The Japanese have developed a new electric concept for one their oldest methods of transportation- the rickshaw. 
Two companies from Osaka, Japan have created a new modern electric lithium ion battery powered rickshaw. The rickshaw is made from metal, bamboo, and paper. The two companies are claiming that what they created is a car, but I think it will find a new global inner city tourist audience, that will gravitate to its pollution free capabilities, and cute design. The three-wheel vehicle is called a Meguru, Japanese for “to move”. Its frame is steel painted with vermillion lacquer, the flooring is bamboo, and the folding doors are made from paper, which looks like a Japanese hand fan. The cool thing about the vehicle is that at night, the interior lights glow through the paper doors, giving it a lantern-like appearance. This is one pimped out rickshaw! The Meguru’s lithium ion battery takes two hours to charge on a household power supply, and it can travel about 25 miles on a charge. It has a top speed of about 25 mph, and it is registered as a road vehicle in Japan. The firms plan to mass-produce the Meguru and sell it for less than $10,000. While a novel idea, replacing foot power with an all-electric version does add an additional burden to the current power grid, and unfortunately, most of those plants are powered by coal.
As a side note, most of you probably have read or subscribed to National Geographic magazine. I recommend renewing your subscription or signing up for a new one. This publication does a fabulous job covering our global environment. The new June issue highlights, in their opinion, the new ground zero location for global warming – Greenland. It’s an interesting read. I highly recommend it.
Photo: The Meguru Photo Courtesy: Kinki Knives Industries
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