Delhi gets first prototype of India-made electric bus, Arvind Kejriwal to soon flag off

The transport department in October 2020 floated tenders for induction of 140 low-floor, air-conditioned electric buses, aiming to strengthen the public transport fleet and check air pollution in the city.

New DTC low floor electric bus

A prototype of electric bus made homegrown heavy commercial vehicle maker JBM Auto to be inducted in the fleet of the DTC, has arrived after a long wait and it will be soon flagged off by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said Delhi Transport minister Kailash Gahlot. "Congrats Delhi! After a long wait, prototype of DTC's first 100 per cent electric bus has reached Delhi! CM Arvind Kejriwal will soon flag off this electric bus," Gahlot said in a tweet.

Congrats Delhi! After a long wait, prototype of DTC's first 100% Electric bus has reached Delhi! Hon’ble CM @ArvindKejriwal will soon flag off this Electric bus. pic.twitter.com/PLqyPIXpuX — Kailash Gahlot (@kgahlot) January 2, 2022

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is procuring 300 e-buses whose delivery was due to begin in November last year. It was delayed due to various reasons, including the ongoing pandemic. More e-buses will be inducted into the DTC in the coming months. Approximately 3,500 new electric buses will get added to the DTC and Cluster fleet according to the induction plan of the transport department, officials said.

The transport department in October had in last year floated tenders for induction of 140 low-floor, air-conditioned electric buses, aiming to strengthen the public transport fleet and check air pollution in the city. The DTC Board has also approved the induction of 1,245 low-floor buses, including 1,015 electric buses, to augment the ageing fleet of the public transporter in the national capital, officials said.

JBM Auto has been testing the India-made JBM ECOLife electric buses in the city for long now and the first prototype wearing the DTC livery in blue colour has been handed over to Delhi. The new buses will carry the colour coded theme of Delhi govt, red being CNG AC buses, green being regular CNG low floor buses and blue being electric low floor buses. 

With inputs from IANS