Ashok Leyland is understood to have won the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) for 300 non AC electric buses
BMTC EV Fame II tender was floated for 300 Non AC buses with wheelchairs for being divyangjan friendly.
This is the fifth time that BMTC is tendering 300 electric buses under the FAME scheme, and 5 bidders participated, including Ashok Leyland, Tata Motors, Olectra, JBM and Veera.
On September 17, the price bid opened and Ashok Leyland was the lowest bidder (L1) in this tender and according to the financial tender details, Ashok Leyland at Rs 48.95 per kilometer, Tata Motors at Rs 54.9 per kilometer, and JBM at Rs 57.97 per kilometer, Evy Trans (Olectra) is priced at Rs 59.5 per kilometer and the Veera has been disqualified, say people in the know who did not wish to be identified.
When contacted Mahesh Babu, who recently joined as CEO at Switch Mobility, Ashok Leyland's electric arm declined to comment.
A subsidy of Rs 88,000 lakh per bus is expected, of which Rs 33,000 lakh per bus comes from the Ka
ataka gove
ment, and Rs 55,000 lakhs is the DHI subsidy.
electric buses
Ashok Leyland is said to have conducted a 'proof of concept' since Aug 31, 2021, in Ahmedabad, where BMTC officials were taken to see Ashok Leyland's electric bus operations. The Chennai automaker is said to have covered over 30 lakh kms cumulative over the fleet of 50 electric buses.
BMTC has been trying to introduce e-buses in Bengaluru through the Fame 1 subsidy, but it has not worked. The first tender was floated in 2019.
The pandemic took its toll on the Corporation, for which it requested more support from the central gove
ment, extended the term of operation of the buses, and then decided to opt for buses, and then it was decided to opt for non-AC buses.
Meanwhile, BEST has issued new bids for 1,900 electric buses, as part of its effort to expand bus fleets to all electric.
It is also in the process to issue tenders for getting 200 electric double-deckers, sources said.
Source: Economic Times
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