Commercial vehicle market leader Tata Motors has signed a definitive agreement with Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) for operation of 1,500 electric buses in New Delhi city. As part of the agreement, Tata Motors’ subsidiary TML CV Mobility Solutions will supply, operate and maintain 1,500 units of 12-metre low-floor air-conditioned electric Starbus EVs for 12 years.
Ms. Shilpa Shinde, IAS, Managing Director, Delhi Transport Corporation said, “We are pleased to have signed an agreement for the largest order of 1,500 electric buses in Delhi. This is a significant step towards embracing electric mobility in the capital city. The induction of zero-emission, noise-free buses will greatly help in improving the city’s air quality. The new buses will also immensely benefit the commuters with its ultra-modern features and comfortable seating.”
Asim Kumar Mukhopadhyay, Chairman, TML CV Mobility Solutions said, “It is indeed a historic occasion for us as we sign a definitive agreement for the country’s largest electric bus order. Our relationship with DTC, which stands strong for over a decade, is based on the foundation of mutual trust and cooperation and this order will further strengthen it. We are confident that the electric buses will provide sustainable, safe and comfortable public transportation to the commuters of Delhi.”
The DTC order for 1,500 Starbuses, which is DTC’s largest yet for electric buses and part of the Convergence Energy Services’ Grand Challenge, comes close on the heels of Tata Motors bagging the supply order for 921 electric buses from the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation on December 16.
Announced in end-September 2021, CESL’s Grand Challenge invited State Transport Undertakings (STUs) in 9 cities in India to express their demand for electric buses and access the FAME II subsidy, for which a total of 3,472 buses of subsidy equivalent is available.
According to Tata Motors, its “research and development facilities have steadily worked to engineer innovative mobility solutions powered by alternate fuel technology, including battery-electric, hybrid, CNG, LNG and hydrogen fuel cell technology.” Till date, Tata Motors has supplied more than 730 electric buses across multiple cities in India, which have cumulatively clocked more than 55 million kilometres, with an uptime of over 95 percent.
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