100% Electric Buses of Eicher served over 1.6 lakh kilometers
An industry leader driving modernization in commercial transportation in India and the developing world, VE Commercial Vehicles Limited, completed a year of a successful run of its 100% electric buses in Kolkata. The Eicher Skyline Pro E buses have been deployed with West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO) and have served over 1.6 lakh kilometers carrying 1.3 lakh happy passengers till date.
Commenting on this milestone, B Srinivas, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Buses, VE Commercial Vehicles, “The country is at the cusp of a new revolution in transportation and is moving swiftly towards electromobility. Our deployment for public transport at Kolkata and its successful journey is a testimony of our strong resolve towards environment-friendly mobility solutions. Together with the support infrastructure, we have been able to achieve great results with WBHIDCO.”
He further added, “The shift to electric vehicle technology will open many avenues for the economy. The new developments with the second phase of the FAME Scheme are further incentivizing the move towards Electromobility, with a view towards achieving the country’s 2030 EV Vision. We, too, are aligned with the government and working towards meeting India’s mobility needs via the electric platform. VECV believes that such projects will accelerate the progress in India through adaptive mobility solutions and standard-led globally proven technology. The shift to alternative fuel technology will also bring positive implications across environment, social and economic parameters in the long run.”
The three Eicher Skyline Pro E buses operating with WBHIDCO, deployed in May 2018, have been operating seven days a week, covering 140 km per day and delivering 98% uptime. The E- buses ply within the New Town Area connecting various corners of the neighbourhood till New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) bus terminus. KPIT, the service provider has installed charging stations and a workshop at NKDA bus depot and Shapoorji Bus Depot.
The Eicher Skyline Pro E buses are the most advanced in safety, comfort and efficiency. These buses are powered by REVOLO technology, which is an innovative platform that operates on a lower voltage and allows regeneration to have the maximum possible range with the smallest possible battery.
Eicher has bagged another order of 40 e-buses to be delivered to BEST, Mumbai in this year. The company is also actively participating in tenders floated by various State Transport Undertakings and other government agencies.