JBM Auto Ltd unveiled India’s
first 100pc electric bus ‘Ecolife’ at Auto Expo 2016. This revolutionary bus
has been developed in partnership with renowned European bus manufacturer
Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. The bus was unveiled by S.K. Arya, Chairman, JBM
Group; Nishant Arya, Executive Director, JBM Group; Dr. Andreas Strecker, CEO,
Solaris Bus & Coach S.A. and Dariusz Michalak, Deputy CEO, Solaris Bus
& Coach S.A.
Ecolife is a zero emission
vehicle (ZEV) as it is powered by lithium batteries, which are fast charging
through pantograph, and runs 150-200 kms in 10-15 hrs of city bus operation.
This vehicle can also run on plug-in charging. The electric bus technology is
adaptable to the city bus operation depending on demographic and geographic
conditions.
Ecolife has a corrosion
resistant monocoque structure, thereby making it stronger with longer lifespan
than other buses on Indian roads. The bus has cantilever seats that give extra
leg room for passengers and increased storage space underneath for belongings. Ecolife
also incorporates other utility features such as passenger information system
(PIS), vehicle health monitoring system, etc.
Once in commercial production,
Ecolife will be the second indigenous mass public transport product from JBM
Group. The group had introduced Citylife in the last Auto Expo in February
2014. Citylife is an ultra-low-floor luxurious CNG bus for intra-city travel.
The company is scheduled to deliver105 Citylife buses for commutation in
Noida-Greater Noida region in April 2016.
Nishant Arya said, “Pollution
being an increasingly serious health concern in metropolis, it has become
imperative to shift our mass public transport system from fossil fuel to
non-fossil fuel. As a socially
responsible organization, we believe that electric bus would be an apt solution
we could offer. We are offering two versions of Ecolife bus in 9m & 12m
length. Ecolife bundles the technical advances made in Europe with the
first-in-class luxurious features we had introduced through our CNG bus in the
last Auto Expo. Ecolife will surely revolutionize the intra-city transport once
again”.
Dr. Andreas Strecker, CEO,
Solaris Bus & Coach S.A., said: “We have delivered memorable travel
experiences in 30 countries and now we are excited to be present in India, the
hub of innovation. JBM and Solaris together are set to revolutionize public
transportation in India with Ecolife. The buses will be manufactured in India
with our proven technology”.
“As a group, we are committed
to creating and offering innovative green solutions. JBM is also rapidly
increasing its footprint in the solar power business. We are consistently participating
in government initiatives such as Make In India & Smart City Development to
contribute towards sustainable development of the nation,” Arya added.
Source: JBM Ltd