Goldstone Infratech, distributors’ for BYD Electric buses delivers the first electric bus to KTC for trial run.
Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC)’s first 100% electric bus arrived in the state.
The bus was handed over to the state government and the trial run was flagged off by Goa Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar, State Transport Minister Mr. Sudin Dhavalikar in the presence of Naga Satyam, President, Strategy, Goldstone Infratech Limited and Ketsu Zhang, Executive Director, BYD India Limited.
Goldstone-BYD has delivered its K9 variant to the Goa Government- certified by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). The 12 meter bus will be plying on Goa roads for the next few weeks on a trial basis mainly on the Panjim-Margoa route.
Kadamba had also tried the Scania Bio Gas, India’s first biogas-run bus as a pilot project on the occasion of Independence Day 2017.
BYD Electric bus specifications
Goldstone electric buses are 100 percent electric, with zero emissions. BYD has launched two variants- eBuzz K7 which can ferry 31 passengers and eBuzz K9 which has a capacity for 39 passengers.
The buses cover upto 250 km at 70 kmph on a single complete charge that takes about four hours.
The Bus on trial will be the 12 meters eBuzz K9 varaint.
As per the contract Kadamba will pay company Rs. 50- Rs. 60 per kilometer, (final rate is not finalized) Kadamba will not spend on the maintenance and other expenses; and the company is expected to bear the maintenance and other costs.
Charging points have been made available for the bus. The buses will be charged at Panjim Bus stand and takes 8-9 hours to get fully charged. The bus is approximately priced at Rs. 2.45 crore.
Such electric buses offer zero-emission, quiet operation and better acceleration compared to traditional buses informed officials.
Goa Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar said
the company is ready to give the buses to the state government to run on kilometre basis. The company will maintain the buses, we will pay them per kilometre, subject to a minimum number of kilometres, the CM said, adding that the state government will operate the buses.
“Depending on the success of the trial run of this electric bus, the government will go for anything between 50 to 100 buses,” he said. The total estimated maintenance and running cost of the bus will be around Rs 55 per km, he added.
“We will put the condition that the driver must be Goan,” Parrikar said.
