Sri Lankan teen uses scraps to build a solar-powered tuk-tuk

Suntharalingam Piranawan is just 15, but already has multiple inventions under his belt.

The Sri Lankan teenager has created everything from a coconut picking machine to a coconut scraper, and his latest construction is a solar-powered tuk-tuk, made entirely out of scrap metal. Tuk-tuks are three wheeled vehicles popular in South Asia, and Piranawan told BBC News putting his time and energy into building the tuk-tuk helped him relieve stress during the pandemic.

Piranawan's grandfather, Dureisami Suppaiya, supported him during the eight months it took to make the tuk-tuk, buying him second-hand frames, handles, and wheels. Piranawan has already decided his next project will be even bigger, telling BBC News he's "hoping to build a solar-powered car." He encourages others to follow his lead, taking scraps and turning them into something brand new. "It's really rewarding," Piranawan said.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.