India: GreenCell Mobility to deploy 75 electric buses in Puducherry

GreenCell Mobility, an electric Mobility-as-a-Service (eMaaS) provider, plans to deploy 75 electric buses in Puducherry, a union territory in southern India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the introduction of the e-buses at an event in the city on Sunday.

Greencell mobility electric buses india puducherry — Image: GreenCell Mobility

The company will operate the 75 battery-electric buses for public transport under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ PM-eBus Sewa scheme. In his address, Prime Minister Modi stated that the project covers twelve years of operation and maintenance and has a total value of 5.3197 billion rupees (approximately 50 million euros).

GreenCell Mobility will base the new fleet at the Mettupalayam Bus Depot and says the vehicles will strengthen last-mile connectivity across Puducherry. The order comprises 25 nine-metre buses and 50 twelve-metre buses, all supplied by Pune-based electric commercial vehicle manufacturer EKA Mobility.

EKA Mobility offers its twelve-metre electric bus in configurations accommodating up to 43 or 54 passengers, including a version designed for passengers with reduced mobility. The model features a 240 kW electric motor and a 300 kWh LFP battery pack. It reaches a top speed of 80 kph, handles gradients of up to 17 per cent and delivers a range of up to 250 kilometres.

The nine-metre variant is available in 33- and 35-seat layouts, as well as in an accessible configuration. It uses a 213 kW motor paired with a 200 kWh LFP battery pack. This model also reaches a maximum speed of 80 kph, manages gradients of up to 17 per cent and offers a range of up to 180 kilometres.

Both bus types are equipped with air conditioning to address Puducherry’s hot and humid climate. GreenCell Mobility will specify seating layouts designed to meet the needs of passengers with disabilities. “With Puducherry, we are reinforcing our commitment to develop sustainable public transport ecosystems across India’s emerging urban centres,” said Devndra Chawla, Managing Director and CEO of GreenCell Mobility.

GreenCell Mobility currently operates more than 1,200 electric buses on intra-city and intercity routes, along with 300 electric coaches under its private intercity brand NueGo. The company supports its fleet with a nationwide network of 270 charging stations.

Source: Information via e-mail