Close on the heels of Mumbai and Thane civic bodies introducing electric buses, the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) is also gearing up for the deployment of e-buses.
A KDMC official said 107 e-buses from London-based Causis Group Ltd (CGL) would soon whizz through the Thane district’s Kalyan-Dombivali cities. CGL has been given a contract to purchase air-conditioned (AC) and non-AC buses on a wet lease for one year.
The service comes along with drivers, ancillary electrical and civil infrastructure and maintenance on a per-km basis. The 9m e-bus has the lowest life cycle costs when compared to other models. It features a lightweight, modular European design, minimal maintenance and servicing expenses, as well as a high-range and extended battery life.
As per a KDMC official, its powerful battery will eliminate the need for complex charging infrastructure, and the operators will benefit from favourable power tariffs during night-time charging, giving a unique advantage to the EV ecosystem in the state.