Test Drive The Innovative QARGOS
Published on : Saturday 08-06-2024
Rahul Dhinakaran is impressed by his recent test drive of the QARGOS.
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The automobile had its last great design evolution when the shift happened from horse carriages to the internal combustion engines. For a while these contraptions were even called ‘Horseless Carriages’. There are garages in England still carrying the Horseless Carriages name.
I believe that the next evolution is happening now, when the automotive world is shifting from the IC engine to the electric motor. The form and function are being revisited and some truly interesting designs are coming out.
Recently I had the opportunity of testing one such design – the QARGOS two-wheeler from the QARGOS in Pune. India is seeing a raft of new electric vehicle companies who are designing and building from scratch in India.
QARGOS, founded by Alok Das and Vijay Praveen, is one of the most interesting concepts as it repackages the traditional ICE two-wheeler and makes it more suitable for load carrying. The design is a good mix of the motorcycle, scooter and a fish cart. The load carrying box in place of the middle is a great idea. It ensures the load is kept between the wheels and there is no instability caused during travel. The wheel size is optimal for the function. The ride is wonderfully stable due to the weight distribution, wheel base and wheel size combination.
A very pleasing fact is that the tyre width and aspect ratio have not been compromised for range. This has been the bane of motorcycle cycle designs since the advent of the 4 strokes in India. The ride quality also needs to be attributed to the well sorted suspension. Probably, the founder’s custom motorcycle background shows here. It also shows in the way the QARGOS has been styled, it’s almost like a sport cruiser than a load carrier.
If and when this vehicle makes its way to the e-commerce companies, I’m very sure a lot of riders would choose this over anything available in the market yet. This is simply because it takes the best features from a motorcycle, scooter and trike, and gives it to the customer in an attractive package.
For metros in India, where traffic is a problem and parking is not that easily available, the QARGOS would be a god send. It’s a vehicle with the parking space of a two wheeler and the load carrying capacity of a trike.
The market space for the QARGOS would be somewhere between a two-wheeler used by e-commerce delivery people and the three-wheeler used for large deliveries. The three-wheeler moving in and out of narrow lanes is still a challenge, which is where the QARGOS will score.
Another area where the QARGOS will score would be the lockable, box beneath the rider for holding bags and crates. This would ensure that the delivery person is spared hanging bags on the two-wheeler which is far from ideal. The safety of the products inside the box is another big plus for the vehicle.
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Overall, the QARGOS has a lot going for it. The electric load carrier market is heating up with more players showcasing their take on the next evolution of the automobile – looking forward to more innovative designs in this space from India.
Rahul Dhinakaran, Head – Industrial Automation at Bigbasket, is a machine designer/builder since 2004 with 4 patent publications and one publication in Elsevier. He specialises in electromechanical system design with IoT connectivity. Since 2004 Rahul has been working on everything from racing cars to pick and place robots to lifestyle outdoor products to IoT based smart shopping carts, with end-to-end hands-on experience of conceptualisation, detail design and building of a variety of machines.
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