Commuters in Bengaluru to enjoy ride on electric buses, first batch of 40 JBM ECO-Life deployed

Bengaluru gets its first batch of 40 JBM's ECO-LIFE electric buses and during the course of next few months 50 more buses will be delivered.

The state capital of Karnataka, Bengaluru, has got its first batch of electric buses available for commuters. Deputy Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai launched the city's first batch of electric buses. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will operate these buses, developed by JBM Auto. In the coming months, the company will deliver 50 more electric buses. The company had previously agreed to provide 90 electric buses to BMTC.

JBM spoke person said, "This e-bus service marks the first ever rollout of electric buses in the state of Karnataka. These buses shall be operated from the Kengeri, Yeshwantpur and KR Puram bus depots,"

Furthermore, the spoke person said, "The JBM ECO-LIFE electric buses will be running under the metro feeder services in the Smart City initiative. Earlier this year, JBM Auto had received an order of 90 non-AC electric buses for the city of Bengaluru.”

In addition to Real Time Passenger Information Systems (PISs), Panic Buttons for emergencies, CCTV cameras, Automatic Bus Vehicle Locators, stop request buttons, Public address systems, and electric buses have various additional features.

JBM Auto's electric is capable to go 120 kilometers on a single charge at a speed of 70 km/h. The non-AC buses are equipped with six battery packs composed of Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC), JBM said, pointing out that 34 passengers including the driver can sit on these buses.

JBM's ECO-LIFE electric buses are also at service in other parts of the country, such as 30 electric buses in Navi Mumbai under the Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport Corporation (NNMT). JBM also supplied 105 electric buses to Ahmadabad and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands earlier this year.