The EV bus doesn’t have to be expensive to be Good and Sustainable
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
EKA Mobility has launched its 9-meter electric bus at Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024. EKA 9 promises a solid platform for sustainable and efficient public transport in cities around the world, along with reliable and profitable operations for customers. The buses are approved under the Government of India’s Auto PLI policy and are part of the Champion OEM Scheme and EV component manufacturing scheme.
The company is a joint venture of Mitsui Pvt. LTD (Japan) and VDL group ( Netherlands). But it has established its R&D centre in Pune, promising at par engineering & innovation. The company has a roadmap of manufacturing 700 electric buses and 5000+ electric light commercial vehicle orders in the pipeline.
The vehicles are proposed to be manufactured in existing state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The certification of designing was received from ARAI.
The fleet of buses will be gracing India’s roads soon. It offers a 50-percent reduction in the total cost of ownership and will be a game-changer in the last-mile delivery vehicle segment. But before explaining the math, let’s get into specifications.
Specifications of EKA 9
As already mentioned, it is a 9-meter-long EV with a seating capacity of 32 pax (+1 driver) and an additional similar standing capacity.
The regular commuter bus is powered by a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) with a maximum power output of 200 kW and a peak torque rating of 2500 Nm. The intra-city range claims 200 km on a single full charge. The bus comes with a regenerative braking system, as well as ventilated disc brakes on all four wheels.
The EV bus includes front and rear disc brakes with EBS, a CCS2 protocol fast charger, and four cameras.
There are low entry/exit steps, which are ergonomically designed with kneeling features and with the softest 650 mm floor height, making them highly comfortable & accessible for older adults, children, women & specially-abled passengers.
The enhanced ergonomic design in the driver’s cockpit, auto-drive feature, power-assisted with tilting and telescopic steering, and all-in-one central console provides riders and drivers with a smoother riding experience.
The EKA 9 also gets advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) tech, cameras, and an emergency stop button. Since the bus will travel on the roads of Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, and Kerala, the makers have added an air conditioning system, demister, and a bacterial filtration system.
The bus model is equipped with Automatic available for this model. EKA has also offered its buyers a Power Steering, and there is no fuel tank capacity available for this model’s fuel tank capacity.
The Last mile mobility EKA 9 bus comes with both front and rear air suspension with ECAS. Apart from that, the bus has a smiley front layout, stylish waver side panels, and more giant glasses for panoramic views. The bus is also equipped with vehicle control unit software designed in-house ( Make in India initiative) with an integrated strategy for vehicle features.
EKA has a portfolio in designing, manufacturing, and supplying a complete range of EVs, Fuel cells, and alternative fuel vehicles. Hence, the in-house vehicle control unit software, components assembly and manufacturing, EV traction systems, EV energy storage systems, etc.
The specifications in Bird’s eye view
| GVW | 12,000 kg |
| Charging Time | 60-90 mins |
| Chassis | Monocoque |
| Transmission | Automatic |
| Steering | Power Assisted |
| Gradeabilirt | >18% |
| Maximum speed | 80 km/hr |
| Tube size | tubeless – 255/70 R22.5 |
| safety | short Circuit Protection / Over Temperature Protection, Lightning Protection |
EKA 9: the EV Drawing Parallels from Government Schemes
EKA, a subsidiary of Pinnacle Industries, is one of the only commercial vehicle manufacturers. It is only approved under the Champion OEM Scheme & EV component manufacturing scheme of the Government of India’s Auto PLI policy.
Apart from the above accolades, EKA is aligned with GOI’s Shoonya initiative and UN Agenda 2030 sustainable development goals. The company is bringing together clean, green, electric, and new-energy vehicles to revolutionize the mobility landscape.
According to Dr. Sudhir Mehta, Founder & Chairman of EKA by Pinnacle Mobility Solutions, EKA 9 electric buses are built 100% following the government’s ‘Make in India’ campaign.
He further highlighted, “Electrification of commercial vehicles, public transport, especially the bus sector, is key to India’s decarbonization strategy. Today, we are excited to launch our first electric bus EKA E9, to empower cities to achieve their zero-emissions targets. Our buses are designed & optimized to provide the best ride experience, cleaner environment, and best returns to the customers. With the new EKA E9, we offer a global platform for clean, efficient, and profitable public transport to meet the rising demand on important markets that are ready for the shift to electromobility.
The company will also tap into the LCV segment soon.
“Our electric LCVs represent a significant step forward in the evolution of commercial transportation globally. We are confident that these vehicles will not only meet the demands of the industry but will also set new standards for sustainability and performance. Our vision is to become a global volume leader in Commercial Electric Vehicles. We have the strongest IP creation in the Indian EV industry, best-in-class Total Cost of Operation (TCO) offering, and completely indigenous and industry-leading software. We are proud to be the only EV company to have two leading global conglomerates as our partners, and we look forward to changing the commercial mobility landscape with sustainable and profitable solutions.”
At the beginning of the blog, we said that there would be a 50% reduction in the total cost of ownership.
Let’s do the math.
EKA is the face of bringing sustainability, profitability, & efficiency in EV solutions to accelerate the mass adaptation of new energy vehicles. The bus has no tailpipe, hence producing no carbon dioxide emissions and improving air quality significantly. Thus improving India’s cities to achieve net zero-emission targets.
The architecture is designed in such a way as to give the lowest Total Cost of Ownership. The composite structure reduces the weight of the bus and ensures a rust-free life. The use case optimized components provide tailored economics to be met.
Hence, there are savings of Rs 200 crore, which is equivalent to 6.5 lakh trees. The company is targeting to benefit four crore passengers daily with this product. The design and technicality of the EV are reducing 13 crore tons of CO2.
EKA’s intelligent, lean manufacturing unit also has a minimal carbon footprint. The company has created a benchmark for low-investment manufacturing.
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