For extreme contingencies, the scooter even has a small petrol tank but once again the ingenuity of Alam has ensured that the battery keeps charging itself while the scooter is running on petrol so that the shift can be made after some time.

For the record, this vehicle can run between 80 to 100 km once the battery is fully charged at a maximum speed of 60 km per hour. The operating costs only include the replacement of the battery in about two to three years time and timely maintenance of spare parts. Alam says the monthly running costs should not be more than Rs 200-300.

For Alam, who had formal education only up to class IX and is currently working as a supervisory mechanic at a Maruti franchisee workshop in Delhi, this two-wheeler is not his first innovation — and certainly not his last as he wants to replicate the technology on four-wheelers. With his mechanical bent of mind, he had made a number of improvisations earlier too, including an anti-theft device for cars.

Following a petrol price hike two years ago an idea struck Alam to attempt this kind of vehicle. A chance meeting with Science and Technology minister Kapil Sibal provided him the funds to work on his idea. Seeing his sincerity, Sibal had given him Rs 20,000 from his own pocket to bring his idea to fruition. On Thursday, Alam met Sibal again to show him the result of his hard work. Impressed, Sibal promised to pay the fees (Rs 1,55,000) for getting the technology patented.

... contd.