Rickshaw

In late February, an elephant being used in a religious festival in India became enraged and rampaged through an area full of parked vehicles.

Life can be a little trickier in the remote villages of Peru. When doctors recently needed to fly a mother, her newborn child and a teenager all in need of emergency medical care from Contamana to a hospital in the middle of the night, the situation looked dire. The local airstrip that serves as the community's lifeline to the outside world has no lighting, and without the ability to see, the pilot had no way to get the plane off the ground safely. That's when a local radio station put out a cal

A three-wheeled, 175-cc rickshaw hardly seems adequate for the 6,338-mile trip from London to New Delhi, India, but that's precisely the type of vehicle Sanjay Sharma, a 44-year-old IT professional from the UK, choose for his epic journey.

Way back in 2003, New Delhi, India converted 90,000 buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws to compressed natural gas (CNG). It was an ambitious program for its day, and perhaps too ambitious for its own good. A recently released study by the University of British Columbia found that the 5,000 auto-rickshaws using 2-stroke engines that were converted to CNG exhibited only minor reductions in emissions. Even worse, the types of emissions that af

Upon returning from a recent trip to Thailand, friends of ours related experiences of what it's like to travel on somewhat primitive roads in somewhat primitive vehicles. Disconcerting at first, but totally acceptable after a few trips prove that it's (relatively) safe. The vehicles of choice in Thailand, along with a bunch of other far-away locales, are Tuk Tuks, three-wheeled machines that marry the front end of a scooter to the rear end of a passenger car. Soon, you'll be able to Jeremy Korzeniewski

Upon returning from a recent trip to Thailand, some friends of mine related experiences of what it's like to travel on somewhat primitive roads in somewhat primitive vehicles. Disconcerting at first, apparently, but totally acceptable after a few trips prove that it's (relatively) safe. The vehicles of choice in Thailand, along with a bunch of other far-away locales, are Tuk Tuks, three-wheeled machines that marry the front end of a scooter to the rear end of a passenger car. Soon, you'll be abl

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The pedal-powered rickshaw is a time-honored method of getting around in many countries where not every citizen has the means to drive a car. Of course, time marches on, and the classic rickshaws are definitely a step or two behind the times. Still, there is a market for zero emission people carriers, especially in developing countries that don't already have other mass-transit solutions in place. Plus, while it may not seem like everybody's cup of tea, there are a large number of people that ma

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Click above for more shots of the MINI Clubman Rickshaws

Photo: Times of India

The term "rickshaw" covers a wide variety of vehicles around the world but in Nepal it usually refers to the three-wheeler you see pictured above. They used to create clouds of pollution in the capitol, Kathmandu, but the Vikram Tempo rickshaw, the fossil fuel burning version of this conveyance, has been outlawed since 1999. Since then, electric versions, or Safa Tempo, have been steadily increasing in numbers. Now, acc

We recently reported on the unfortunate demise of the Bajaj 3-wheeler from the American market due to slow sales. Happily, a new brand of funky 3-wheelers is set to make its debut in the U.S. by way of Thailand. Tuk Tuk North America (TTNA) reports that its vehicles are currently undergoing EPA and NHTSA testing for road-use approval, though its

Currently, there are a few small manufacturers marketing in the small, three-wheeled vehicle segment. Obviously, ZAP comes to mind with their electric Xebra sedan and pickup truck. Bajaj sells small three-wheeled utility vehicles here as well. It looks like we can add Trifun to that list, as they reportedly plan to sell a few thou

The tuk tuk, or auto rickshaw, is a common means of transportation in the crowded cities of India as well as many other Southeast Asian countries. They are a great transportation solution and a huge source of employment, but because they are mostly powered by smoky 2 stroke engines, they are also a huge source of pollution. Enter the Hybrid Auto Rickshaw project. From ENVIU, the same folks that brought you th

Ah yes, the good old rickshaw. I have never seen one in actual use myself, but that's probably because I don't regularly leave the continental United States, where they are not a very popular choice, even in urban areas. But, I read that they are common in other parts of the world, and we have Jeremy Korzeniewski

As energy needs increase in India, the country is becoming more conscious of harmful emissions. Bajaj Auto recently announced that Orbital will supply fuel injectors for the company's auto-rickshaws that run on LPG and CNG. The two companies were already working together on gas models.