Reaffirming its commitment towards E-mobility in the country, India’s leading bus brand, Tata Motors will be supplying 40 units of the Ultra 9m AC Electric buses to the Lucknow City Transport Services Ltd (LCTSL) in a phased manner, within the next four months. The first Ultra 9/9m AC Electric bus was flagged off in Lucknow by the Minister of Urban Development and will begin its journey from Alambagh depot.
Manufactured at Tata Motors and Tata Marcopolo Dharwad plants, the Ultra Electric buses will have a travelling range of up to 150 kilometres on a single charge. The company has installed a charging station at the Alambagh depot for fast charging of buses. The indigenously developed vehicle offers a superior design with state-of-the-art features. Li-ion batteries have been placed on the rooftop to prevent breakdown due to waterlogging. The batteries are liquid cooled to maintain the temperature within an optimum range and ensure longer life along with better performance in tropical conditions.
The Electric buses are air-conditioned, have modern interiors and comfortable seats for 31 passengers. As an industry first, there will be air suspension for both front and rear axles to make travel more comfortable for the commuters. Integrated electric motor generator with a peak power of 333HP can deliver 197HP continuously ensuring effortless driving in congested roads and frequent start stops needing no shifting of gears. The critical electrical traction components have been sourced from internationally known best-in-class suppliers in the USA, Germany and China offering proven products.
The buses have been tested and validated by Tata Motors across states including Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Assam and Maharashtra to establish performance in diverse terrains. Tata Motors has tenders to supply 255 electric buses to six public transport undertakings including WBTC (West Bengal), LCTSL (Lucknow), AICTSL (Indore), ASTC (Guwahati), J&KSRTC (Jammu) and JCTSL (Jaipur). In addition to this, the company is also working on developing its electric mini-bus segment in the near future.