In 1992, an initiative was taken by Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, Chairman and Managing Trustee of the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation, Udaipur. He instigated research that led to the development of solar power as a source of energy for transportation systems in and around Udaipur.

A small diesel engine boat with the capacity to carry up to five passengers was converted to operate off batteries powered by solar panels fixed onto the roof. It now operates on the lake of the HRH Group of Hotels, property in Gajner, Bikaner. It was designed with the help of Mr. Malcolm Moss, a UK based environmental scientist and was constructed in the Palace workshop, Udaipur.

The success of this water taxi led to the building of RA II a eight seater passenger boat that was successfully completed in 1995 and is used for ferrying visitors on Lake Pichola, Udaipur. The revenue earned from ticket charges contributes to the maintenance of the solar boats.

By 1999 a project office, The Mewar Solar Cell, was established to concentrate on research into passive energy systems. Technicians worked on ways of reducing toxic fumes, noise and carbon dioxide emissions from land vehicles using solar powered photo-voltaic panels as the alternative source of energy. The panels were successfully tested on various models based on the traditional rickshaw. By 2003 six prototype rickshaws with three and four wheels and one electric motorcycle had been built. Presently 14 prototypes of solar vehicles are on display at The Vintage and Classic Car Collection, Garden Hotel, Udaipur.

In April 2003, The Mewar Solar Cell organised a non-competitive rally to test these prototypes on the roads in Rajasthan. It was an event that attracted 21 participants from UK & USA, who sponsored the design & construction of the rickshaws that they donated, at the end of the rally, to MMCF.

In April 2004, 33 participants joined the International Solar Rally that completed 1200 km with 14 vehicles powered by solar photo-voltaic panels as the source of energy. Solar No. 5 a four-wheel vehicle achieved an average speed of between 20-25 km per hour over a distance of 150 km. A two-wheel vehicle, Solar No. 11, that due to its unusual appearance and outstanding performance was named the ’Rocket’ covered a distance of 300 km in just nine hours and is probably the first solar machine of its type to have recorded this distance.

Future plans of the Mewar Solar Cell

To establish Udaipur as a solar city, the Mewar Solar Cell has established three key objectives:

1. Transform Lake Pichola into a fossil fuel-free zone.
2. Use vehicles powered by solar as a source of energy in The City Palace Complex.
3. Further Research by continuing research on these successful prototype rickshaws it is planned to develop other vehicles that would eventually lead to commercial production by a manufacturer.