Green wheels:Everything old is new again for one Japanese manufacturer, which has unveiled an electronic version of a rickshaw.
![Japanese Cyclo Electronic Rikshaw](https://i0.wp.com/800016.xyz/files/techzug/imgs/misc/japanese_cyclo_rikshaw_03.jpg?w=696&ssl=1)
The "Meguru" is a three-wheeled, three-seat compact vehicle whose single lithium-ion battery allows for a maximum speed and range of 40 kilometers (25 miles) per hour, although the number of batteries could be increased for a longer ride.
![Japanese Cyclo Electronic Rikshaw](https://i0.wp.com/800016.xyz/files/techzug/imgs/misc/japanese_cyclo_rikshaw_04.jpg?w=696&ssl=1)
"This is a true environmentally friendly car," said Nobuyuki Ogura, the chief executive officer of Yodogawa Group, which built the vehicle in cooperation with three other small companies in western Japan.
![Japanese Cyclo Electronic Rikshaw](https://i0.wp.com/800016.xyz/files/techzug/imgs/misc/japanese_cyclo_rikshaw_05.jpg?w=696&ssl=1)
"Instead of an air-conditioner, it comes with a pinwheel, and we are also thinking of adding a wind chime because it gives a refreshing sound to cool you down without the need of electricity," he told Reuters Television. "It doesn’t have a heater, but it’s equipped with blankets to keep you warm in the winter."
![Japanese Cyclo Electronic Rikshaw](https://i0.wp.com/800016.xyz/files/techzug/imgs/misc/japanese_cyclo_rikshaw_06.jpg?w=696&ssl=1)
A regular driver’s license is required to take the vehicle on the road, but car registration is unnecessary. Devised as part of a project to revitalise small businesses facing economic hardship, the vehicle – which is 2.5 meters (8 ft 2 in) long, 1.2 meters (3 ft 11 in) wide and 1.6 meters (5 ft 3 in) tall – also showcases traditional Japanese crafts.
![Japanese Cyclo Electronic Rikshaw](https://i0.wp.com/800016.xyz/files/techzug/imgs/misc/japanese_cyclo_rikshaw_07.jpg?w=696&ssl=1)
The body is coated in red lacquer, the floor is filled with recycled bamboo, and the retractable "window" has been carefully crafted in the shape of a Japanese fan using Japanese "washi" paper. All were made by craftsmen in western Japan. The company says it is selling the vehicle for around one million yen ($12,180) while assessing a business plan for mass production.
![Japanese Cyclo Electronic Rikshaw](https://i0.wp.com/800016.xyz/files/techzug/imgs/misc/japanese_cyclo_rikshaw_08.jpg?w=696&ssl=1)
Even disposing of the car after its usefulness has passed poses no problems. "We’ve used all-natural materials, so if you ever decide to get rid of the car, simply bury it in the ground," Ogura said.
Question: Will it work in India??
Answer: If the drivers limit the number of passengers to two per trip.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE.?… It may even reduce the big cities pollution level.