(CNBC TV 18)
India’s G20 Sherpa and former CEO of NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant, on Tuesday, announced that the government will soon invite bids for 60,000 electric buses. Speaking at the Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Dialogue, Kant revealed that India will introduce the FAME III scheme to sustain the electric vehicle (EV) transition and expand charging infrastructure nationwide.
According to Kant, a recent tender for 6,000 electric buses showed that these buses are approximately 13 to 14% cheaper in operational costs compared to traditional internal combustion engine buses.
He added that the next tender will be for 10,000 buses, followed by another for 50,000 buses. “The size and scale will help to bring down the prices significantly, much like what India achieved with the procurement of about 320 million LED bulbs,” said Kant.
