Ashok Leyland Rolls Out First India-made Electric Bus

Chennai: Hinduja Group flagship Ashok Leyland on Monday launched 'Circuit,' the first Made in India electric bus. The bus with minimum seating capacity of 35 to a maximum of 65 can run up to 120 kilometers on a single recharge under standard test conditions, according to Ashok Leyland MD Vinod K Dasari.

After launching the electric bus here, Dasari said: "The initial investment made for this product is about Rs 22 crore from the overall Rs 500 crore. It will be done in phases. The Circuit series of buses is another testament to Ashok Leyland's commitment to leverage India's technological innovation to relevant and best in class solutions for India and the world."

The bus will cost between Rs 1.50 crore to Rs 3.50 crore. According to Ashok Leyland Senior VP Global Buses, T Venkataraman, the Circuit buses can be manufactured in all the seven manufacturing facilities owned by the company. These buses are right now manufactured in Alwar, Rajasthan and also in our Viralimalai facility (Tamil Nadu).

"But we have the capability to manufacture in all our seven plants. The bus can be used in hilly areas and heritage places. Tendering process is going on between three to four state transport undertakings. While 60 per cent of the total cost of the bus goes for the battery, the remaining is for other parts. Currently, the batteries are imported from the United States," he said.

Source: PTI