Home-made desi Tesla: This ‘game changing’ innovation by Bihar man runs 100km in full charge. It costs just...
A mechanic from Bihar’s Purnia has built a low-cost electric jeep designed specifically for rural needs. Murshid Alam, who runs a small workshop in the district, has developed a five-seater electric vehicle that can travel up to 100 kilometres on a single charge and costs around Rs 1 lakh to build.After completing his education, Murshid Alam worked at several mechanic shops to gain hands-on experience repairing vehicles. Over time, he returned to his hometown in Purnia and opened his own workshop, which gradually began to do well.It was during this period that he noticed a recurring problem faced by farmers and small traders in the region. There was a lack of an affordable, easy-to-maintain vehicle that could be used both for daily travel and for transporting goods, he saw.This gap inspired him to design a simple, practical electric jeep tailored for rural use. Working independently, Murshid Alam completed the vehicle in only 18 days.The result is a battery-powered electric jeep that can comfortably seat five people and also includes a separate trolley attachment. The trolley allows farmers to transport crops, fertilisers and other materials, making the vehicle useful for both passenger travel and agricultural work.According to Murshid Alam, the electric jeep takes about five hours to fully charge and can then run up to 100 kilometres.Despite its low cost, the vehicle includes several essential features such as four wheels, tubeless tyres, a speedometer, a battery charging point and power steering. These features make it easy to drive and suitable even for users with basic driving experience.Its price of Rs 1 lakh is also far lower than most electric vehicles currently available in the market.Farm equipment has long depended on diesel and petrol but that is starting to change. Farm equipment can broadly be divided into four groups: stationary machines, light utility vehicles, aerial systems and heavy machinery like tractors and combines.Stationary equipment is the simplest to electrify. Machines that milk cows, dry crops or process farm produce do not move around much. Many of these are already electric, and others that still use fuels like propane are expected to switch. Plugging into electricity makes them quieter, more efficient and less polluting.
2026-01-07T12:12:32Z