Tata, JBM, others eye India's biggest electric bus tender

At least half a dozen Indian electric bus makers, including Tata Motors Ltd, JBM Auto Ltd, and PMI Electro Mobility Solutions Ltd, are eyeing the country's largest electric-bus tender set to close on 6 November, according to two people aware of the development.

- Manas Pimpalkhare & Ayaan Kartik

Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd's subsidiary Olectra Greentech Ltd, Pinnacle Mobility Solutions' arm EKA Mobility, and Hinduja Group's Switch Mobility Ltd have also shown interest in participating in the tender, and earnest money deposits are likely to be completed in a few days before the tender closes, said a government official.

The tender floated by staterun Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL) seeks to deploy 10,900 e-buses in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Surat, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru under the PM E-Drive scheme. India's electrification of public transportation supports the country's aim to achieve carbon neutrality in the transport sector by 2070.A Care Edge Ratings March report estimates that, led by incentives, e-bus sales are expected to cross 17,000 units by FY27.

However, the latest tender was deferred twice due to high bidding costs, Mint reported on 22 October. Companies have to pay an earnest money deposit of over 312 crore to participate in the bidding for all five cities, according to publicly available tender documents.

"There will be no further delays in the tender," said the first official. "These bus manufacturers have shown interest in the tender."