Electric Buses In Delhi : Are They Worth The Hype?

Recent times have seen a lot of hullabaloo regarding EV’s & hybrid EV’s. The switch has aroused questions like is this change necessary, is it worth it ? in everybody’s minds. So here we are, finding answers to these questions and understanding this crucial transformation.

There is no doubt that climate change and global warming have been matters of serious concern for our environment. Factors like pollution, deforestation, fossil fuels, and greenhouse emissions have had a significant impact on our environmental resources. Studies have shown that transport is a major polluter, so switching to an alternative option that is cleaner and sustainable is vital. The world took no time to realize that city buses are an ideal application for EVs. Hence, today many countries have adopted using electric buses and trains as an alternative to fossil fuel powered transport. Electrification of public transport can be a possible practical solution for pollution, respiratory illnesses and, ultimately, climate change.

Transportation electrification continues to expand as more medium- and heavy-duty vehicles enter the market. The shift from conventional diesel vehicles to electric vehicles has been promoted as means to control pollutants emitted along with encouraging the use of public transport. It is in this context that electric buses can play a positive role.

Switching to Electric Buses

Electric buses operate on batteries and are propelled by traction motors, replacing the internal combustion engine and fuel tank. These are powered by 100% renewable energy and also have energy storage capabilities. It takes around 40 minutes of time to fully recharge the bus's battery. E-Buses offer better performance in terms of drivability, maintenance and consumption.

Advantages of Electric Buses

The first and foremost advantage of choosing E-buses over other fuel engines is reduced reliance on fossil fuels and improved air quality, bringing the world closer to cleaner, zero-emissions cities. The result is a 40% reduction in energy consumption peaks with a 50% saving on cost.
A great way to reduce C02 emissions and move towards decarbonization.
Electric buses have lower fuel costs, fewer components, require less maintenance and have a longer life cycle.
They have zero tailpipe emissions which directly benefits the air quality of a city and thus can be of great asset to UN's mission to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
Another great advantage of E-Buses is that they don’t contribute to noise pollution, making the experience of riding an E-Buses more enjoyable for passengers.
Electrical buses for public transport could drastically reduce GHG emissions and make transit more accessible for everyone.

Electric Buses in Delhi

Contributing to the incumbent agenda of a green city, the Delhi government recently added 97 high-tech electric buses as a part of its public transport fleet. These buses have been delivered by Tata Motors. With this addition, Delhi's overall electric bus strength has grown to 250. These buses will operate under the jurisdiction of the DTC. Fifty of them will be, for the time being, stationed at Rajghat depot. As Delhi's CM flagged off these buses, he informed the media how the government plans to phase out old-polluting buses and replace them with electric buses. He also announced that 8,000 electric buses are set to arrive in the national capital by 2025. The city government is planning to spend Rs 1,862 crore on this project over the next ten years.

Delhi currently has 7,373 buses operating on a daily basis, which is the highest number of buses to ever exist within city bus transportation. More than half of them operate under DTC, while the rest are part of the Delhi Integrated Multimodal Transit Systems (DIMTS). 153 e-buses are already on the road, addition of these 97 buses were recently added, and 1500 e-buses are expected to be added by November 2023. The number will swell beyond 10,000 if everything goes according to the state government's roadmap. With over 8000 E-Buses, the capital will become the city with the most number of e-buses in the country.

New EV charging depots are being built as well to cater to the increasing number of new electric buses introduced. Also, around 55 bus depots in Delhi are set to get their own EV charging stations by the end of 2023.

Key Takeaways

Electric buses are set to play an increasingly important role in the energy transition and are sure to become an intrinsic part of the smart city concept. Though the initial costs of switching to an electric fleet can be high due to the infrastructure development required, however, this investment can be offset by long-term savings in other areas. Electric buses have a promising future, and the benefits they bring to all involved will further encourage their success.

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