India’s electric rickshaws are leaving EVs in the dust

Re:India’s electric rickshaws are leaving EVs in the dust by alephnerd on Tuesday April 09, 2024 @05:10PM (#39984281)

The e-rickshaws use lead acid batteries and "disposal infrastructure" is just chucking it to the side if it's dead.

A CNG auto-rickshaw is also similarly light on fumes.

In all honesty, all three-wheelers need to be banned in India, but it will never happen because that's political suicide.

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Re:India’s electric rickshaws are leaving EVs in the dust by Symbiote on Tuesday April 09, 2024 @07:12PM (#39985314)

Someone will collect the lead for scrap, it's valuable enough that even in wealthy countries it is worth stealing.

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Re:India’s electric rickshaws are leaving EVs in the dust by alephnerd on Tuesday April 09, 2024 @07:20PM (#39985361)

I take it you've never taken AP Chem.

Here's how you extract lead from lead acid batteries in the developing world (video is from Pakistan, but same principle in India, Vietnam, Phillipines, etc) [0], because Western Europe level environmental and labor laws aren't a thing.

[0] - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kNGg0P7B5fI

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Re:India’s electric rickshaws are leaving EVs in the dust by Symbiote on Wednesday April 10, 2024 @02:29AM (#39987557)

So what's the problem? The battery is clearly recycled, it's not going to end up in a river, burned or in landfill.

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Re:India’s electric rickshaws are leaving EVs in the dust by actionfromafar on Wednesday April 10, 2024 @03:35AM (#39987974)

That's great and all, but lead is nasty stuff. I really hope it's use will diminish. Lead handling is always fraught with risks at every turn.

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