Karnataka: KSRTC gets e-bus prototype, operations likely by February

BENGALURU: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has received a prototype of the electric bus on Saturday, whose trial run will start between Bengaluru and Mysuru. Fifty buses are expected to operate on six intercity routes by January-February. The 12-m e-bus will be operated by private company Olectra on a gross cost contract basis. 

The AC bus comes with 43 push-back seats and can travel up to 300 km on a single charge along with onboard and offboard charging facilities. The Li-ion Phosphate battery can be charged in two to three hours. Passengers can also use the Wifi in the bus which has a USB charger port. 

Transport Minister Sriramulu said that the induction of electric buses into KSRTC under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME II) project of the central government is a progressive development aimed to curb pollution. By 2030, they are planning to convert the whole fleet electric, he added. 

The long-pending demand of the salary hike of KSRTC employees will be fulfilled soon as Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has responded positively to it, said Sriramulu. The public has sent many replies to the contest regarding the name of the electric buses, we have selected the name  ‘EV Power Plus’ with the tagline ‘e-Xperience e-levate’, said KSRTC MD Anbu Kumar. 

Electric buses will start plying from Bengaluru to Mysuru, Madikeri, Virajpete, Chikkamagaluru, Davanagere and Shivamogga, he said and added that charging stations are already in place in Bengaluru and Mysuru, and it will be done soon in Madikeri, Virajpet, Davanagere, Shivamogga and Chikkamangaluru bus stations.