India approves $7 billion plan for electric buses in nearly 170 cities
Notable because
The shift to electric vehicles (EVs) is largely dominated by two-and three-wheelers. Electrification of public transport has remained subdued, with only ~5,000 e-buses on-road (August 2023). By approving the PM-eBus Sewa scheme, the government targets to achieve two purposes: catalysing the adoption of e-buses and providing an organised public transport system to underserved cities. The scheme has a target of 10,000 e-buses and associated infrastructure in 169 cities under the public-private partnership model.
What to look out for in the months ahead
Will this scheme complement the much-awaited FAME-III scheme or act as a substitute for subsidies it may provide to e-buses?
Who will lead the deployment of e-buses under this scheme?
Will the special emphasis on establishing charging infrastructure help catalyse the electrification of public transport?
The scheme will cover cities with a population above 0.3 million; what other criteria will be employed to select the cities that will benefit from this scheme?