India: Tata scores large orders for e-buses and Expres EVs

Tata Motors announced today that Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) signed a definitive agreement to launch 921 electric buses in the city of Bengaluru. The Tata subsidiary TML Smart City Mobility Solutions will operate the e-buses for 12 years.

TML Smart City Mobility Solutions also signs responsible for supplying and maintaining the Tata buses of type Tata Starbus Electric. The electric buses measure 12 metres and come low-floored.

The order was part of a larger tender by Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) tender, which Tata had won in August this year. CESL is the government agency for procuring and deploying electric vehicles, including electric buses, across all government and state-run units to ensure vehicle standards and operational compatibility across States.

Now it has become clear that the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation ordered almost half of the e-buses in the August tender. The total tender was for 2,000 electric buses, with the Delhi and West Bengal Transport Corporation being the other parties.

Asim Kumar Mukhopadhyay, CEO and MD of TML Smart City Mobility Solutions Limited, called the contract a “momentous occasion for us as we sign the first definitive agreement under the larger CESL tender and are delighted to have partnered with BMTC in their effort to modernise and electrify the public transportation in the city of Bengaluru”.

This is also not the only contract Tata scored. The company also announced signing an MoU with Everest Fleet Private Limited to deliver 5000 XPres-T EVs. 100 electric cars have been handed over, although it remains unclear when Everest expects to receive more.

According to Siddharth Ladsariya, Founder of Everest Fleet Private Limited, the time had come “to now take our 100% CNG cars’ fleet towards a greener and cleaner alternative – Electric Vehicle”. He added Tata was  “a strategic partner”.

Tata Motors launched the XPres brand exclusively for fleet customers in July 2021, and the XPres-T EV is the company’s first vehicle. The electric sedan comes with two range options, 213km and 165km (under the Indian standard ARAI). The battery 21.5 kWh and 16.5 kWh can be charged from 0- 80% in 90 mins and 110 mins, respectively, using fast charging or charged from any 15 A plug point, so Tata.

tatamotors.com (e-buses for Bengaluru), tatamotors.com (Everest fleet)