Solar powered tuk-tuks coming to Bangkok

[Lite Beer]

Solar powered tuk-tuks coming to Bangkok
By Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Former Thai Air Force officer Morakot Charnsomruad has invented an electric tuk-tuk, powered by a solar battery boosted by a solar panel on the vehicle’s roof.

Morakot has a workshop in Bangkok’s outer suburbs where he and his team create a variety of green vehicles, such as golf cars and resort transport.

Read More: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2013/09/19/solar-powered-tuk-tuks-coming-bangkok

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-09-19

[laurentbkk]

That's AWESOME ...... in Thailand and with the amount of sun we have , solar panels should be more developped. anyway a very good idea .

[smokie36]

Had to check my calendar first....but good idea!

Edited September 19, 2013 by smokie36

[jackr]

Nice one. The only thing is it won't be a tuk-tuk anymore, more of a whhrrrrrrrrrr!

[sjjmmi]

Need Smog powered

[clockman]

Nice idea, but knowing Thailand!

[lee b]

Great idea, go for it !!

[pilm]

Will end up with the panels being stolen and the drivers tires slashed by the other tuktuk drivers for thinking hes a big shot.

[TheWizardofRnR]

How much compared to the old style will they cost and

any chance they can do that with a wheelchair?

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I don't think a small array like that will power the motor.

A horsepower is 746 watts and a Tuk Tuk with some passengers would need to draw 20 to 25 hp during acceleration.

That would be a peak draw of 15000+ watts(746 x 22). Even at speed the motor is going to need 5 to 10 hp or 5,500 watts (7.5 x 746)

No way would an array like that power the motor. With a lot of expensive and heavy batteries it could store enough power.

Seems this would need to be a plug in electric type vehicle with solar charge assist.

also problematic would be flood water damage issues

[singa-traz]

First and last time I saw a prototype of an electric tuk tuk was ... 20 years ago.

With the coming floods, it will also have to be water-proof.

[impulse]

Golf carts work fine for several miles. It's a matter of a little Thai creativity to convert a tuk-tuk using a golf cart motor and solar to keep the batteries topped up.

I think they'd be more practical for hotel courtesy tuk-tuks where they come back to base and can be plugged in to supplement the solar, which (I'm told) doesn't work very well when it's dark. Kudos from me to the hotels that go electric on their courtesy tuk-tuks.

Can't see the solar/battery combination being practical for free-lancers who have to keep moving and do dozens to hundreds of km per day to make a living.

I'd just like to see someone invent a Tuk-tuk muffler.

Edited September 19, 2013 by impulse

[technologybytes]

It says that it's powered by a solar battery.. hopefull that means the vehicles batteries are charged using solar power, presumably from a large array of solar panels much bigger than the ones on the tuk tuk that are surely there mostly for show.

Great idea if it helps people think more seriously about ways to use Thailands abundant source of solar energy.

I'd buy a electric car and charge it with a bank of solar panels IF I could by a electric car in Thailand.

[bangkokheat]

I don't think a small array like that will power the motor.

A horsepower is 746 watts and a Tuk Tuk with some passengers would need to draw 20 to 25 hp during acceleration.

That would be a peak draw of 15000+ watts(746 x 22). Even at speed the motor is going to need 5 to 10 hp or 5,500 watts (7.5 x 746)

No way would an array like that power the motor. With a lot of expensive and heavy batteries it could store enough power.

Seems this would need to be a plug in electric type vehicle with solar charge assist.

also problematic would be flood water damage issues

not to mention the replacement cost of large deep cycle batteries, mind boggling

[tw25rw]

I'm all for electric vehicles and solar power, but that thing could sit in the sun all day and store enough power to go about an inch. Maybe they power the radio or a little fan.

Edited September 19, 2013 by tw25rw

[circusman]

Why do we even need tuk tuks ?

[madmin]

I don't think a small array like that will power the motor.

A horsepower is 746 watts and a Tuk Tuk with some passengers would need to draw 20 to 25 hp during acceleration.

That would be a peak draw of 15000+ watts(746 x 22). Even at speed the motor is going to need 5 to 10 hp or 5,500 watts (7.5 x 746)

No way would an array like that power the motor. With a lot of expensive and heavy batteries it could store enough power.

Seems this would need to be a plug in electric type vehicle with solar charge assist.

also problematic would be flood water damage issues

Looks like it just powers the headlight lol

[memkuk]

Made my golf cart (48 Volts) solar powered over a year ago. Don't even have a charger anymore. Driving it on a daily basis for about 10 Km per day. Have to admit that it wouldn't suffice to cruise around all day long. Parking in the sun whenever possible (of course).

Don't think this Tuk-Tuk is feasible.

Also made a solar powered pontoon boat (12 Volts) based on the same principle.

[marell]

Local development of solar power is an excellent idea. But should tuk tuks really be a priority for this sort of effort?

Edited September 19, 2013 by marell

[wilcopops]

whereas it
IS a good idea - silly comments like the "amount of sun" we have show how little people know about solar power.....for a start it wroks best at temps below 30 degrees.

"invented"???

I seem to remember hearing some time ago about solar powered vehicles....they've been around for years and I even think there has been a solar powerted yuk-tuk or sam lor too.

It rather looks as if this is an old story given a bump ...presumably to give the company some publicity.

[hellodolly]

Local development of solar power is an excellent idea. But should tuk tuks really be a priority for this sort of effort?

Well basically he dosen't have the money to be experimenting with large vehicles. There are some pretty big companies doing that now. You know Ford Toyota Honda and on and on the list goes.

For those who didn't bother to reasd the whole article I will post one paragraph.

"Bangkok’s tuk-tuk drivers were less than impressed with the power of the solar vehicle, but the solar solution has the potential to reduce noise and pollution on Bangkok’s streets when it is fully developed."

In other words it still needs work on.

When are people going to learn that coconuts is in the same league as The Nation for responsible reporting?

[impulse]

Made my golf cart (48 Volts) solar powered over a year ago. Don't even have a charger anymore. Driving it on a daily basis for about 10 Km per day. Have to admit that it wouldn't suffice to cruise around all day long. Parking in the sun whenever possible (of course).

Don't think this Tuk-Tuk is feasible.

image.jpg

Also made a solar powered pontoon boat (12 Volts) based on the same principle.

image.jpg

How's that pontoon boat working?

I have a 150watt solar panel and a few hulls (Kayak, inflatable, inflatable pontoon) that I'd like to try the solar route. If it works out, my plan (If I stay here long enough) is to take 2 kayaks and make a pontoon boat out of them, powered mostly by solar. I'd use the solar panel to charge the battery(s), not for power underway.

Any learning lumps I can benefit from?

Edited September 19, 2013 by impulse

[wilcopops]

one also has to wonder about the age of the original article or its accuracy when it contains this phrase.......

"Now, he has come up with an electric tuk-tuk, powered by a solar battery boosted by a panel on the vehicle’s roof, which has caught the interest of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva who recently test drove one."

[Halion]

Nice story and environmenaly friendly, however, the concept of a normal city tuk tuk operating on solar energy is not a viable proposition for a myriad of reasons . The current technology can not provide for a cost economicand practical implementation for city use. Furthermore the developement of such any such vehicle would have to be straight from the drawing board as conversion costs would totally out of the question.

[jackflash]

It's been done many times before with solar golf carts, etc.

It's a great idea, but there won't be enough power from the panels for continuous running.

If it were parked in the sun all day it would only generate enough power to run for a few hours.

But definitely would be viable if the batteries were regularly topped up a from mains charger.

Edited September 19, 2013 by jackflash

[belg]

invented?

tought it existed since long...

and where do the solar panels & batteries come from? did he design and invent them himself?

he just connected some panels to a battery

GENIUS, for thai standards, maybe

[Card]

No way is this gonna work. They would run out of 'steam' and the driver out of money from 6pm to 6am and during daylight hours in the rainy season.

[pcgeekz05]

lets wait and see, and hope for the best! Hello stupid(gasoline) Tuktuk drivers!

[ThaiTrav]

Great idea!

[Neeranam]

How much are they?

I am planning to buy a tuk tuk and work as a driver when I retire for a bit of extra cash, or even all my cash if I don't get a pension.