NITI Aayog, in partnership with EESL-subsidiary Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) and World Resources Institute, India (WRI India), supported by Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI) has launched the e-Sawaari India Electric Bus Coalition.
Through the coalition, the Central-, state-, and city-level government agencies, transit service providers, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), financing institutions, and ancillary service providers will be able to share knowledge and their learnings on e-bus adoption in India.
The launch was attended by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog; MDs of State Transport Undertakings (STUs); Ashish Kundra IAS, Commissioner of Transport, Delhi; Dr. OP Agarwal, CEO, WRI India and Mahua Acharya, CEO, Convergence Energy Services (CESL) among others.
Amitabh Kant said, "Electrification of public transport especially in the bus sector, is key to India's decarbonization strategy. The e-Sawaari India Electric Bus Coalition is a step toward ensuring steady and paced electrification of the bus transport system in India. Identifying innovative means to address the challenges of procurement, operations, and financing e-bus deployment at scale is crucial to achieving net-zero emissions."
Mahua Acharya said, "Multiple players must come into the electric bus eco system – be it financiers, banking partners, IT service providers or utility firms in addition to a state transport undertaking and original equipment manufacturers. An enabling ecosystem to access funding and financing of electric buses is the need of the hour for scaled-up adoption of electric buses."
Dr. OP Agarwal said, "Need of the hour is to find high-impact solutions to address urban pollution, nudging a positive climate action, and enhancing urban living. To scale up e-bus adoption, we need to address its challenges - procurement, operational and financial. As a coalition, e-Sawaari will be able to facilitate discussions and identify innovative solutions to scale up e-bus adoption."
Rohan Shailesh Modi, Asia Co-ordinator -TUMI E-Bus Mission said, "The e-Saawari India electric bus coalition aims to give a fresh impetus to India's e-bus sector by bringing cities, private sector, and financiers to work jointly to address the sectoral challenges. TUMI E-Bus we need to address the challenges with protocooperation" Mission is happy to support this unique initiative co-led by NITI Aayog and CESL."