BMTC identifying depots, routes to make e-buses viable

Looking forward to run electric buses on city roads by the end of this year, the BMTC is drawing up a plan to identify depots and routes that make running e-vehicles viable. It’s also banking on sizeable ridership on e-buses that will link metro stations.

The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), which had dreamed of running an e-bus way back in 2014, is set to induct 90 of them by December. However, the limitations of the medium-sized buses and the lease model (the BMTC is leasing them on a per-km basis) is posing challenges.

The basic problem lies in the limited mileage of the buses (120 km on a single charge) and the need to run each bus for at least 180 km per day to make it financially viable.

The mass transporter has now identified depots in Kengeri, KR Puram and Yeshwantpur to set up charging stations, including quick-charging infrastructure. Three routes have been planned from each originating point, said a senior BMTC official.

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Rajender Kumar Kataria, Principal Secretary, Transport Department, has already announced that the BMTC will bid for the induction of 1,500 buses in the next three years in the grand challenge hosted by a central government company.

Kengeri-Bidadi, Kengeri-Banashankari, KR Puram-Silk Board and Yeshwantpur-Yelahanka are some of the tentative routes where the first few electric buses will run in November.

The BMTC will pay Rs 51.67 per km with an assured minimum run of 180 km per day. If a bus runs less than 180 km a day, the BMTC will have to pay Rs 25.83 for every unutilised kilometre. But the bus will have to be charged after 120 km. The NTPC-JBM joint venture, which is supplying the buses, has promised that a 45-minute quick charge will enable the vehicle to run another 60 km.

“Considering the low demand during weekends, holidays and festivals, the 180/km per day will be calculated based on a six-month average. Therefore, a bus has to be operated for about 200 km every day to fill such gaps,” another official said, adding that they are confident of finding a solution.

A source in the BMTC said they were looking at ways to find a 45-minute window for a quick charge in the middle of the day.

Several options, including the installation of charging infrastructure at a bus station, are on the cards. “Solutions will be found in real time as we begin commercial operations next month,” the source added.

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