Pakistan's first urban "electric car" is ready!!!
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00:00Thank you so much for joining us Vasupa, Umar and Sareen, you are a faculty member!
00:07Thank you so much for coming to our show!
00:10I have seen this car for the first time after a long time and it looks good!
00:16Normally, people come to the stage a long time ago!
00:21So, tell us about the idea, who is going to start it?
00:24First of all, I would like to thank you for inviting us here!
00:29Our society is by the name of Team Envision!
00:36It is a 15 years old society and we have made 17 vehicles so far!
00:44It is a student led society and we have participated in 14 international competitions!
00:55On the top, we have participated in Shell Eco Marathon competitions all over the world!
01:01The good part, I feel very proud of saying that all these are made by the students themselves!
01:08Everything is student based!
01:14We have won a lot of communication awards and innovation awards!
01:23It is great!
01:26Earlier, the problem was that making an engine was never easy!
01:31Now, because of the hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electric cars, motors are comparatively easier to make!
01:40Not that easy, but comparatively!
01:43So, was that the reason that you invested in it or you thought it should be done?
01:51What was the thought process behind this invention?
01:54Specifically, we work on electric vehicles because we want to provide an alternate fuel to the Pakistani market!
02:02As you know, fuel prices have gone up which is a major problem in our country!
02:06And we don't have locally manufactured electric vehicles, everything is imported!
02:11So, that was the primary reason that motivated us to work on electric vehicles!
02:16Secondly, building motors is as difficult as building engines!
02:21But, efficiency matters a lot!
02:25You make a motor, but if it is not efficient, it will cost you the same as a petrol engine!
02:32This issue of charging, a lot of countries are reporting that people are returning e-cars!
02:39They are coming back to petrol and gas!
02:43So, the reason is that they are not able to travel long distances!
02:47So, how much long distance can this car give in terms of charging?
02:51Our car runs at 200 km on one charge and there is an added feature in our car!
02:56Its battery is easily replaceable and carryable!
02:59It is a portable battery!
03:01Our car has 4 battery packs!
03:03The car has a slot for 4 battery packs!
03:06Even if you are going on a long distance or you run out of battery, you can easily change the battery pack!
03:11You don't have to charge it at the charging station!
03:14You can simply replace it with an alternate battery pack which is present in our car!
03:18Which will take you 200 km further!
03:21Vasfa, how many members are there in this team who have worked on this?
03:26And what are the responsibilities of everyone?
03:28So, our team has a total of 40-50 members and there are 2 departments!
03:33One is technical and the other is non-technical!
03:35In technical, we have subdivisions like mechanical, electrical, research and development!
03:39So, they work in their own domains!
03:41So, the mechanical department will look after the body, chassis, suspension and everything!
03:47The electrical department is responsible for looking after the electronics, battery, motors and everything!
03:55The research and development department is responsible for the innovations!
03:58So, they basically work on the new innovations and what we can do with the car!
04:04Then there is a non-technical department!
04:06In that, we have sub-domains like marketing and communications!
04:09So, the marketing department's job is that we are making the car and we are not doing the sales on it!
04:15We need sponsors!
04:16So, the main purpose of the marketing department is to present the sponsors to different industries and companies!
04:24And then the sponsors come and provide the funds!
04:28So, it's not possible without the sponsors!
04:31So, you have used a lot of parts for this!
04:33You have used the motor and the battery!
04:35So, are these all imported items or are these also made locally?
04:39The battery is manufactured locally!
04:41We have a garage facility in our university!
04:43We fabricate the battery from the lithium ion cells!
04:47The motor is a Chinese motor which we have imported!
04:50You cannot manufacture a very efficient motor by yourself!
04:55For that, you need specific machinery!
04:57The motor is imported!
04:59Apart from that, the entire structure of the car is manufactured by our sponsors!
05:06And now, what about the cost?
05:08If we talk about the material cost, it is about 3 to 3.5 million rupees!
05:16This is the material cost!
05:18If you add the labour and other things, it exceeds!
05:21The reason for this is...
05:23How much will it cost if I want to buy it?
05:25You can buy it for 1 crore!
05:28Why?
05:29Because it is manufactured in single unit, it is costly!
05:33We have a plan that if you take it up to 100 units,
05:37the cost will be cut down to 15 to 17 lakh rupees!
05:40Per unit?
05:42Per unit!
05:43Then, that would be affordable!
05:45And with the same design?
05:46With the same design!
05:47How is this design inspired?
05:48Is it from Lamborghini?
05:49Which models do you use?
05:51This design is aerodynamic!
05:53We do multiple iterations, it is not inspired by anyone!
05:57This design should be made according to the dynamics of the pothole!
06:04The car should be at least this tall!
06:06On the roads of Karachi!
06:08Or else, it is fine if it is in Vifakhi Dhar Lokumat!
06:11If we bring it out, it won't be safe to go back!
06:15We use spacers and other things to manage our cars!
06:22So, it is going to be quite difficult!
06:24Our reflexes have become quite different while driving in Karachi!
06:27We don't just have to look at the side mirrors and rear view!
06:31We have to see which bike is coming from the front and which auto is coming from the back!
06:35Exactly!
06:36This is an urban electric vehicle, which means it is fully fit to function in a city!
06:41So, it will run in Karachi and the suspension that we have installed,
06:44is a very high quality suspension system!
06:47So, it will sustain the roads of Karachi and any other road in the world!
06:52We will be very happy if you do the work that the Japanese have not been able to do!
06:56Tell me, there are different tests of cars like crash test,
07:00and other safety tests for the wiring etc.
07:07So, how have you tested it to make sure that it is safe?
07:12We get a rule book from the competition we participate in!
07:17In which there are particular safety and technical standards,
07:20which are necessary to meet and without meeting them, we cannot participate in the competition!
07:25So, according to the international standards,
07:27the car is manufactured according to the safety and technical standards!
07:31And all the tests that have been done,
07:33like impact testing, seat belt testing, all the safety standards are passed!
07:38Before you, I would like to ask you,
07:40this big problem of charging point,
07:43we don't have that in our country!
07:45And the model, the product is already ready!
07:48So, how do you solve this?
07:51To solve this, as I mentioned earlier,
07:53we keep a spare battery pack with us in the car!
07:57And it is fully charged?
07:59Yes, it is fully charged!
08:00So, your 200 km battery is burnt and you replace it?
08:02Yes!
08:03But won't it be costly?
08:04It is costly!
08:05Of course, it comes with a price!
08:07Right now, they are saying that if a proper production starts, the cost will be high!
08:12So, tell me this,
08:13till the time the production doesn't start in bulk,
08:17the cost won't come down!
08:19If the cost doesn't come down, it won't be possible for people to buy it!
08:21Exactly!
08:22And we have seen many projects like this,
08:24they have the potential but they are not able to move ahead!
08:28Have you been in contact with them after this car came?
08:31Have you got any sponsors to work on it or support you?
08:35Since our unveiling,
08:38it's been like 2-3 days since our unveiling!
08:43So, we are in touch with some companies and some organizations who have contacted us!
08:48Some of our sponsors are with us on an annual basis
08:53and they have been supporting us for the last 15 years!
08:56As we told, this is a student led society,
08:59where students are working!
09:01So, whatever funding we get, it is through the sponsors!
09:05So, if we talk about the marketing,
09:08if we approach the companies,
09:11these engineering students are their add-on feature!
09:16They approach them through their skills!
09:20I am really thankful to all the sponsors!
09:24If you see, in the last 15 years,
09:26we have 17 vehicles,
09:29that is all because of the sponsors!
09:31What is the story behind the name Azad?
09:33Azad!
09:34Azad!
09:35And the color as well!
09:36Yes!
09:37So, basically, the inspiration behind it was that
09:40our thinking is so stuck that
09:42Pakistani students can't do this,
09:43Pakistani students can't do that!
09:45So, we wanted to break that thought
09:47and the reason behind it was that we will keep the name Azad,
09:50so that everyone knows that we are free,
09:52we can do anything if we want to!
09:54So, basically, we are not talking about kids,
09:56we are talking about politicians!
09:58You misunderstood us!
10:00The thing is that,
10:01if you go and sit in this car
10:03and if you sit in any other hybrid or electric car,
10:07what will be the noticeable difference
10:10between this and that?
10:12Or if you want to make it better,
10:14you can say that it is better in this and not in that!
10:16Sir, because we are focusing on...
10:18I am saying this because you didn't invite us for the unveiling,
10:20so we don't have an idea what's in it!
10:22You didn't even say sorry!
10:26They will trap you like this,
10:28you don't have to listen to them!
10:30So, because we are focusing a lot on fuel efficiency,
10:34of course, there are some trade-offs.
10:36First of all, the trade-off is that
10:38the space to sit inside
10:40is not as much as you get in a conventional sedan.
10:44Of course, we have to keep the car compact,
10:47we have to keep the car lightweight,
10:49so all these things have trade-offs.
10:51You also mentioned the ground clearance of this car,
10:55the height of this car from the road,
10:57is very less.
10:59There are engineering reasons for that.
11:01It makes any vehicle fuel-efficient.
11:03So, that is a difference,
11:05because of which, you can say that
11:07the user experience, comfort-wise,
11:09is a little...
11:11And there is another issue, Raham,
11:13when this car will run,
11:15obviously, there will be more changes.
11:17Our mechanics fail the cars because
11:19they have an old-fashioned understanding.
11:21When a Japanese car comes, it is a failure.
11:23You know, when these hybrid cars came,
11:25what was their mindset?
11:27Now, this is also a thing.
11:29We are a little worried about the change.
11:31By the way, how long does it take to charge?
11:33It gets fully charged in 2-3 hours.
11:35If you charge it with a compatible charger,
11:37it gets fully charged in 2-3 hours.
11:41Our own charger.
11:43Compatible charger.
11:45So, you have to do the production
11:47accordingly.
11:49And how many units?
11:51It has a 30 mAh battery.
11:55So, you can consider it as 2 units.
11:57Its efficiency...
11:59You can understand its efficiency like this.
12:01If you travel the distance from Karachi to Hyderabad,
12:03it consumes 2 units of electricity.
12:05Okay.
12:07So, if our unit price is
12:09Rs. 65,
12:11then you can travel the distance
12:13from Karachi to Hyderabad for Rs. 130.
12:15Okay. Let's go.
12:17Now, we have understood this cheap thing.
12:19Let's go.
12:21Thank you so much.