Sea Salt Battery Serving as a Battery Technology in Electric Rickshaws in New Delhi, India: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

Lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries used for electric-rickshaw in India fail far short of their expected battery lifespan. Also, the materials being used have unfavorable consequences for the environment. A new type of battery made from sea salt has recently been invented. The sea salt battery could potentially be a better, cheaper, and greener battery. This thesis aimed to explore the feasibility of the sea salt battery technology for electric rickshaws in New Delhi, India, in order to answer the following main research question: How can the sea salt battery become a feasible technology for electric rickshaws in New Delhi, India?

This study showed that energy density, and thus range, is one of the most important parameters for evaluating e-rickshaw batteries. Furthermore, the literature and case study demonstrated that the Indian battery market is highly price sensitive, which makes a low energy cost per kWh of battery storage very important when aiming to be competitive. In contrast, the sea salt battery showed positive results in other aspects. The study showed that the sea salt battery outperformed commercial batteries, in terms of cycle life. More simulations and lab research need to be done on this, but this could potentially save drivers a lot of costs, if they have to buy a new battery much less frequently. In addition, it was found that the sea salt battery is suitable to be placed in an e-rickshaw. Furthermore, outcomes of the case study showed that it is desirable to integrate the sea salt battery with a BMS system, which facilitates and improves the operations of the e-rickshaw operators. Due to the very low toxicity of the sea salt battery, compared with its competitors, the sea salt battery performs very positively in terms of social acceptance. To conclude, sea salt batteries are feasible for use in e-rickshaws if the energy density and cost per kWh of battery storage are improved and come close to that of commercial batteries. The sea salt battery is an environmentally friendly battery source that, due to its long life and performance in hot climates, could potentially be promising for e-rickshaw drivers in India.