Innovation Challenge Fund (ICF) - eu …



Innovation Challenge Fund (ICF)Concept Note Template 1.Name / Organisation Premjeet Das Gupta, Assistant Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) Bhopal (an Institute of National Importance functioning under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, governed by an Act of Parliament). SPA Bhopal is a national institute for higher education and research on all aspects of urban planning, mobility, environment and design.2.Email address / Phone numberpremjeet@spabhopal.ac.in3.Title of ProjectElectric Rickshaw for post-COVID last mile connectivity4.Application for ICF Cluster(Please delete one)Future Mobility, MaharashtraAI/Data Science, Karnataka5.Co-Members of the Consortium *(Type – Indian Academia, Indian Business, International Academia, International Business, Indian non-commercial organisation, International non-commercial organisation, Other - specify)* Information not mandatory for the concept note stage.#OrganizationType1.School of Planning and Architecture BhopalNot for profit, Institute of National Importance functioning under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, governed by an Act of Parliament.2.Alpha Vector India Pvt. Ltd.Registered company3.4.6.If you do not already have agreed consortium members, please indicate here the kind of partners you would like to hear from. NA7. Are you content for us to publish your concept note on our web platform in order to encourage potential consortium members to reach out to you? Yes/No8.Funding Requested (up to ?250k)?130,0009.Co-funding provided (if any) and sourceAlpha Vector to provide following: Manpower & Resources, Setup for construction and manufacturing for E: Rickshaw, program management, electricity, travel, laptops 10.Please summarise your Innovation Challenge Fund research project in one sentence. 350 character limitDesigning a COVID-safe, hygienic, minimum contact, e-rickshaw and service11.Please describe your project further. What problem does your pilot seek to address? Who are the potential beneficiaries and other stakeholders? What are the inputs and activities, and what are the outputs? What does success look like after 12 months of funded research? How will your solution reach the market place? 2500 character limitThe COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the urban transport market. Auto-rickshaw based para-transit services cater to the medium and long-range urban trips in most Indian cities. They fill the demand-supply gap for public transport and complement public transport services. They are a relatively affordable transport asset for operators and consequently, cost to the user is relatively cheaper compared to other forms of on-demand transport. Auto-rickshaw based para-transit services are a prime candidate for electrification in the push towards green urban mobility. However, currently most auto-rickshaws are plying at reduced capacity and the demand for para-transit has shrunk. Government is in the unlocking phase but the commuters are still sceptical about the general safety of the vehicles and are avoiding shared mobility or rickshaws for last mile connectivity, leading to unforeseen challenges for e-rickshaw operators.This calls for a study involving the following:InputsSurvey of operators, potential users and key informants Understanding the economic and infrastructure-related barriers for on-demand e-rickshaw operations in the wake of COVID-19Assessing the user demand and preferences for on-demand para-transit servicesEstablishment of design and operational parameters for a safe, technologically and economically viable on demand para-transit service based on e-rickshawsTesting of service design concept with prototype e-rickshaw and performance evaluation of the serviceValidation of the design and operational parameters using test dataOutputsA technology enabled Electric-rickshaw model for safe commute and last mile connectivityA scalable and repeatable model of the rickshaw for the growing urban populationEvidence-based identification of attitudes, perceptions and preferences of operators towards e-rickshaw in the post-COVID 19 scenario.BeneficiariesCommuters and OperatorsStakeholdersE Rickshaw Operators, Commuters, Government Agencies, To summarize the points the research will address are:Who: OperatorsWhen: Post COVIDWhy: For safe transit without the risk of contaminationWhere: Growing urban regions, tiers 1, 2 citiesWhat: A scalable, repeatable e rickshaw designAlpha Vector (Frog Cycles) has an established pan India network for sales distribution and service, coupled with attractive finance option this can be made into a winner deal with commuters and operators.12.What is ‘technological’ about your proposed solution and why might this be appropriate to the challenge areas?1000 character limitThe proposed study would involve development of a novel e-rickshaw model to meet the specific requirements of the post-COVID scenario. With operators as target beneficiaries, the objective will be to develop IOT based platforms for monitoring operational and human parameters and app-based interfaces for ease of access of information for operators regarding charging facilities, availability of restrooms, etc.Another objective will be to enhance the user experience with:GPS tracking and emergency servicesData analytics to match demand and supply made available thr3ough the APP to the user and the operator.Optional coupling with Arogya SetuContact-free experience/limited contact operationTrackability for address adaptability to battery swapping.Provision for thermal Screening and oxygen level monitoring 13.Is your proposed solution a response to the impacts of COVID-19, or an effort to contain the pandemic? If so, please explain. 1000 character limit The proposed solution is a response to the impacts of COVID-19.Currently existing e-rickshaws are plying at reduced capacity. Current designs are not conducive for maintaining physical distancing of any kind. There is a need for a new design that can allows for physical distancing measures and a safe commute without hampering the passenger capacity as it results in reduced income for the operators.With safety and health of operators and passengers assuming greater importance than ever before in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, and with the livelihoods of thousands of auto-rickshaw operators at stake, the proposed research study with a pilot component will contribute towards identification of parameters for a safe and viable e-rickshaw based para-transit service for Indian cities, benefiting operators and users alike.14.Does your proposed solution contribute to combating climate change or promoting a greener planet? If so, please explain. 1000 character limitApproximately 500,000 rickshaws are sold every year. Normal rickshaws not only cause air pollution (CO: 0.5, HC + NOX 0.5)1 gm/km, but are major contributors to noise pollution on the street. The current emission standards are not addressing the high NOx emissions from the 4 stroke engines used by rickshaws. Coupled with poor maintenance and fuel adulteration rickshaws are one of the major causes of air and noise pollution in cities.E: rickshaws inherently addresses both the issues [1:] is your proposal relevant to the development challenges of India? 1000 character limitIndian cities are among the largest and densest in the world. While the crisis has ushered in a new work from home paradigm, the choice for many urban workers is limited and the need of the day is to explore safe and economically viable mobility options for servicing the demand of millions of hapless commuters. It is also an opportunity for rethinking the way cities move, for expanding the market for green mobility. Given the important role played by auto-rickshaw based paratransit services in the urban transport market, the segment is a prime candidate for electrification in the push towards green urban mobility, calling for innovations in product and service design.The research is expected to contribute towardsShift towards electrification and electric vehiclesComplementing the emerging government vision towards battery swapping for e-vehiclesMitigating the last mile connectivity crisis in urban mobility16.What consideration have you made of gender in developing your concept? Could your project address gender inequality or other kinds of inequality? 1000 character limitIn a recent study published in an international peer-reviewed journal, a case study from Patna showed that females were likely to use e-rickshaws in future (‘Exploring usage patterns and safety perceptions of the users of electric three-wheeled paratransit in Patna, India’, by Shiv Priye and M. Manoj, published in Case Studies on Transport Policy, 2018, ). Keeping the research finding in mind, the proposed research will focus strongly on developing/integrating:Gender neutral designsEasy to ride vehicles that won’t require excessive efforts for female operators. Connected safety features designed for women users (SOS features, convenience features, tracking, etc.)Notes: Please be kindly reminded of the primary criteria: relevance to the environmental and/or C19 agenda. See boxes 13 and 14. Except box 5, all boxes require mandatory response.In the interests of fairness, proposals that exceed the character limits will not be considered. ................
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