Kolkata's iconic yellow taxi may soon find a new lease of life in the electric mobility era. In a move aimed at promoting sustainable transportation, Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), in collaboration with Jadavpur University (JU), has unveiled a prototype of a retrofitted electric yellow taxi, dubbed the "Green Yellow Taxi".
The prototype was presented at DVC Headquarters in Kolkata as part of a research initiative focused on examining the feasibility of converting conventional fuel-powered vehicles into electric ones. The project forms part of DVC's Research and Development programme and is aligned with the organisation's broader sustainability goals.
Breathing new life into Kolkata’s iconic yellow cabs
One of the major challenges in the transition to electric mobility is the large number of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles that may become obsolete. The project seeks to address this issue by exploring whether existing vehicles can be converted into electric vehicles in a cost-effective and environmentally responsible manner.
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Developed on a 1.5DZ yellow taxi platform, the prototype retains much of the vehicle's original transmission architecture while incorporating an electric motor-drive system, intelligent control interfaces and advanced sensor integration capabilities.
The research is being led by Professor Amitava Gupta of the Department of Power Engineering, Jadavpur University, along with a multidisciplinary team of researchers and faculty members.
Prototype shows strong performance in initial testing
According to the project team, preliminary testing has shown encouraging outcomes. The vehicle has demonstrated a high driving range under city operating conditions, rapid acceleration performance, air-conditioning functionality and IoT-enabled monitoring features.
The project is also evaluating a swappable battery model tailored to Indian urban mobility requirements, a feature that could potentially reduce charging downtime for commercial vehicles.
The prototype was unveiled by Shri S. Suresh Kumar, IAS, Chairman, DVC, in the presence of Professor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, Vice-Chancellor of Jadavpur University, Professor Amitava Gupta, Principal Project Investigator, Shri S. K. Panda, Member (Technical), DVC, M/s Pointo CEO Riki Biswas, Shri Sadananda Mukherjee, Member (Finance), DVC, and other representatives from academia, industry and government.
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From prototype to potential commercial rollout
Following the Unveiling, the electric taxi will undergo further testing, performance validation and certification processes. The project team ultimately aims to take the technology towards commercialisation through industry partnerships.
By combining a familiar symbol of Kolkata's streets with emerging electric mobility technology, the initiative highlights a possible pathway for transforming existing vehicle fleets into cleaner and more sustainable alternatives.
