On Friday 27th November in New Delhi, billionaire philanthropist Manoj Bhargava showcased a never-before-seen model of the electricity-generating stationary bicycle, Free Electric, featured in his new documentary film, Billions in Change.
The Free Electric bicycle works like this: Pedaling turns a flywheel, which spins a generator that charges the attached battery. One hour of pedaling can meet a rural household’s electricity needs for 24 hours, including running lights, a small fan, and charging a cell phone—all with no utility bill, no fuel costs, and no pollution.
Commenting on the occasion, Bhargava said, “There are approximately 1.3 billion people around the world who do not have access to electricity. The Free Electric hybrid stationary bicycle was conceived as a product to provide electricity to this population. I am confident that this innovation will have meaningful and permanent impact on millions of lives in India.”
‘Billions in Change’ movement has thousands of volunteers in India who are willing to champion the cause. 30,000-40,000 volunteers are expected to push this cause forward in India.
Bhargava, whose net worth is estimated at $4 billion, has pledged 99 percent of his fortune to finding solutions that could save the world, which is the mission of Stage 2 Innovations. Bhargava also supports The Hans Foundation, one of the largest charitable organizations in India. (Follow Manoj Bhargava on twitter: @Manoj_Bhargava)
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