Nepali Times
Life Times
Now, the Safa Bus

GREEN SCENE by NEIL DIXIT


NEIL DIXIT

There are now 800 electric-powered three wheel public transports in Kathmandu Valley. Few remember what a big leap forward it was in the mid-1990s to replace the polluting diesel tempos with electric ones.

Now, NEVI Tradelink which was involved in the Safa Tempo campaign, is taking green transportation initiative further by importing 100 per cent electric, ready-made buses from China. These 16-seater "Safa Buses" will be an ideal replacement for the three-wheelers which are too small for the Valley's commuting population. NEVI plans to also import an "open-air" model of the bus and an electric four-door sedan.

"It was designed for the Beijing Olympics but we think it could be suitable for schools in Kathmandu too," says NEVI's Kiran Raj Joshi.

The bus is powered by a 67 volt, 6.3-kilowatt electric motor with a maximum range of 100 km and takes up to 8 hours for a full charge. It hums along Kathmandu's roads practically silently and with zero emission. With an exterior design that makes it look like a sleek caterpillar, it draws stares as we go on a test drive through the city. The narrow chassis and large windows mean that occupants enjoy a feeling of being in a goldfish bowl on wheels. A basic list of features further justifies the vehicle's practicality: a 4-speed manual gearbox, drum brakes, no power steering and a leaf-spring suspension.

All of these features add up to a vehicle that is all work and no play, a quintessential people mover, and perhaps a perfect environment-friendly addition to Kathmandu's roads. With a price tag of Rs 1.65 million the Safa Bus may be an idea whose time has come for Kathmandu's choked roads.



1. Amit Pyakurel
The bus you are talking about needs 8  hours  to  get  fully  charged but,  ironically, we  are  having  the electricity  supply  for  the  maximum  of  6  hours at  a  time  currently. Plus, will the bus operate as efficiently  (being  it  operated  by a  battery  power) if it is overloaded with passengers like in the case of every  public  vehicle  in  the  city?







2. Yeah Right
Yeah Right! In a country where there is no power (of the electric kind) and all have been discussing about end to power cuts only in 5 yrs time (by the way they've been saying 5 yrs for the PAST 5 yrs), where in the world will you get the electricity to power these buses? Are you kidding me? We'll probably see about 10 trying to make a run. Eventually with seats torn and white buses turning dark in no time, their future too will be dark as a result of the power cuts or load shedding whatever it is.


LATEST ISSUE
638
(11 JAN 2013 - 17 JAN 2013)


ADVERTISEMENT



himalkhabar.com            

NEPALI TIMES IS A PUBLICATION OF HIMALMEDIA PRIVATE LIMITED | ABOUT US | ADVERTISE | SUBSCRIPTION | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE | CONTACT