Yesterday was my first time in Electric auto rickshaw from Anna Nagar East to my home. Booked through Uber. I was surprised by the green colour of the auto. Did not even notice the details of booking that stated clearly that my upcoming ride was an EV, the electric auto. It was only on few minutes into the ride that I paid attention to the EV marking of the auto. Then I asked the driver. He said, yes indeed the auto was electric. He was driving it for last seven to eight months. No noise, no pollution. Smooth as silk he said. He said he charged the auto at home as Chennai is yet to have charging points for auto rickshaws. As of now, the city has electric vehicle charging points only in petrol bunks where owners of both cars and two wheelers can have their vehicles charged apart from at their homes. The green electric auto that was my ride was Bajaj make. It was economical – may not be too very cheaper but definitely not expensive, said the driver. Up until now the battery was good and the charging at home held good for entire day. I wanted to take a picture with him and his auto, but I stopped with just a selfie. Let the driver and his auto have some privacy!
Why do we need anything from America when we can have a far better, wiser Indian option. Who cares for luxury sedan? I am carless and happily carless! I love the autos and the city metro that are my favourite modes of transport. And of course I depend on Nataraja service (walking my way around the city’s congested streets). Life is beautiful. India WILL survive. Not here for nothing going by same name Bharat for 10,000 years. Not exactly the mushroom that sprang up in last evening’s rain.
By the way, I am here since the third week of August only – home at last in 2025. The profusion of EVs is staggering as I can see, compared to last year exactly around this time. Two wheelers lead the rally.
See, these are our needs: electric autos, EV two wheelers and then finally EV sedans mid size. We don’t need the plush range. I have no shame in admitting that I am middle class and I come from a third world nation. We have to think about affordability and durability. We will do what is GOOD FOR INDIA, NOT AMERICA!
Autos in the city mostly switched over to CNG fuel many years back, so that has actually supposedly reduced a bit of pollution. But this latest moving over of autos to electric mode is the best thing to happen to our city. I mean, for EVs normally you visualize sedans, SUVs and even two wheelers. How many of us ever factored in the EV auto? Auto is anyway my most favoured means of transport. Excited by the transformation! Hopefully the auto rickshaw walas of Chennai enmasse go electric soon! For that to materialize, may we have more charging points for autos around the city. Jai Bharat!
vijiravindran's 