Major shift to EVs for Mumbai buses
A major switch to EV buses is planned for buses in Mumbai following a commitment from Maharashtra environment minister Aaditya Thackeray who said half of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses will be electric by mid-2023.
“We will have 1,900 electric buses in Mumbai by mid-2023,” says Thackeray. “Also, 200 double-deck buses will be procured. The entire bus fleet will be turned to electric vehicles. We are also working on a renewable source of electricity.”
Currently, BEST operates 386 electric buses and it has a plan to convert the entire fleet of more than 3,000 buses into EVs by 2028.
The state government has also said it is also exploring hydrogen fuel cell buses.
A memorandum of understanding has been signed with TUMI, a Germany-based organisation, to transform all BEST buses to EVs. BEST says it will also get help from World Resource Institute (WRI) Ross Centre for the transformation.