[KPS]

BYD is a Chinese manufacturer. Kudos to BMTC for this initiative for a Greener Bangalore. I do hope that this is a major success as we will have long term environmental benefits

The bus, the K9 D Specs, comes with four Ferrous batteries, each with a capacity of 540 Volts. Manufacturers of the bus claim that it can run a distance of 250 kms once the batteries are fully charged for six hours and this is what BMTC wants to

The air-conditioned vehicle, weighing 14,300 kgs, is 12 metres long and has a seating capacity of 29, plus a wheelchair, besides the driver. It can run at a maximum speed of 96 km per hour and can go from 0-50 km per hour in 20 seconds.

Source: HERE

Cheers

KPS

[cmiuc]

good move from BMTC keep Greener Bangalore

[finneyp]

Great eco-friendly move by BMTC!

Only if smokey Autos can be replaced with electric Reva/Nano...!

[fusionbang]

"Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation's (BMTC) inducted Country's first-ever electric bus in Bangalore.

According to BMTC officials, the electric bus is being registered at the regional transport office & will mostly be used on one of the busiest routes in the City. The bus is likely be put to public use after the minister for transport inaugurates it, as early as next week.

The BMTC has set up a charging point at depot number 7 of the Kempe Gowda bus stand. The electric bus costs about Rs 1.2 -1.4 crore & has recently undergone certification process. The vehicle is air-conditioned & has a seating capacity of 32.

It can reach speeds of up to 90 kmph & can go from 0-50 kmph in 20 secs. The bus also has a seating provision for differently abled passengers. It takes 6 to 7 hours for the battery to charge, but when fully charged, the vehicle has a range of about 270-280 kms."

Source - Bangalorean's Facebook Page

[coolclouds]

90 kmph and 20 secs for 0-50 is decent figures for city use. It then depends on battery life and other maintenance costs.

Kudos to BMTC for trying something different.

[tharian]

Hats off to BMTC.

They have not only come out with new vehicles like the Volvo low floor and double axle low floor. They built the vestibule buses in house and at the same time refreshed their bus designs and paint schemes frequently.
Although the electric bus will be a while to take over more numbers , it is a good initiative.

[coolclouds]

Here is some more details about the bus:

28th November 2013: In a few weeks, we will see an electrically operated K9 bus making rounds of the city. The bus, which has already arrived in Bangalore and is stationed in BMTC’s Shantinagar depot, armed with an Automobile Research Institute of India (ARI) certification, is awaiting permission (temporary registration) from the Transport Commissioner before it can operate on city roads.

Confirming this, officials in BMTC said that a letter had been written to the Transport Commissioner. “We plan to run trial operations of the bus for three months before any decision is made on purchasing it. It depends on how it performs on the city’s roads. We have also received permission from BESCOM with regard to additional power that will be needed to charge the buses,” said a BMTC official.

The bus, the K9 D Specs, comes with four Ferrous batteries, each with a capacity of 540 Volts. Manufacturers of the bus claim that it can run a distance of 250 kms once the batteries are fully charged for six hours and this is what BMTC wants to check.

The charging facility of the bus will be set up at Kempegowda bus station. BESCOM has sanctioned additional power of 90,000 volts, said BMTC officials. The corporation, however, has not decided on which route the bus will operate, although it is likely that it will be put on long, congested roads to see how the bus fares in these conditions. Four drivers will also be trained in operating the bus.

The air-conditioned vehicle, weighing 14,300 kgs, is 12 metres long and has a seating capacity of 29, plus a wheelchair, besides the driver. It can run at a maximum speed of 96 km per hour and can go from 0-50 km per hour in 20 seconds.

The bus is currently running in countries like China (Shenzen - 300 buses), Singapore and Malaysia said Vishwas Shetty, director, Utopia Automation and Control. “We have slightly modified it to suit Indian conditions and we hope that it works out here,” he said.

Advantages of eBUS

 Zero Pollution

 Low running cost - Rs 4 per km

 Low Maintenance - No IC Engine completely motor driven & Engine oil is not required)

 Low Noise

 Quick charging - charged 50 per cent in three hours

 Long Range - 250 - 300 km for single charge

 Wheelchair ramp for physically disabled

 Fully air-conditioned

 Solar charging option

Source

[msdivy]

Got to know that this bus will run the route 335E (between Majestic & kadugodi), from 7AM to 7PM in 6 trips. Price same as Volvo. This bus is built by http://www.utopiacontrol.com/.

[createrkid]

Originally Posted by msdivy

Got to know that this bus will run the route 335E (between Majestic & kadugodi), from 7AM to 7PM in 6 trips. Price same as Volvo. This bus is built by http://www.utopiacontrol.com/.

Are there other routes as well? How many buses are in operation as of now? Any idea folks?

[asdon]

it will run in different routes, not only in 335E. Hats off to BMTC for giving us best quality public transport system in India, be it Ac/ non-Ac, BMTC is light year ahead of other MTCs. They may not have completed the last mile connectivity, but the approach is laudable. Waiting to ride in one of these E-bus soon.

[Soumyajit9]

Originally Posted by finneyp

Only if smokey Autos can be replaced with electric Reva/Nano...!

+100 to that. Something needs to be done about these autos. They are the worst lot.

Originally Posted by msdivy

Price same as Volvo. This bus is built by http://www.utopiacontrol.com/.

Wow ! This is an excellent initiative by BMTC. While BBMP is not giving a damn about the roads of Bangalore, atleast there is some authority who is thinking about its citizens.

Good to know that the features and facilities are at par with Volvos. Infact better, with a soundless and a non-smelly ride.

I was wondering about the fare as well.
While it would be cheaper to run (operational cost) for BMTC, does the projected maintenance cost, demand a fare, at par with Volvos ? Have they evaluated the battery life and its cost, if need to be replaced.
Just thinking. It would have been better if the fare was placed somewhere in between the Volvo and regular buses. Would have appealed to the mass of Bangalore, who still hang on to the ordinary broken BMTC buses.
As of now I see this as a target for IT public, who won't mind paying a fare at par with Volvos.

[condor]

Originally Posted by KPS

BYD is a Chinese manufacturer.

Many of us have see a white color test bus doing the rounds in Bangalore, and this looked like an electric bus. This was/is possibly a Volvo, and was expecting that until you mentioned that BYD is a Chinese manaufacturer.[/quote]

Source: HERE
The air-conditioned vehicle, weighing 14,300 kgs, is 12 metres long and has a seating capacity of 29

14.3 tonnes is pretty huge for a bus - but possibly because of the weight of the batteries ? Was expecting something lighter, considering that it is not a legacy structure like our Viking based buses which are less than 10 tonnes kerb weight.

14.3 tonnes kerb weight is not far from the rated GVW of 16 tonnes that our desi buses have.

[asdon]

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

I was wondering about the fare as well.
While it would be cheaper to run (operational cost) for BMTC, does the projected maintenance cost, demand a fare, at par with Volvos ? Have they evaluated the battery life and its cost, if need to be replaced.
Just thinking. It would have been better if the fare was placed somewhere in between the Volvo and regular buses.

This bus will be on trail for 3 months and in BMTC ad its mentioned free trial, so may be a possibility that the manufacturer will take care of the maintenance for these 3 months and BMTC will also get to know regarding battery life and other need to know details, before they order more buses.

[pramodpk]

Spotted this bus in route no 335 E towards Majestic yesterday at 5:30 PM near Hope Farm. Could not take pictures as I was driving.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by createrkid

Are there other routes as well? How many buses are in operation as of now? Any idea folks?

There is just one bus now which runs Majestic to Kadugodi route which will later be changed to Majestic to ITPL or KIA.
Fares are on par with Volvo and minimum fare is Rs 10.

The bus costs a whooping 2.7 cr compared to 90laks for the Volvo.