Tata Motors commenced trials of its 9 meters electric bus in Guwahati. With a seating capacity of 26-34 passengers, the full-auto transmission Tata Ultra electric bus was flagged off by Anand Prakash Tiwari, Managing Director, Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC). ASTC in collaboration with Tata Motors will do this trial for seven days and will offer free transport service to the participants of FIFA team and devotees from Plantan Bazar to Maa Kamakhya Temple.
This trial is in continuation to the successful trial of the 9 meters electric bus from Parwanoo to Shimla a few months ago, where the bus performed well covering a distance of 160 kms in one full charge. The trials in Chandigarh also showed encouraging results in a running of 143 kms, covering approximately 70% of the charge. These trials are a part of the Ministry of Road Transport’s agenda for the electrification of public transport, for which Tata Motors is getting ready with its range of electric vehicles, from 9 meters and 12 meters with various seating configurations, as well as its passenger transport vehicle, the Tata Magic Iris.
Speaking on the occasion, AK Jindal, Head, Engineering Research Centre, Tata Motors said that with increasing focus of automotive industry and government towards electrification of automobiles, Tata Motors has been continuously pushing the boundaries in the electric mobility space and is the first company in country to get ARAI and homologation certification for their 9 meter and 12 meter electric bus. These buses qualify for the subsidy under revised FAME scheme which will give a big boost to the electrification of public transport. They have conducted trials all across the country to understand the local city requirements and fine-tune to bus specifications to offer most economical mobility solution and they have been receiving positive response to their trails. Such pilot runs in various pockets of the country stand testimony to their commitment of providing electrification solutions in India. Tata Motors is also working with various study groups formed by the central government to work out various business models for operating electric vehicles and to optimize the overall economics of these buses, for a truly Make In india solution.