Assessing the Viability of Renewable Energy Integration in Battery Swappable Conversion Kits for Tuk-tuks in Sri Lanka

Tuk-tuks are a widely favored means of transportation for both passengers and cargo in Sri Lanka. Their affordability in terms of purchase price and maintenance, coupled with good mileage, has contributed to their popularity. However, this popularity comes with significant drawbacks, notably high emissions and a surge in the number of vehicles on the roads. Therefore, the transportation sector has started to look towards electric alternatives. However, the increasing adoption of electric vehicles pose a potential challenge to the Sri Lankan power generation sector, which heavily relies on fossil fuel-based thermal power generation. To address these issues, this feasibility study seeks to evaluate the feasibility of implementing a conversion kit that enables existing tuk-tuks to operate on electricity, incorporating battery-swapping technology and charging stations powered by solar photovoltaic systems. The study extensively examines the performance characteristics of currently available commercial electric tuk-tuks and provides a detailed comparison of each model available in the local market. In the electrification of the tuk-tuks, the range anxiety is another major drawback. Therefore, in this study we have compared the existing electric tuk-tuk solutions and proposed and evaluated the most feasible solution for electrification of tuk-tuks in Sri Lanka which is the battery swappable conversion kit.