NAGAPATTINAM: A group of final year mechanical engineering students of a private university in Tamil Nadu claimed to have designed a 25-kg single-seater 'nano'motorcycle that could give a mileage of 97 km per litre of petrol.
The students of PRIST University, Thanjavur, have designed the motorcycle under the guidance of their professors and in collaboration with Hi-Tech Project Industries, a private engineering services company at Porayar in the district.
Demonstrating the motorcycle, named 'Nano Bike' at the Hi-Tech Project Industries campus yesterday in the presence of the company's research wing staff, the students claimed the vehicle can touch a maximum speed of 45 kmph and carry one person.
The main frame of the motorbike is made of steel while the wheels are made of aluminium alloy and the petrol tank is made of plastic. To reduce noise, belt drive has been used instead of the traditional chain drive mechanism, the students said.
The students claimed that commercial production of the motorcycle was viable and would cost only about Rs 8,000 per unit.