India’s first indigenously developed electric bus is here! During an event on Friday, the electric bus was showcased to Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India. Called the “EKA E9,” it is the first electric bus with the “Made-in-India” tag.
During a meeting with EKA and Pinnacle Industries Ltd’s Chairman Sudhir Mehta, Gadkari was treated to the first glimpse of this electric bus that produces zero emissions.
What powers the first Made-in-India electric bus?
The EKA E9 is the company’s first battery-electric bus, the Times of India reported. The future-ready bus comes with a monocoque stainless steel chassis and has a complete composite structure.
The E9’s Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is a lot lower than the current generation of buses that are combustion engine-powered (ICE) and can be seen abundantly on Indian streets.
With both front and rear air suspension, the E9 electric bus is powered by an electric motor that delivers maximum energy of 200 KW. It is also supported by a 2500 Nm torque with a “regenerative braking system.”
The bus has a low floor, at the height of 650 mm, making it easier for all to access the bus, especially those with disabilities and the aged. It also has a wheelchair ramp to help those who require it.
In one go, the E9 electric bus can carry up to 31 passengers. Sudhir Mehta, at the launch of E9 last month, pitched the EKA E9 as “clean, efficient, and [a] profitable public transport” especially for markets like India that are starting to embrace cleaner energy and electric vehicles.
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