Every day is a routine day. We get up every morning and go to school or college or work. We either take our bike or our car, or a rickshaw or a bus. And then later in the evening we come back home. The same practice is followed daily. But have you ever thought of the amount of fuel you use up while commuting? With the rocketing fuel price hike, that will probably be on the top of your mind!

The number of motor vehicles in Chennai has drastically increased. Any hour of the day is a peak hour on the Chennai roads

Suggestions of carpooling and bike pooling are being put forth even more so today. But apart from these strategies, a few Chennaites have decided to go eco-friendly in their own way. And their solution? Eco-friendly cars, AKA, the electric car.

But what exactly are electric cars?

An electric car is a type of car that utilizes electric motors and motor controllers instead of an internal combustion engine (ICE). The electricity is usually derived from battery packs in the vehicle. Meaning- no dependence on petrol or diesel for these cars!

REVA is one such battery electric microcar intended for use as a city car. The car weighing 745 kilograms can accommodate two adults in the front and two children in the rear. Mr. J. Venkataramani is one such owner of a REVA car. When asked why he opted for REVA among all other cars available, he says, "My reason for buying a REVA is very simple. REVA = electricity = no pollution. I wasn't actually planning on buying a REVA but then, looking at the amount of pollution and the traffic congestion nowadays, I wanted to do my bit by not polluting the atmosphere. REVA is not only eco-friendly but is also easy to use and travel in."

Yet another such 'eco-soul' is Mr. Nikhil Talreja. He owns an electric bike, Glide 125 and uses it pretty regularly. He says, "I bought my bike a year back for Rs. 24000 but after the initial investment it has worked out very cheap. I bought the bike mainly because it causes no pollution and is not too expensive. But practically, I will not say that it is very useful. Unfortunately the maximum speed is only 25km/hour. For short distances it is very handy and if I charge my bike for 6 hours, I can travel around 50 kilometers."

It is no longer just about disposing your garbage separately or switching off your lights and fans when not in use. People have started thinking from the broader perspective and are looking for ways to make their environment less polluted and friendlier. Buying electric cars and bikes maybe just a stepping stone, but it may end up being a large step in the future.

K Rashmi