It is no secret that the pollution levels in the country are reaching dangerously high numbers year after year and in recent times we have seen the government of the nation taking some serious steps as well. But in an attempt to curb the rising pollution levels in the country Convergence Energy Services Ltd., a state-owned company, is considering a $10 billion procurement for 50,000 electric buses. This tender is aimed to support India’s mission to decarbonize public transportation and achieve net zero emissions.
According to CESL Managing Director Mahua Acharya, such contracts are starting to resemble infrastructure projects, and local manufacture of electric buses is projected to increase in parallel with demand. Acharya during a Bloomberg Television interview stated that “This country is moving very very rapidly on its electric vehicles ambition. So financing remains a challenge in as much as it presents an opportunity.”
To oversee the solar and electric vehicle leasing operations of its parent company Energy Efficiency Services Ltd., a joint venture between four state-run energy corporations, CESL was established in 2020. These are the main companies that will have a significant impact on India’s strategy to reduce its overall estimated carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030 in order to reach net zero emissions by 2070.
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India, which is currently the third-largest emitter in the world, has to construct charging stations, expand grid capabilities, and remodel depots to promote the use of electric cars, according to Acharya. She also expressed concern about persistent battery supply problems.
In addition, the organization’s managing director stated that India could electrify all two-wheelers now on the road and finish electrifying all public buses in five to seven years. On behalf of five state governments, CESL awarded a contract for 5,450 electric buses earlier this year. For its distributed solar operations, which it is now supporting internally, CESL is still searching for investors, added Acharya.
In other electric bus news, last month Switch Mobility Ltd., the electric bus and light commercial vehicle manufacturing subsidiary of Ashok Leyland, announced the debut of the ‘SWITCH EiV 12’, a state-of-the-art electric bus platform for the Indian market. The next-generation E-Bus will meet India’s booming bus market, supported by over ten years of EV expertise said the company. Available in two variants: EiV 12 low floor and EiV 12 standard, these electric buses will provide the best-in-class in reliability, range, and comfort. The company also revealed that it has received over 600 orders for its newest electric buses.
The EiV bus series, according to the company, has been specially created to meet the requirements of clients in a number of applications, including intra-city, inter-city, staff, school, and tarmac, while offering the highest possible passenger capacity and comfort. Additionally, the buses feature a brand-new generation of improved lithium-ion NMC chemistry, and modular batteries that are incredibly efficient and were specifically designed for the market and environment of India.
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