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Khartoum, AFP Mohamed Samir, a Sudanese entrepreneur watches proudly as workers build garishly-coloured rickshaws. They are unique in North African because they use electricity to reduce rising costs.
Three-wheeler vehicles in Sudan — tuk-tuks for passengers and motorbike tricycles with trailers attached for goods transport — have been a popular and inexpensive mode of transportation for a long time. Tens of thousands ride the streets of Khartoum alone.
The cost of running petrol-oil engines in Sudan has risen as a result of a serious economic crisis.
Samir, a 44-year-old engineer, said that people who use fuel-run rickshaws are often in pain and know the value of what they are offering at the North Khartoum factory.
“We want to provide solutions.”
It also has a significant environmental impact.
The United Nations Environment Programme warned that smoking petrol-powered cars, in addition to fuelling climate change and causing air pollution, in a 2020 report.
It stated that emissions from three-wheelers can reduce visibility, damage vegetation, and cause respiratory illnesses in people.
Samir said that the UN’s sustainable development goals for the future include protection of the health, fight against poverty and protection of environment.
He said, “It also produces much less noise.”
“Daily income doubled”
Samir had to overcome many obstacles in order to open his factory, but now business is booming. He has sold over 100 tricycles and 12 passenger scooters since opening.
Since the coup, fuel costs have more than doubled. In addition, drivers have been queueing for hours at filling stations to top-up their tanks due to repeated fuel shortages.
Drivers complain that they earn less than what they spend.
Bakry Mohamed, a fruit seller, sold his petrol-powered tuk tuk last year and bought an electric tricycle.
Mohamed said that his vehicle used to cost more than the money it brought in. He uses his vehicle to transport a stall of fruits along the streets. “Plus, I had the worry of where to get fuel and where to change my engine oil.”
Mohamed is proud to show off his electric tricycle.
Mohamed said that the fuel was very cost-efficient. “There are no fuel queues anymore. It runs for the whole week, even though I only charge it once. My daily income doubled.”
Some drivers have difficulty switching to electric motors, but Samir stated that there have been no major complaints and that the batteries are less maintenance than the fuel-run engines.
He said, “It’s brand new, and they aren’t used to electric-run cars.”
Sunshine power
The three-wheelers can be fully charged in eight hours. A tuk-tuk tricycle can cover 80-100 kms (50-60 miles), while a scooter can cover 100-120 kms. A rickshark’s range is between 100-120 kilometres.
Despite the economic crisis, Sudan’s electricity supply has also suffered, with frequent power outages.
The government increased electricity prices in January. Households saw an increase of approximately 500 percent in their bills.
Samir however stated that electric rickshaes were still more efficient and cheaper to run than alternative options.
Samir stated, “The cost to charge the battery remains lower than that of fuel,” with a single electric charging costing less than half of a litre.
Others, looking upwards to Sudan’s year round sunshine, have also freed themselves of dependence on the grid.
Amjad Hamdan Hameidan purchased several electric-powered rickshaws to power his three-wheeler.
Hameidan stated, “I use flexible solar panel,” “We place them on top the ricksha while driving and it keeps the batteries topped up.”
Samir claims that his factory helps Sudan keep up with the fast-developing world.
Samir stated, “Everything that is powered by fuel will soon be replaced with electricity.” “We have the opportunity to keep up the pace with the rest,” Samir said.
2022 AFP