and Lithium Ion vehicles). The data can provide deep insights from design and business perspective.