Solar Tuk Tuks helping tourism’s bottom line

An Australian solar producer is changing the way tuk tuks are powered after having developed a new tuk tuk – SolarTuk – which runs by using solar power from its rooftop.

An Australian solar producer is changing the way tuk tuks are powered after having developed a new tuk tuk – SolarTuk – which runs by using solar power from its rooftop.

Tuk tuks or auto rickshaws are an essential form of urban transport in many emerging and developing countries but also make an appearance in Europe, the USA, and Australia for tourism purposes. Recently, developing countries’ governments (such as China) have started to ban or restrict petrol-powered rickshaws due to emissions and air quality issues.

The producer of the SolarTuk, Star 8, says it has had significant interest from countries such as China, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Bangladesh, South Africa, and Nigeria, as well as many interested parties from the Australian tourism industry.

The creator of the product, Star 8 Managing Director Jacob Maimon, came up with the concept after a holiday in Vietnam, where he noticed that tuk tuk drivers only put small amounts of petrol in the tank at a time.

“I asked him why he didn’t fill it up and he said the cost of fuel was prohibitive, and he could barely cover his daily expenses with the amount of work he picked up.

“It was then that I envisaged a solar-driven tuk tuk with an electric engine (as back-up), which costs next to nothing to run.”

Maimon designed the SolarTuk himself and then consulted engineers to get the product made.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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