Promoting eco-friendly public transport service, the Delhi government inducted the city’s first electric bus, on a pilot basis. The prototype of the first electric bus has reached the national capital, informed Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Sunday. “Congrats Delhi! After a long wait, the prototype of DTC’s first 100 per cent electric bus has reached Delhi!” the Minister tweeted along with the pictures of the new buses. He further said that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will soon flag off a new fleet of electric buses.
These prototypes are part of the 300 low-floor buses that were approved by the Delhi cabinet in March 2021.
“As far as the CNG buses are concerned, the Delhi government will order 800 Compressed Natural Gas buses in two batches — 450 in the first and 350 in the second. Post that, we will procure only electric buses for public transport in the future,” he said then.
The minister further informed that the government has also floated tenders for the 100 charging stations and 100 more will follow in the second lot. “These are apart from the existing 100-plus charging stations in various locations of Delhi,” Gahlot said, adding other than that DTC is planning to set up such stations at Dwarka sector-8, Dwarka sector 2 depot, Mehrauli terminal, Nehru Place Terminal, Okhla CW-II, Sukhdev Vihar depot and Kalkaji depot.
The bus will run around 10 round trips through the day, between 6.30am and 9.30pm. The fare will be the same as DTC AC buses, the minimum being Rs 10. According to officials, the electric bus is a zero-emission vehicle, with a “safe” battery. “This means that the battery will not explode even when exposed to direct flames,” added the official. The electric bus is also more cost-effective than CNG buses, with the cost coming to Rs 12 per km as against Rs 18 per km for the latter, said the official. The government has also set up a charging station at Millennium Depot. “On a charge of five hours, the bus runs around 250 km,” said the government statement.