Making the eco-friendly auto-rickshaw

A Rotterdam-based group has introduced the Hybrid Tuk Tuk Battle. The challenge? Create a system to make one million auto-rickshaws (or Tuktuks) in India and other developing countries hybrid, "in order to improve the living conditions of millions of drivers and their families, and drastically reduce the CO2 emissions," according to a post on Treehugger. Last weekend the final competition occurred in Chennai, India. The winning system saves "up to 26% of energy and 53% on fuel costs compared to a regular petrol Tuktuk, and only costs around $200." Now there needs to be a financial program for Tuktuk drivers to reach their own goal: make 1 million Tuktuks hybrid. Have you rode on an auto-rickshaw? What do you think about these "vehicles" going hybrid?