For the past few months I have been privileged to have watched the progress of the development of Pakistan’s First Electric Powered Vehicle by a close friend, Faraz Ruknuddin Khan, a Cornell graduate, running his own Opensource Consulting firm called Emergen Consulting and has recently started an offshoot project Zivios.org.
I got to know Faraz through our common passion for offroading with the OffroadPakistan group and have been together to a number of trips across Sindh and Baluchistan and have grown to really like this casual guy, he is without doubt a passionate car enthusiast and prides himself to have built most of his cars from the ground up. I often wonder how this white collar, Cornell graduate, individual can find comfort under his 1976 CJ-7 (aka demon) drenched in a bucket load of grease, but then again he is really passionate about his cars.
Since a few months Faraz has been passionately building his prototype battery-powered electric vehicle successfully converting an old Suzuki Mehran as his first fully functional prototype codenamed – Elektra-1. Follows below is a detailed writeup of his project which i believe is truly amazing, it is my belief that such projects need to be supported as widely as possible.
Might one day it would be a proud moment for us here in Pakistan to see one of his cars roll out off the production line to compete neck to neck with the existing gas guzzlers petrol powered vehicles
Project Elektra-1
The Suzuki Mehran (Codenamed Elektra-1) has been converted to a full fledged Battery electric vehicle. Unlike normal cars or even hybrids a battery electric vehicle has no engine and no engine parts. The Mehran’s engine, fuel tank, exhaust system, radiator, air intake and even the clutch/flywheel assembly was taken out and disposed off, drastically improving reliability and effectively reducing maintenance to zero. There are no filters, spark plugs or oils to change. Electric motors are exceptionally reliable and can last 10+ years.
The Driving Experience
The car is completely silent. You sit in and turn the key and all you hear is a click on the main contractor coming on after which the during the running is completely silent. If you tap on the accelerator the car pushes forward, with decent power and acceleration while it must be remembered that there no gears or clutches virtually impossible to stall an electric car. When you let go of the accelerator, the car eases off without any sudden bucks or jerks – instead it smoothly coasts along only needing additional brakes to bring it to a stop
When stopped at a traffic light the car consumes zero electricity as in this condition the motor spins down to zero making it ideal for Pakistan’s stop and go urban traffic. Unlike gasoline cars, electric cars develop power at extremely low RPMs, as there is no need to revving the engine or utilizing the clutch maneuver
Range and Charge
Currently the range is limited – to about 30km a charge. However at the moment Elektra-1 is equipped with local UPS batteries which do not hold the charge too well. With good deep cycle batteries (currently being imported) the car would travel be able to to traverse 100-110km on a single charge. The present Elektra-1 prototype built with 72v Lead Acid Deep cycle battery takes a good 4-6 hours to fully charge
Loadshedding? We have no electricity as it is?
If the public was REALLY concerned about electricity then we would stop buying air conditioners and refrigerators – since these are pure luxury items and consume FAR FAR more electricity than a EV, infact the paranoia with electricity extends to us buying generators to support these luxury items during times of load shedding.
The EV is no different – in times when KESC does not come through a very small (2Kva) generator can be used to charge the EV. If a good generator is used, the cost of diesel/fuel for the generator will STILL be somewhat less than the equivalent fuel consumed by a ICE (internal combustion engine) car. Basically the EV is still slightly cheaper than a comparable car EVEN when using a generator to charge it. Since many households ALREADY carry a generator set, a EV charger presents about the same load as a hand iron.
Motivation
Battery electric vehicles reduce dependencies on oil-related consumables like Mobile oil, gear oils and gasoline (petrol/diesel) and provide a far more efficient mode of transport when compared to ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) cars. Pakistan is more suited towards the use of electric vehicles (barring the electricity shortage problem) due to ever increasing oil prices and its subsequent import bill. Petrol or diesel given the prices today at PKR 66 a litre or $3.2 per US gallon is well out of reach of the local population, delving them further into poverty. The car’s battery pack can be charged with 11kwh (or units) of electricity costing around PKR 110 in which the car travels at least 100km giving it a cost per km of PKR 1.00 / km
On a side note is the ‘green’ aspect. Though this is definitely a huge benefit of using electric vehicles I am mentioning it last as the ‘green’ effect is the last thing on the mind of our local population. Ever increasing reports of cancer, cholera and myriad of other allergies are now being attributed to the rising noise and air pollution mainly due to motor vehicles.
The idea at the moment is to develop two powerful, yet cost efficient cars most likely retailing at around PKR 450,000.00 or USD $5,500 or under for the economy version and PKR 950,000 or $11000 for a performance version. The main aim is to provide comparable performance to regular petrol powered vehicles already plying on the streets – it will not be the average go-cart 48v underpowered NEVs being produced worldwide. Even the economy car will utilize a 29hp motor running on 72v and will use deep cycle lead acid batteries. The performance version will hopefully utilize a massive 70Hp motor with state of the art Lithium batteries for performance that would beat the current Toyota Vitz. With a fibre looking sleek body this would be a daily commuter with capacity to seat 4 or 5 adults.
The future – Elektra 2 Concept
The 2nd concept car – under development – would be able to go 160km on a single charge. It carries state of the art Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4) batteries from a very economical supplier. Packed with a 70Hp mammoth motor, the car would be capable of going 110Kmph with acceleration that surpasses existing gasoline cars. Elektra 2 would feature amongst other things:
- a custom (locally) designed ultra-light rust proof and dent proof fiberglass body.
- Body style : Wide Hatchback (vitz – like)
- Air conditioning
- 70 Hp motor power on tap
- 110Kmph top speed with excellent acceleration
- Rear wheel drive for better handling
- Full custom dashboard
- Massive cargo bay and trunk space.
Conclusion
A casual discussion with Faraz over the past few days makes me believe that this project is very much achievable, it just needs the right amount of support and maybe a little funding to make this vehicle available right here in Pakistan which will undoubtedly have a substantial implication on our dwindling local economy.
It is my guess that at best the most resistance will be faced by the existing automobile manufacturer and petroleum industry leaders who may see this project a direct threat to their own vested interests, but truly if we are to take Pakistan out of this chaotic situation we must think outside the box and such creative ideas by individuals like Faraz need to be exploited to its maximum potential. There may be a few drawbacks but I am sure they cant be overcome when brilliant minds come together
My personal kudos to Faraz, hats off to him in initiating this project, it gives me hope that one man can potentially make a difference, simply said Faraz, you make us proud to be Pakistanis, may your efforts bear fruits and very soon we be treated with a Faraz-original Made in Pakistan Elektra Vehicle rolling off the production line right here in Pakistan
Follow the Elektra Automative Blog at http://www.elektraautomotive.com/
Comments
49 responses to “Elektra-1: Prototype for Pakistan’s First Battery-powered Vehicle”
I'm no experts on cars… but the world started to realize the need and potential of this technology recently… there's a related TED talk at http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/shai_agassi_on_…
I'd seriously consider buying this car whenever I can. Faraz, way to go brother, best of luck.
Thanks Mubashar – BetterPlace (Shai Agassi's) is trying to bring in a extremely revolutionary concept of battery replacement. In the current version this is not possible (lead acids are too bulky to be simply swapped) however in the Lithium version this is quite easy (the batteries are already in a briefcase arrangement). If some sort of a battery-leasing plan be developed with the local banks / govt it would drastically reduce the upfront cost of these vehicles and allow consumers to pay OVER time. Just to give you an idea – in the PKR 1.1M vehicle (the 2nd concept) that I talk about the batteries cost roughly 400,000.00
hi sir this is ( dary khan ) from hyderabad sir presantly i am working for pakistan wapda sir i wants to be part of project electra-1 so please mail me your adress or your cell numbar
nice to know this development.
i wish mr.faraz ruknuddin khan, his own completely manufactured car in pakistan. i wish him a big success.
we need the people like him.
Its not exactly 'completely' manufactured to be correct – its still a mehran. The second prototype will have even more 'deletion' so as the body and interior would be completely pak-designed and made.
Excellent and brilliant…
Creativity + Passion and the challenge together it creates the master piece .It seems Faraz has the combination of all three.
Best of luck for all your future endeavers ,this achievement is fantastic and futuristic in itself.
Its great to see this kind of thing happening in the countries that have serious pollution problems. This also has an advantage because it is much cheaper than other EVs, with a government tax cut on these vehicles it would make it even cheaper.
James – traffic jams + badly designed engines is such a huge hazard you cant even begin to think. Serious and chronic throat and respiratory problems are becoming way too common in the country. I can only wish people wake up to this – But Im afraid that such awareness is not present in Pakistan. Thats why we have to entice them with a commercial benefit – since these cars are ACTUALLY much cheaper to drive!
@faraz khan!
what about driving on high altitude or inclinations? as you know that even CNG doesn't perform good on high altitude and inclinations with in the city.
and about the load carrying capacity after installation of this batteries?
Altitude is not a problem at all. Inclinations are – but not any more than a CNG vehicle. The motor is 24hp – so the car performs roughly the same as a petrol powered car on low speeds and somewhat less powerful on high speeds.
The load carrying capacity is not a problem – the suspension has been re-worked a little to carry more weight. So it would easily seat 5 adults. Also – with the second prototype we are using Lithium batteries for this exact reason.
why not use some solar panels for extra battery life
You could – 2 x 128W solar panels MAY fit on the rooftop and extend the range by around 5-10% given 10 hours of sunlight on the car. On top of that a good (german) solar panel costs around PKR 450 / Watt 🙂 so the above solar panels would add roughly 120,000 to the price. It would be far superior to install a wind turbine or a small solar array at your home, charge batteries which eventually return charge to the car.
Idea was to build a cost-effective car that can possibly be sold commercially. Adding solar panel takes it away from that goal without any real benefit.
seems great!
what about finance for the project?
is there a future plan for complete locally made car?
Well right now its coming out of my pocket. The idea is that hopefully the two concept cars should appeal to a early stage investor. We are developing a biz plan for that. However, knowing people in the auto parts industry I can gauge that initial investment would be at least in the tune of $80k for development of a complete feasibility and a real prototype (all parts self-designed) and atleast something to the tune of $1 million to start production in a facility. Not a very large amount but still needs to be managed from somewhere.
wish you best of luck.
Thank you for your encouragement. Dont know if I'll be able to pull it off but I am definitely going to give it a shot! 🙂
Faraz, i am impressed with your commitment and passion to drive. I thnk achieving 125-150 km in one charge by replacing with deep cycle/gell batt will be another land mark as in USA till today they have achievied 300KM after huge spending in R&D.Masdar (UAE)is one place where you can sell your idea who alreday initiated programmes to become world-class research and development hub for new energy technologies.
the 160km range prototype will be possible only with LiFePo4 (Lithium) batteries. Cars made in the US are expensive only for one reason: Labor and overheads are extremely high for a low volume operation. In Pakistan (or anywhere in the region) there is no such problem. I have never seen any interest in any green technology from any of the arab/gulf states. Do you know of any clean-tech investors in UAE?
I just checked out Masdar.ae – looks extremely interesting!
And I have no idea what R&D costs some manufacturers refer to. I can give you a car (expensive) that goes 400km to a single charge without problem – No R&D required! These are off-the-shelf components. I can also give you a 160Hp race-car without problems. Its really not that difficult anymore.
Electric Cars are excellent idea but you guys knows that loadshedding is big problem for our country so why do'nt you guys try to build "water fuel" cars? I think Water fuel cars are better for our country and its very easy to build and very unexpensive and same kind of technology can use as Natural gas at home.
Mehboob – there is no such thing as a pure water fuel car. The only experimental prototypes that exist use controlled electrolysis to produce hydrogen using electricity generator by your car engine's alternator to generate a tiny amount of hydrogen that augments your fuel efficiency by 10-15%. You still need a engine, all the complexities of the engine and a small benefit in the end. It is a good 'add-on' to existing cars – but when petrol prices hit Rs. 90-95 (after they remove the subsidy sometime next year) – hydrogen/water cars will not cut it. You need a totally disruptive technology.
Regarding the loadshedding component – IF properly done, we can have battery swapping stations throughout the city which are powered by wind turbines or solar terminals. In my second prototype- the batteries would be replaceable in under 4 minutes. People can then simply go to these battery swap stations just like they go to a petrol pump. Loadshedding is no problem 🙂
good work best for polution free world noise level lowest side we can enjoy the music of life .congratulation faraz khan you have done great job.zafar
faraz bhai great job you have don.hassan
i feel proud yhat a pakistani done this great job and set a mile stone in making and running pakistan first electric car.sumair
Thank you Zafar uncle, Hassan and sumair! Always good to see support from the family!!
Please visit the site below and see where we are and where this world is going.
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Good Works, spacilay these days when petrol and gas not availble
CNG/Gas shortage is inevitable – and soon, maybe in 10-15 years oil would follow. Countries like Pakistan need to become self-reliant on their fuel and electricity is the best option given the technology today.
good work, i feel proud to be a pkistani couz of any one like you
Please help me to find information about electric car manufacturing in pakistan
@Ahmad Ali: You and me both! The only operation I know of is Karakoram motors who bought Dynasty motors (canadian company). However these are low speed NEVs. If I can be convinced of demand I would love to start some small scale production myself 🙂
A friend urged me to read this site, nice post, fanstatic read… keep up the cool work!
i love this technology
can you give me some information about this car
app ne DC Motor use ki he ya AC motor he
@Irfan: This is a mid-powered setup with a 16Kw Peak Series DC motor rated at 72v. under normal driving it draws roughly 100amps @ 72v. Karachi style driving (sudden acceleration) would take that to 220Amps @ 72v for short bursts.
Feel free to email me directly (email address is on the blog) for more information.
Thank you for your interest!
AslamoAlikom …….Ap ke envention good hai ap ke E car pey kitnee total cost aee …or yeh kitnee speed or kitnee milage datee hai one Charge main ? please tell me my mail ID is mirzaaliahmed@yahoo.com
@faraz
very well done … i am not a very rich man … but I am sure when you produce this car commercially, i will be one of the first to buy … i will manage the money some how 🙂
electric motors would sometimes overheat if they are not properly ventilated;:;
dear Fraz Sb.
I am really surprised to see a complete electric MEHRAN.
I want to purchase the Dc motor . can you please guide me where to buy or can you supply me that one 8hp DC motor
Thanks
Shahid Bilal
Shahid,
I bought the motor from Advanced DC in the US. You'll have to import it yourself.
salam Faraz bhai kindly give me your mail id want to contact you…silent-force@live.com
Lead Acid batteries should be replaced with a new type of battery that weigh less ','
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Someone belonging to lums or IBA should take the marketing of this project as an assignment and should develop an innovative system of marketing matching the innovation of electra-1 and make it success story @patriotism.
Or perhaps some local elite business school should adopt the idea as an assignment for its students (As i believe that local businessmen are creatively visionless they lack enterprenuring spirit). Idea has power to revolutionize our macro level economy. Best of Luck Fraz. May some help come out of hidden.
electric motors can consume lots of electrical energy but they are very useful ~
Sir ap jo efforts ker rahe hain who qable tehseen hain. Allah apko mazeed taraqi de amin.
Very nice post. Information posted here is very helpful. I like the blog very much. Thanks to the admin of this blog.
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