Articulated e-buses 18m long from cities to suburbs | Will this pilot project for Nagpur take off?

anjan_c2007 · 7th February 2025, 16:29

In a first the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is funding a pilot project for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). The NMC has invited tenders for 25 such flash charging, articulated e-buses. These will be 18 metres long and have a 130 passenger capacity each. The buses will be flash charging ones and their initial routes will cover the ring roads around Nagpur. These are expected to do 50-60 km distances in one hour or so, travelling at upto 60 kmph speed. The bus' batteries are to get charged in a flash within 30- 300 seconds, using the pantograph at bus stations enroute. The flash chargers will deliver a maximum 600 kW power and hence each bus can be charged in minutes. Each bus needs to run 25 kms after a charge. The bus stations will have solar power and will also have a snacks, beverages corners and washrooms. These will run from 6.00 am till midnight at intervals of 10 - 30 minutes and the frequency would depend on the footfalls. The NMC requires the successful vendor to provide expertise and also their drivers to start with. A 10 month gestation is envisaged to enable setting up of infrastructure along the route to commence the project.

Articulated e-buses 18m long from cities to suburbs | Will this pilot project for Nagpur take off?-nagpur-city-line_20250207.jpeg

Articulated e-buses 18m long from cities to suburbs | Will this pilot project for Nagpur take off?-nagpur-city-line_20250207-1.jpeg

No doubt the project is unique and if these e-buses hopefully motivate car and bike owner- commuters to swap their personal vehicles for the public transport, the idea will click.

The cons though remain as proven gremlins including:-

(1) NMC's working is like any other city's municipal corporation, and may be worse too! Any lackadaisical approach, corruption, laches and more could ground the project.

(2) The NMC -Gadkari combo introduced imported Scania ethanol buses in Nagpur about 7-8 years ago. The fare was more than double the normal fares. In no time the project bombed. As dues were not paid by NMC to Scania who had leased these buses, the project ended with a bitter war of words and letters between the two parties. Scania ultimately seized their own buses from the NMC.

(3) The 18 metre long buses are expected to create traffic bottlenecks on congested roads. Though they are to be deployed on the ring roads and later connect suburbs, these roads are not Utopian and all sorts of vehicles and cattle etc move on these roads.

If the project is successful, expect such articulated e-buses to be introduced in other cities too soon after.

condor · 7th February 2025, 16:49

Articulated busses dont look to have been successful in Indian cities, considering the density of traffic we have. Regular size busses are a better bet, and with current commute patterns, smaller busses for the last mile make more sense.

traalbeast · 7th February 2025, 17:12

This would work great, even with semi permanent pantographs on BRT corridors. But I doubt BRTs in Nagpur have gone beyond white papers. Does not incur the capex of Metro/Light Rail also.

anjan_c2007 · 7th February 2025, 17:39

These are images of 18 m articulated buses by Ebusco which have been ordered for Normandy, France and in quite a few cities in Sweden, The Netherlands, Norway and other cities in Europe.

Articulated e-buses 18m long from cities to suburbs | Will this pilot project for Nagpur take off?-untitled101.jpg

Articulated e-buses 18m long from cities to suburbs | Will this pilot project for Nagpur take off?-ebusco_30_18m_ruter_01750x4221.jpeg

IshaanIan · 7th February 2025, 18:00

I wonder when our government will get it’s head out from the sands of the past and do something practical to solve the issue rather than talk about connecting suburbs and using electricity.

I wish they’d come up with a proposal for narrower and lower 15-20 seater options to ease congestion on our Takeshi’s castle-esque roads.

7th February 2025, 16:29	#1
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,708 Thanked: 22,858 Times View My Garage	Articulated e-buses 18m long from cities to suburbs \| Will this pilot project for Nagpur take off? In a first the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is funding a pilot project for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). The NMC has invited tenders for 25 such flash charging, articulated e-buses. These will be 18 metres long and have a 130 passenger capacity each. The buses will be flash charging ones and their initial routes will cover the ring roads around Nagpur. These are expected to do 50-60 km distances in one hour or so, travelling at upto 60 kmph speed. The bus' batteries are to get charged in a flash within 30- 300 seconds, using the pantograph at bus stations enroute. The flash chargers will deliver a maximum 600 kW power and hence each bus can be charged in minutes. Each bus needs to run 25 kms after a charge. The bus stations will have solar power and will also have a snacks, beverages corners and washrooms. These will run from 6.00 am till midnight at intervals of 10 - 30 minutes and the frequency would depend on the footfalls. The NMC requires the successful vendor to provide expertise and also their drivers to start with. A 10 month gestation is envisaged to enable setting up of infrastructure along the route to commence the project. No doubt the project is unique and if these e-buses hopefully motivate car and bike owner- commuters to swap their personal vehicles for the public transport, the idea will click. The cons though remain as proven gremlins including:- (1) NMC's working is like any other city's municipal corporation, and may be worse too! Any lackadaisical approach, corruption, laches and more could ground the project. (2) The NMC -Gadkari combo introduced imported Scania ethanol buses in Nagpur about 7-8 years ago. The fare was more than double the normal fares. In no time the project bombed. As dues were not paid by NMC to Scania who had leased these buses, the project ended with a bitter war of words and letters between the two parties. Scania ultimately seized their own buses from the NMC. (3) The 18 metre long buses are expected to create traffic bottlenecks on congested roads. Though they are to be deployed on the ring roads and later connect suburbs, these roads are not Utopian and all sorts of vehicles and cattle etc move on these roads. If the project is successful, expect such articulated e-buses to be introduced in other cities too soon after. Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 7th February 2025 at 16:43.
	(4) Thanks

7th February 2025, 16:49	#2
condor Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Speed-brkr City Posts: 16,242 Thanked: 16,900 Times View My Garage	Re: Articulated e-buses 18m long from cities to suburbs - will this pilot project for Nagpur take of Articulated busses dont look to have been successful in Indian cities, considering the density of traffic we have. Regular size busses are a better bet, and with current commute patterns, smaller busses for the last mile make more sense.
	() Thanks

7th February 2025, 17:12	#3
traalbeast Newbie Join Date: Oct 2024 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 5 Thanked: 4 Times	Re: Articulated e-buses 18m long from cities to suburbs - will this pilot project for Nagpur take of This would work great, even with semi permanent pantographs on BRT corridors. But I doubt BRTs in Nagpur have gone beyond white papers. Does not incur the capex of Metro/Light Rail also. Last edited by traalbeast : 7th February 2025 at 17:23.
	(2) Thanks

7th February 2025, 17:39	#4
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,708 Thanked: 22,858 Times View My Garage	Re: Articulated e-buses 18m long from cities to suburbs - will this pilot project for Nagpur take of These are images of 18 m articulated buses by Ebusco which have been ordered for Normandy, France and in quite a few cities in Sweden, The Netherlands, Norway and other cities in Europe.
	(3) Thanks

7th February 2025, 18:00	#5
IshaanIan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Hyd Posts: 3,754 Thanked: 7,802 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/1 (7)	Re: Articulated e-buses 18m long from cities to suburbs - will this pilot project for Nagpur take of I wonder when our government will get it’s head out from the sands of the past and do something practical to solve the issue rather than talk about connecting suburbs and using electricity. I wish they’d come up with a proposal for narrower and lower 15-20 seater options to ease congestion on our Takeshi’s castle-esque roads.
	(1) Thanks