Replacing diesel-run buses with e-buses, which cause neither noise nor air pollution, may change the face of public transport in the Greater Kochi region.
They have plenty of other advantages too, like rock-bottom operational expenses due to low cost of energy (electricity).
Wear and tear too is low since e-buses have only around 20% of moving parts as compared to their conventional counterparts, sources said.
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However, the biggest concern is that they are priced much higher. An e-bus costs ₹1.50 crore unlike conventional buses that cost between ₹35 lakh and ₹40 lakh.
Here too, tie-ups entered into by the Thiruvananthapuram-based Kerala Automobiles Limited (KAL) and a private bus body builder in the State with European e-bus firms offer hope.
This will bring down their procurement price and that of batteries. Moreover, there is a possibility of the Centre and the State granting subsidy of around 40% to purchase e-buses, they added.
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On its part, the government will have to fix dedicated fares for e-buses since the capital investment is much higher than that for the conventional ones. It could also bring in differential (marginally higher) fare pricing for buses that operate late into night since crew members will have to be appointed on another shift.
Bus operators have already begun reaping the benefits of being arrayed under seven bus companies in Kochi as the companies are better able to bargain with sellers of spare parts, tyres, and fuel and also with insurance firms.
Call for consensus
Meanwhile, the managing partner of a bus company expressed concern at the inordinate delay on the part of bus operators in arriving at a consensus on the way forward in the formation of an e-bus company. “Many stakeholders are unwilling to adapt to technological changes in public transport. They are also unaware of the potential of e-buses,” he said.