Tata Motors Launches Hybrid and Electric Buses at Pune Facility
Published On Jan 25, 2017
Tata Motors, India’s key commercial vehicle manufacturer, today launched the Starbus Electric 9m, the Starbus Electric 12m and the Starbus Hybrid 12m buses at its manufacturing facility in Pune. The CV maker also displayed a range of smart buses for clean & green cities, designed, developed and powered by alternate fuels, to meet the current and future passenger transportation needs of smart cities.
Taking a leap, the company also showcased the country’s first Fuel Cell Bus (12m), LNG powered bus (12m), and Articulated Bus (18m). The buses have been developed indigenously, and are economically viable ‘Made In India’ public transportation solutions.
Tata Motors also unveiled the country’s first ‘zero emission’ hydrogen powered Starbus Fuel Cell bus, which is a zero-emission mass transport solution, for inter-city commutation. Combining hydrogen gas and oxygen, the Starbus Fuel Cell in turn produces electricity to power the electric motor, with water and heat as a byproduct, for Zero tailpipe emission, a first by an Indian manufacturer.
Present at the launch, Ravindra Pisharody, Executive Director, Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors, said, “With our new range of Future ready buses, we will continue to play an active role in mass public transportation, with a commitment towards striking the right balance between sustainable growth and profitability. We will work closely with government and regulatory authorities to intensify its efforts at tackling pollution, focusing on building alternative transport fuels and infrastructure, for smart cities of tomorrow.”
Tata Motors currently designs, develops and manufacturers its buses in Pune, Dharwad, Pantnagar and Lucknow. Besides its partnership with ACGL of Goa for bus bodies, Tata Motors also has a joint venture with Marcopolo S.A. of Brazil, one of the largest bus body manufacturers in the world for fully built bus solutions. Tata Motors’ approach of manufacturing FBVs (Fully Building Vehicles), meets the government’s new norms in terms of safety, fuel efficiency, wider bus gangways, with the flexibility to be powered by both CNG and diesel.