11-07-2025
BMTC adds 148 new non-AC e-buses to its fleet
As many as 148 new non-AC electric buses (e-buses) added to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation's (BMTC) fleet, as Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy flagged off ten buses to mark the induction of the new vehicles on Friday at the Shantinagar TTMC.
The remaining buses will start operations in the next two days, a BMTC official told The Hindu.
All buses are supplied by Tata Motors Ltd. (TML) Smart City Mobility Solutions Ltd., who will operate the buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model. The BMTC has struck a contract with the TML for 12 years at a rate of ₹41.01 a km for a bus, including electricity charges.
'The BMTC will provide conductors for the buses, and all other maintenance work will be taken up by the contracted company,' the BMTC official said, adding that all the buses are inducted at Jayanagar (depot 4).
'The operation of the e-buses is instrumental in preventing emissions of approximately 2.07 lakh kg of carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) into the atmosphere and contributes to saving nearly 77,000 litres of diesel daily, thereby bolstering the city's green transport initiatives,' the BMTC said in a release.
With this, the total fleet of e-buses will go up to 1,584. Before the new additions, the BMTC operated 1,436 electric buses, of which 1,311 were non-AC buses. Of these, 1,221 are 12-meter e-buses and 90 are nine-meter e-buses. All AC e-buses plying in Bengaluru are 12-meter buses.
The transport corporation is adding 195 AC e-buses in a phased manner, and it is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
'Under the PM e-Drive scheme, an additional 400 AC and 4,100 non-AC e-buses are slated for deployment, further accelerating Bengaluru's journey toward sustainable urban mobility,' the release added.
Features of the new electric buses
The total fleet of e-buses is 1584.
• Zero-emission and environment-friendly operation.
• 12-metre length, 400 mm floor height, non-AC electric buses
. • Seating capacity of 35 passengers + 1 wheelchair space + driver. Kneeling mechanism and wheelchair ramp for easy boarding for senior citizens and differently-abled.
• 3 cameras inside the saloon, 1 rear-view camera, and request stop buttons.
• Battery capacity of 298 kWh with assured range of 200 km on a single charge, 4 LED destination boards with voice announcement systems, and 10 panic buttons.
• FDAS (Fire Detection and Alarm System) and vehicle location tracking.
