Bengaluru witnessed a first-of-its-kind solar-assisted electric vehicle installation at Church Street on Saturday. Created as part of the Bengaluru Moving campaign by Purpose Climate Lab, the three-wheeler installation blended art and science to foster conversations about the journey of doorstep delivery packages, which contributes to carbon emissions.
A Stand.earth research group report revealed that India’s last-mile emissions per delivery are about 285 g CO2, which is way more than the global weighted average of 204 g CO2. Cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai emit more carbon dioxide from last-mile deliveries than the last-mile emissions of entire countries.
“The young Indian millennial is conscious of their consumption habits and choices. Through this installation, we want to leverage this consumer appetite to convert brands' net-zero and sustainability intentions into real action,” said Navdha Malhotra, a Bengaluru Moving campaigner.
And what better than art as a tool to leverage social awareness? Made out of scrap, the installation has been created for an interactive experience for the attendees. The minimal-looking installation has been designed in collaboration with city-based artist Rahul KP and Mumbai-based artists Radhika and Madhvi. They created a wheeler from upcycled material to depict how electric vehicles would be cleaner and more sustainable options for last-mile deliveries as they decrease tailpipe emissions significantly.
On being asked about his inspiration, Rahul said, “We were trying to create something futuristic with the design, hence the use of terrarium-like metal orbs. Also, we got to solar power the whole thing and charge our batteries, which is powering the whole station. So, it’s a self-sustaining installation.”
The installation has been built in collaboration with Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation and the Directorate of Urban Land Transport. The Commissioner Directorate of Urban Land Transport of the Government of Karnataka, V Manjula said, “The Directorate of Urban Land Transport’s mandate is to further the adoption of sustainable transport in Karnataka and we are happy to support such initiatives that focus on building citizen awareness and action.”
On being asked about his thoughts on the initiative, digital marketing executive and event attendee Akshay said, “It’s high time we move to electric vehicles. Also, it’s cost-effective. It’s helpful in every direction. So, why not take a step forward?”
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